Toilets...the one place in your home that you probably hate cleaning the most! These easy tips showing how to clean a toilet and keep it clean will help you clean your toilets less and keep them smelling fresh in between deep cleanings!
Toilets are one of the grossest things in our home, and keeping them clean can be not only disgusting, but also exhausting. They don't smell great most of the time, and cleaning them is less than fun. The great news is, you can clean your toilets once and week and keep them fresh in between cleaning. I'm also going to share how to get rid of those hard water deposits that can build up in your toilet, causing problems and discoloration.
How to Clean Your Toilets
Cleaning your toilets isn't necessarily a hard thing to do, but a lot of the store bought toilet cleaners can be harsh and aren't the safest to breath in. You can make your own Homemade Toilet Cleaner HERE if you like or use your favorite store bought brand.
Clean the Toilet Bowl First
To clean your toilets well, it's important to get the inside of the bowl clean, especially up around the inner lip of the bowl. Start by adding toilet cleaner to your bowl and allowing it to sit for 10-20 minutes. Next, take a toilet cleaning brush and work the toilet cleaner up around the inner lip of the bowl and all around the inside of the bowl, including the bottom of the bowl. To finish, flush the toilet and rinse the toilet brush in hot water.
Clean the Exterior of Your Toilet
Once you have cleaned the toilet bowl, give the rest of the toilet a thorough wipedown using disinfectant cleaner. I like to use THIS Homemade Bathroom Cleaner, but you can use whatever brand you like. Start at the back of the toilet and spray the toilet down completely moving from the top of the toilet, to the handle, then clean the lid and surroundings, wiping the cleaner away using a clean cloth. Use a separate cloth and disinfecting spray to clean the bottom of your toilet and around the bolts at the base.
How to Keep a Toilet Fresh in Between Cleanings
My favorite way to keep my toilets fresh is by dropping a toilet cleaning bomb in 1-2 times per week. They only take 3 ingredients to make and will fizz up and freshen your toilet in minutes. All you have to do is drop one in and walk away. They will loosen up any "debris" left behind and freshen up your toilet! Grab the recipe for my 3 Ingredient Toilet Cleaning Bombs HERE!
Another easy and inexpensive way to freshen your toilets in between cleanings is to pour a cup of disinfectant mouthwash in your toilet. You literally just pour a cup of inexpensive mouthwash into your toilet and allow it to sit for a bit, then flush! Check out my 3 Ways to Use Mouthwash to Clean Your Home and More HERE!
How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Your Toilet
We live in Kentucky and have very hard water, which means calcium deposits can build up in not time, causing our toilet to malfunction...that is not a good thing. To keep our toilet working properly, I have to clean my toilet and clean the hard water deposits and stains every couple of months. If you have problems with hard water, check out my post on How to Remove Hard Water Stains From a Toilet HERE!
Looking for more cleaning tips and tricks? Check out my Home Cleaning Page for hundreds of cleaning tips, recipes and easy organizing tips!
Lynn says
Hi Jessica, I enjoy your cleaning techniques and recipes. I'm hoping you can helpme with a cleaning issue. My bathroom is so cramped together that it is hard to clean behind the toilet. I 've tried extending brushes but they don't seem to beable to get in the corners or the cracks very well. I'm hoping you can suggest a flexible brush that would twist and turn like I need yet still be strong enough to scrub tough stains. Thank you