March 18, 2019 by Sean Parry
Cleaning your toilet is usually the task that most people dislike the most – and rightly so. If left untouched for an extended period, not only does the smell get worse but you run the risk of a build-up of harmful bacteria. So to make things easier, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow guide to cleaning your toilet. The key is to clean your toilet regularly to prevent build up of lime-scale and hard-to-remove stains. The hardest part is getting it clean in the first place.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Marigold gloves (only to be used for the toilet)
- Toilet bowl cleaner (Harpic Toilet Duck, or Coca-Cola as an eco option)
- Disinfectant spray (Flash Bathroom Spray, or diluted white vinegar as an eco option)
- Disposable paper towels
- Old tooth brush (only to be used for the toilet)
- Small plastic bucket & Bleach (to clean the above post clean)
We advise using paper towels which you can throw away rather than cloths. You can use reusable cloths but make sure these are cleaned thoroughly and only used for the toilet in future, to avoid cross contamination. The old toothbrush is to clean difficult-to-access parts such as around the toilet handle and seat hinges. The toothbrush, gloves and cloths can be left to soak in a bucket of hot water and bleach after cleaning.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Remove any items from around the toilet, including anything on top of the toilet tank – to prevent anything falling into the bowl when you’re cleaning.
2. Flush the toilet, then add your toilet bowl cleaner, applying it as close to the toilet rim as possible. Leave this for 10-15 minutes.
3. Clean the outside of the toilet while the bowl cleaner gets to work. Get your disinfectant spray. Spray from top to bottom, all over the tank, handle, and the sides of the toilet down to where it meets the floor. Take an old toothbrush and scrub the handle where it meets the toilet. Then wipe down with the paper towels until dry.
4. Next spray the outside of the toilet – the toilet lid (inside and outside), the toilet seat (both sides) and around the seat hinges. Again get your old toothbrush and scrub around the hinges. Wipe everything down with some new paper towels.
5. Now, we can go back to cleaning the inside of the toilet bowl. Take the toilet brush and scrub under the rim as thoroughly as possible to try to remove any stains. Then scrub the bowl inside and then below the water’s surface and into the U-bend.
6. Flush the toilet, cleaning the toilet brush in the clean water. Now leave the toilet brush wedged between the toilet and the seat, allowing any excess water to drip off before you replace into the toilet brush holder.
Finally, fill a plastic bucket with hot water and add some bleach. Put in your gloves, toothbrush and any cloths in there to soak overnight. In the morning, rinse off with water and leave to dry.
Don’t forget the key is to clean your toilet regularly to avoid build up of hard-to-remove lime-scale and stains. Of course, if you would prefer us to help with your cleaning and housekeeping jobs, we would be happy to assist! Please take a look at our home page or call us for further information.