How to Clean Your Toilet Brush

Did you know that the bathroom is the second most used room in a home? Then, you can imagine how much bacteria is hidden there — a lot. In that sense, cleaning the bathroom consists of not just mopping the floor, but also disinfecting the items we use often — like the toilet brush. 5-Minute Crafts will show you how to do this in 5 easy steps.

Warning: Before you start cleaning, remember to put on sanitary gloves and goggles to protect your skin and eyes.

1. Soak in a mixture of bleach and water

Use bleach as a disinfectant. If you prefer a natural sanitizer, you can use vinegar instead. Just remember not to mix vinegar with bleach because the mixture can create toxic fumes.

Instructions:

1. Prepare 2 capsules of bleach and pour them into the toilet water.
2. Put the brush inside of it and let it soak for an hour.

2. Clean the brush holder

You can use the method stated above and let the brush holder soak in a bucket with a mixture of hot water and bleach, or you can use a disinfectant spray.

Instructions:

1. Spray the inside and the outside of the holder with a disinfectant.
2. Let it drain above the toilet bowl for around 10 minutes.
3. Rinse it with hot water.
4. Let it dry or wipe it with a cloth or a sponge.
5. You can now place the brush inside when dried.

Note: You can make this a part of your routine every other time you clean the toilet — simply spritz the holder and let it sit for 10 minutes.

3. Rinse the toilet brush

Now that the brush has been sitting in the mixture for an hour, it is time to rinse the bleach off.

Instructions:

1. Fill a bucket with hot water and pour it into the toilet bowl.
2. Flush the toilet and rinse the brush in the water.

4. Dry the brush

The brush must be completely dry before placing it into the holder. You can air-dry it on a towel or, a better solution, under the toilet seat. Make sure that the bristles hang over the bowl.

Instructions:

1. Place the toilet brush in between the seat and the bowl.
2. Let it air dry for 30 minutes.

5. Store the toilet brush and the holder

The last step is to make sure both the brush and the holder are dry because moisture can encourage bacteria growth. After making sure they’re both dry, you can store the items properly.

You should wash the toilet brush at least once a week and replace it once every 6 months. This prevents spreading germs every time you scrub. Also, it is good to use toilet brushes with silicone bristles, as they don’t hold on to bacteria very easily.