Cleaning Toilet Bowls

How to keep your toilets — and sewers — clean.

Cleaning toilet bowls, like so many other daily chores, is something we do so often that we just assume there's nothing more to learn about it. Cleaning Toilet Bowls 101 isn't exactly a standard course in schools these days, so instead we're left to acquire our toilet bowl cleaning knowledge on the streets. If only there were a textbook for cleaning toilet bowls. Until that day, our toilet bowl cleaning primer will have to do.

Be regular

You've probably heard that one before, but it also applies to cleaning toilet bowls. Most damage is done to toilet bowls through infrequent cleaning. Not cleaning toilet bowls on a consistent basis can soon lead to lime, rust, and water stains that will build up over time and leave your bathroom looking constantly dirty, even when it's been cleaned.

Stain removal

If it's too late and your toilet is already stained, or if you've moved into a new apartment or house and have to deal with old fixtures, don't despair. The ceramic clay used to make most toilet bowls is quite resilient and can probably be restored.

Try using a commercial toilet bowl cleaner first to see if this resolves the problem or at least reduces it. If not, cleaning toilet bowls with an acid-based stain remover is recommended. If all else fails, pour a 1/2 cup of household bleach into the toilet and flush it down after a few minutes. Just be careful not to get the bleach on your skin.

Toilet cleaning brushes

OK, so "what is the life span of a toilet cleaning brush?" may not be a question you hear often, but it is asked. A simple rule of thumb to follow with toilet cleaning brushes is that when their bristles have been worn down to the metal, throw them away. The metal can scratch the toilet bowl and cause lasting damage.

Disposable toilet brushes have also been advertised quite a lot recently. We don't recommend them. Yes, some people find it appealing to flush the brush down after every use, but it's also one more unnecessary disposable product headed for the sewer. Speaking of which…

What you flush

"Out of sight, out of mind" is a common refrain with toilet bowl usage. But cleaning toilet bowls really extends beyond just your bathroom. Many items are thoughtlessly flushed down toilets, ending up in the sewer system and needlessly causing pollution.

For example, in the city of London, England, which features over 30,000 miles of sewers, one of the commonest sights for sewer workers is congealed fat from grease washed down the drain by restaurants and households. In London, congealed fat alone results in sewer blockages that cost upwards of $10 million a year.

Just because it's out of sight doesn't mean it's disappeared. Be careful what you flush.

More information on Toilet Bowl Brushes