How to clean a Toilet like a Pro

Among all of the annoying or disgusting chores we have to do at home, I think cleaning a toilet might be one of the worst. I don’t think anyone likes cleaning toilets.

But, even though you might dread it, cleaning the toilets in your house on a regular basis is one of the most important habits to form. Let me tell you why.

Need more ideas? 9 Daily Habits of People Who Always Have Clean Homes and Save Hundreds and Learn to Clean your Own Windows!

Why It’s Important to Clean a Toilet Often

The bathroom ranks among the most frequently used spaces in our homes, and it tends to accumulate messiness rather swiftly. From everyday use to handwashing and showering, water and grime have a knack for building up. Neglecting small stains and hard water deposits can make your cleaning endeavors significantly more challenging.

Developing a weekly cleaning routine for your entire bathroom is a wise practice. Without a regular schedule, it’s easy to lose track of when you last cleaned it. However, if you find it challenging to set aside time for a comprehensive cleaning session each week, it’s crucial to prioritize cleaning the toilet on a weekly basis.

Failure to maintain a regular cleaning regimen can lead to stubborn stains that may even damage your toilet over time. Performing a quick and straightforward weekly cleaning routine is far more manageable than facing the daunting task of a deep cleaning session on a monthly basis.

The Benefits of Having a Clean Toilet

Maintaining a clean bathroom yields numerous benefits, extending beyond mere cleanliness. Chief among these advantages is the positive impact on mental well-being. Stepping into an immaculate and clutter-free bathroom can significantly enhance your mood, ensuring you leave the space feeling unburdened, free from added tasks on your to-do list.

Furthermore, a pristine bathroom serves as a valuable asset when hosting guests. The assurance of a clean restroom allows you to welcome visitors without hesitation. Nobody enjoys encountering an unclean bathroom, which can be an unsettling experience. By consistently upholding a weekly cleaning routine, you can rest easy, even when unexpected guests drop by. (Of course, the rest of your home might warrant some attention, but your bathroom will always be in top-notch condition.)

Professional Tips for Cleaning a Toilet

When cleaning the outer toilet, always work from the top to the bottom and from the cleanest part to the dirtiest. This allows you to avoid spreading urine all over the cleanest parts of the toilet.

Clean every crevice and every surface. Don’t skip anything just because it’s gross! I know it’s tempting, but if you skip parts of the toilet cleaning process this time just because it grosses you out too much, I promise it’ll happen the next time you clean too. Your toilet stains won’t be getting any better between now and the next time you have the guts to clean. If anything, it’ll just get worse! So just hold your breath (and close your eyes if you need to) and get it done.

This is why cleaning toilets weekly is so important, otherwise it’ll just be even worse the next time you try to clean the toilet.

Step by Step Instructions For Cleaning a Toilet

If you haven’t cleaned that many toilets in your lifetime, or if your toilet just doesn’t seem to be getting clean enough, here are my step by step instructions with some handy tips for cleaning a toilet.

1. Let the toilet bowl cleaner sit for a bit.

The first step is an easy one. When cleaning the toilet, the first thing you need to do is spray the toilet bowl cleaner in the inner bowl.

A good cleaner usually needs a bit of time to work its magic, so spray it first and let the toilet bowl cleaner sit for now while you work on the rest of the toilet.

2. Clean the outer toilet bowl.

Make sure you get every nook and cranny when you’re cleaning the outer bowl. And I truly mean every nook and cranny.

One area that most people forget to clean is the lowest part of the toilet down by the bolts that keep the toilet rooted to the ground. For some reason, urine seems to collect here and most people avoid cleaning here completely! 

But, just like with everything else, if you avoid cleaning it this time because it’s gross, it’s going to be twice as gross the next time! Bite the bullet and get it clean. And then clean it every week after that too.

Continue cleaning up to the toilet seat, and make sure you get everywhere around the bowl. Lift up the toilet seat, scrub underneath, and make sure you get the hinges of the seat as well. The underside of the seat and lid often has urine stains, especially if you have any little boys in your house, so make sure you clean that too.

I always make sure to clean up to the very top. Just because the top of your tank doesn’t have urine or grime doesn’t mean you should skip that spot. It can get dusty and dirty – even if it’s just from germs we can’t see. So make sure to wipe down the front, sides, and top of the tank, plus anything else you can reach. Make sure to get the flush handle too!

I have found that Lysol wipes are one of the most effective ways to clean the outer toilet bowl. They are quick, easy, and won’t drip water onto your floor like a washcloth or scrub brush would.

If you don’t want to use wipes, you can try a disinfectant spray that doesn’t require a water rinse off or a wet sponge. Just make sure you avoid products that require water to either spread or rinse since that will just make your bathroom floor wet and dirty.

No one wants to clean the toilet if it just makes a bigger mess! That’s why I would suggest using Lysol wipes if possible.

3. Clean the inner bowl.

After the outer bowl is clean, scrub the inner bowl with a toilet brush. I’ll go over what the perfect toilet brush should look like in a moment, but make sure it can handle a vigorous scrub.

The toilet cleaner you sprayed earlier should be enough to get rid of most stains and grime, but if you haven’t cleaned your toilet in a while, you might have a water ring or other hard water stains that even the cleaner can’t remove.

If that’s the case, you may need to get more heavy-duty products. Look into toilet tank cleaner or more intense cleaners specifically designed for water stains. You can also use a pumice stone.

Buy a pumice stone cleaner with a handle, and it will work wonders on your water rings. Just make sure to be very gentle when you’re using it. Pumice stones can scratch the porcelain of your toilet, so I’d suggest submerging the stone in water until it’s nice and wet.

When the stone is wet, it becomes a bit softer and you won’t have to worry as much about it scratching the porcelain. Of course, you should still be gentle, but the pumice stone will almost become like a firm eraser, and you can gently erase that water ring right off!

Make sure you also clean up underneath the rim. This is where the water comes out when you flush, and a lot of people forget to clean there since it’s out of sight. Get your brush right up under the rim and clean all the way around.

Once you’ve cleaned the inner bowl, lay the toilet brush between the seat and the lid, with the bristled end of the brush hanging over the inside of the bowl. That way your toilet brush can drip dry without getting dirty water all over the bathroom.

4. Cleaning the Toilet Tank

One part of the toilet that is usually overlooked is the toilet tank. About 90% of people don’t need to worry about cleaning the toilet tank. But some people, like me, open the lid of their toilet tank and the walls of the tank are completely brown, but the water is still clear.

I tried to scrub the sides of my toilet tank to see if that would help and nothing helped! At one point I even tried the Clorox Bleach Tablets but that didn’t help either. Helpful tip: I learned from a plumber that the Clorox bleach tabs can ruin the inside parts of your toilet. Yikes!

So I was in search of a product that would clean the tank without corroding all of the parts inside. I was searching for products on Amazon and decided to try Instant Power Toilet Tank Cleaner. It worked AMAZINGLY on my toilets!

I just dumped about 1/4 of the bottle in my toilet tank before I went to bed and woke up and it looked like new!

For one bottle I was able to do all 3 toilets in my house plus I had some leftover for other times as needed.

If you have a gross toilet tank like I did, you have GOT to try this out!

What to Look For in a Toilet Brush

The first thing to look for in a toilet brush is a shorter handle. Nobody wants to see your stored toilet brush to the side of your toilet. You can make your bathroom look nice and tidy by hiding your toilet brush behind the toilet… but only with a toilet brush that has a shorter handle.

Plus, if you can hide the toilet brush behind the toilet, you don’t have to waste valuable space under the bathroom sink.

The second thing to look for in a toilet brush is black bristles. Nobody wants to stare at the yellow pee-stains on your white toilet brush. Not even you. So do yourself (and everyone else) a favor and get a toilet brush with black bristles.

Many toilet brushes come with an enclosed container to keep the brush in. But the problem with this is that the water is never allowed to evaporate and the toilet brush never dries out! Some toilet brushes even come in metal containers, which just leads to rust. So try to purchase a toilet brush that allows it to dry out.

The best toilet brush I’ve seen that meets all of these requirements is the $1 toilet brush from Ikea! So the good news is buying a new toilet brush won’t break the bank.

Must-Have Toilet Cleaning Supplies

Besides the all-important toilet brush, here are a few other things you should keep on hand for your weekly cleans.

• Toilet Tank Cleaner (for super dirty toilet tanks that won’t scrub clean)
• Pumice Stone with Handle (great for getting hard water rings off of the toilet bowl – remember to use it gently so you don’t scratch the porcelain)
• Lysol Disinfecting Wipes (for cleaning the outer bowl)

Clean Consistently

Now that you know exactly how to clean a toilet, find time each week to get it done. Remember: it will always be easier to do a quick clean once a week than struggle through a deep clean every month or two.

Plus, there’s nothing better than walking into a bathroom with a spotless, sparkling toilet!