How to Clean a Toilet the Right Way (and How Often You Should)

It's not exactly glamorous, but your toilet is easily one of the most-used seats in your home. Creating a beautiful ambience via a jewel box bathroom or beautiful tiling makes this a more enjoyable space, but it's also important to maintain cleanliness. The good news is that it doesn't require a lot of time or loads of elbow grease to get this essential fixture sparkling clean. Here, find our no-fail, no-germ-left-behind guide on how to clean a toilet.

How Often You Should Clean Your Toilet

Toilets that are used throughout the day every day should get a deep clean at least once per week, says Logan Taylor, a cleaning professional and founder of The Dazzle Cleaning Company. This includes tending to the inside of the bowl and the tank. You should also wipe the exterior down, including the handle and around the seat, every day.

Toilets that are used less frequently—like guest bathroom toilets or powder room toilets typically reserved for guests—can be cleaned less frequently. "These toilets that are rarely used don't need to be deep cleaned each week, but they do need to receive a touch-up cleaning or, at the minimum, a flush regularly to prevent hard water mineral build-up," Taylor says.

Tools You'll Need

Trust us, you don't want to stop mid-task to search for a pumice stone. Instead, have all of your tools within arm's reach, perhaps organized in a handy bucket in a utility closet that you can grab whenever cleaning the toilet.

• Disinfecting spray and wipes
• Paper towels
• Sturdy pair of long cleaning gloves
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Tiff-bristle toilet brush
• Pumice stone on a stick

Instructions

Will all your supplies in tow, you're officially ready to follow this simple, step-by-step guide for cleaning the toilet bowl.

1. Roll up your sleeves and put on your long rubber gloves. This is a bit of a dirty job, so you'll want to remain as sanitary as possible.
2. Generously squeeze the toilet bowl cleaner into the bowl in a circular motion, targeting the upper interior sides of the bowl and making sure to cover the entire surface, including under the rim.
3. Let the cleaner set for five to 10 minutes. Different products have different usage instructions, so check the instructions on the cleaner for the recommended amount of time.
4. Scrub the entire surface with your toilet brush, paying special attention to any stains or buildup. Make sure to clean underneath the rim, which is a hot spot for bacteria and mineral deposits.
5. Flush the toilet to rinse away the cleaner and any loosened dirt, grime, and mineral deposits.
6. Check for any remaining stains and repeat.
7. Use your pumice stone to gently scrub away hard water mineral deposits, which tends to create a ring where the water level rests. Choose a stone on a stick so your hands don't have to get too close to the toilet bowl. A few swipes with the pumice stone should do the trick. (Because the pumice is a softer stone, it won't scratch the porcelain surface.)
8. Flush again.
9. Wipe down the exterior of the toilet with disinfectant spray and paper towels, or with a disinfectant wipe. This is one of the few situations where using disposable products makes sense.
10. Once the toilet's clean, you'll probably want to peel off your gloves right away. Before you do, head for the sink and give your gloved hands a good scrubbing with soap and hot water. It's the best way to make sure you don't get your hands dirty and get every inch of the gloves clean. Toss disposable gloves or let non-disposable gloves air dry.
    

Expert Tips for Cleaning Your Toilet Bowl

Along with cleaning out the bowl, keep these expert tips in mind when tackling your toilet.

Wipe Down the Toilet's Exterior Daily

Toilets that are used daily should be wiped down every day, or every other day at most. This includes the entire exterior of the bowl, top of the tank, pedestal, and handle.

"Speed up cleaning the outside of the toilet bowl by wiping away any debris, hair, or condensation with a dry cleaning cloth," Taylor says. "Next, spray the outside of the bowl with your favorite disinfectant spray, and note that many all-purpose cleaners do not disinfect. I like to keep it simple by spraying the outside of the toilet bowls with hydrogen peroxide, which both brightens and disinfects." Let the cleaner sit on the surface for five to 10 minutes and then wipe it away.

Try DIYing Your Own Cleaning Solution

Whether you've run out of toilet bowl cleaner or prefer a DIY approach, you can make your own. "First, pour enough vinegar into the bowl to cover the stains. Next, let it soak in for 30 minutes to an hour," says Marla Mock, cleaning expert and president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company. "Then, grab a toilet brush and scrub away. If the vinegar doesn’t work fully, add baking soda and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then scrub again with your toilet brush."

Clean Your Cleaning Tools

Prop the wet toilet brush under the seat cover and pour bleach or cleaning solution over its business end, into the toilet bowl. Let sit for a minute, then rinse with a pitcher of water. Clean the brush's canister by filling it with warm, soapy water; you can dump it right in the toilet, too. Resist the urge to stick the damp brush back in the canister and be done with it, says Melissa Maker, author of Clean My Space. Instead, you want to let the brush air out completely before putting it away, to ensure you're not encouraging bacteria growth.

Consider the Toilet Seat Cover

If you have a toilet seat cover that is made of fabric, you should remove it when cleaning the toilet and throw it in the wash, Mock says. If you have a regular plastic seat cover, you don’t need to remove it. "If it makes it easier to reach the more difficult to get to areas, then we do recommend you remove it for a deeper more thorough clean. Make sure you’re careful while removing the seat cover so you don’t damage it," she says.