cleaning the toilet bowl is no one’s favorite task. It is often considered one of the most dreaded household chores. However, it’s also one of the most important ones. Between mineral buildup, unsightly stains, foul odors, and the presence of germs and bacteria, toilets require regular scrubbing.
The question is: Are you tending to your toilet as often as you should? If you’re someone who waits until visible stains or water rings appear before reaching for the toilet brush, you’re likely not cleaning it often enough. We asked a cleaning expert to tell us the answer. While everyone’s home and circumstances are different, there is a universal magic number of times per week that most people should be tackling their toilets. Keep reading to discover what it is and how to ensure you get a pristine clean each time you roll up your sleeves and get to work.
Vanesa Amaro is TikTok’s “Queen of Cleaning” and a spokesperson for Clorox.
How Often to Clean Regularly-Used Toilets
“How often you clean [the toilet] can depend on factors like how many people live in your home or how frequently the room is used, like a main bathroom compared to a guest bathroom,” says Vanesa Amaro, TikTok’s “Queen of Cleaning” and spokesperson for Clorox. “Generally, I recommend deep cleaning and disinfecting a high-traffic area like the bathroom at least once a week,” she advises.
While once a week is the minimum recommendation, Amaro is quick to point out that’s for an average household. If you share a bathroom with others in the household, especially if any of them (or you) are currently sick, it’s not a bad idea to increase the frequency of cleaning. “The more a toilet is used, the more frequently it should be cleaned,” she says.
In other words, a bathroom shared by a family of five likely needs a toilet refresh more often than a guest powder room. For routinely used toilets, a midweek quick clean, combined with a weekly deep clean, is a smart strategy to stay ahead of grime. According to Amaro, “Regularly deep cleaning and disinfecting the toilet helps prevent the buildup of toilet bowl rings, mold, mildew, and bacteria.”
Note that an effective toilet cleaning requires more than just swirling the brush around the ring. “When deep cleaning the toilet, use a disinfecting cleaner like Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach,” Amaro says. “Be sure to wipe down the entire seat and clean the base of the toilet all the way to where it meets the floor.”
What About Low-Traffic Toilets?
If you’re thinking you can ignore that guest bathroom toilet until you have a visitor, not so fast. These fixtures should be tended to regularly, but on a slightly relaxed schedule. “You can definitely adjust how often you clean a toilet that isn’t used frequently,” Amaro explains. “Infrequently used toilets don’t require as much attention, but they still need periodic cleaning to prevent buildup and odors.”
Even if nobody has used it in weeks, your toilet still needs some TLC. “Even if a toilet hasn’t been used, I recommend flushing it weekly and giving the bowl a quick swish with a brush to keep it fresh and functional, and deep cleaning every other week,” says Amaro. This routine prevents stagnant water smells, hard water stains, and mineral buildup that can occur even in a toilet that hasn’t been used in a while.
What Happens If You Don’t Clean a Toilet Often Enough?
Tempted to put off the task? Well, you’ll probably regret it. Toilets that aren’t cleaned regularly aren’t just gross; neglected toilets require more effort to clean. “When toilets aren’t cleaned as often as they should be, bacteria, stains, and rings build over time, making them harder to clean and leading to lingering odors,” Amaro says.
One of the most common problems? That mysterious water bowl ring. “One common issue is the pink ring that forms around the waterline of the toilet bowl, which many people overlook until it becomes difficult to clean,” she warns. To avoid stubborn stains and the inevitable scrubbing marathon that follows, Amaro recommends staying consistent. “To prevent buildup, clean the inside of the bowl at least once a week, paying special attention to the waterline.”
How to Clean the Toilet Effectively
If you’re not completing the task properly, it won’t matter how often you clean the toilet. Amaro recommends using bleach as a disinfectant. Alternatively, you can also use vinegar.
“Don’t forget to wipe down the outside of the toilet, especially around the base where it meets the floor,” Amaro says. She suggests employing a tool like the Clorox ToiletWand to scrub hard-to-reach corners inside the bowl. Make sure to tend to the lid, top of the tank, and the handle. At least twice a year, make an effort to clean the toilet tank, especially if it’s a toilet that’s used infrequently.
