Cleaning Your Toilet Properly
The toilet is the most scrutinized bathroom surface for cleanliness, and the one that most clearly reveals the quality of a cleaning — whether professional or DIY. Proper toilet cleaning addresses more than just the bowl interior.
Inside the Bowl
Apply a rim-coat toilet bowl cleaner (the angled applicator designed to coat under the rim) and leave it for at least 5 minutes before scrubbing. Use a bowl brush to scrub the entire bowl interior, including under the rim — the underside of the rim is where bacteria and scale accumulate unseen. Flush to rinse. For significant mineral staining (common in many Ontario hard-water areas), a toilet bowl cleaner with hydrochloric acid left overnight removes staining that weekly cleaning doesn't touch.
The Exterior
The exterior of the toilet — the tank, lid, seat surfaces (top and underside), and base — is where the most visible grime accumulates in household use. Spray with an all-purpose bathroom cleaner, wipe the tank, lid, seat top, and seat underside with a cloth. The toilet base and the area around the floor bolts collect significant residue that requires getting down to floor level to address properly.
Behind the Toilet
The narrow space between the toilet and the wall or baseboard is impossible to clean properly with a standard mop — a damp cloth or flat-head duster wedged behind the toilet reaches this space. It accumulates surprising amounts of dust and residue from bathroom humidity.
Frequency
In a typical Ontario household, bowl cleaning weekly and full exterior cleaning every 2 weeks is the minimum standard for a presentable bathroom. Households with multiple users, children, or male users benefit from more frequent exterior cleaning.