Cleaning And Good Health

It’s impossible to completely disinfect a toilet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try

Cleaning the toiletis the job everyone loves to hate. We put it off as long as we can and then complain about it the whole time we’re doing it. But it’s a job that simply needs to be done. How often? Well, most single people who live alone will tell you that the longest they can go without cleaning before the commode gets beyond foul is maybe (and this is a big maybe) 14 days. Now divide that by the number of people using the bathroom on a daily basis, and you’ll realize that a family of five should be cleaning the bathroom at least once every three days !

There are two types of cleaning when it comes to the toilet: cleaning for appearances and cleaning for health. As any germaphobe will tell you, the latter can become a Sisyphean activity in no short order, as it’s nearly impossible to kill all the germs and bacteria in, on and around your toilet no matter how rigorous, vigorous or impassioned your cleaning technique is.

But fear not. By following a few simple tips you can make your toilet as healthy as it’s going to be, and it’ll look great too. The first step is to gather all the tools and products you’ll need. These include:

• Paper towels
• A stiff-bristle brush (the stiffer the better)
• Rubber gloves
• A good antibacterial spray cleaner

The biggest mistake people make when cleaning the commode is they focus more on the inside of the bowl than they do on the outside. But ask yourself how often some part of your body comes in contact with the bowl interior. (Unless you have some bizarre habits, not very often.) Instead, you should concentrate on germ hotspots: the seat, the rim, the flush handle, etc. When cleaning the exterior of the toilet, start at the top and work your way down, spraying thoroughly with your cleaner and wiping it away with your paper towel. Get down on your hands and knees and clean every nook and cranny in the rear of the toilet. And don’t forget the floor around the toilet. (When picking a type of toilet, keep in mind that a one-piece, while more expensive, is generally easier to keep clean.)

When you do move on to the bowl’s interior, make sure to give it a good flush. Then add your cleanser, sprinkling it as close to the rim as possible. Scrub the rim first before working work your way down into the bowl. Make sure you look right under the rim to make sure you cleaned away all the stains. Then flush again.

Speaking of flushing, you should get into the habit of closing the lid each time you do it. Not only does this help cut down on offensive odors rising out of the toilet bowl, but it helps to keep nasty germs becoming airborne after each use.