[1].1611181456516.jpg)
The World Toilet Organization was founded 15 years ago with the goal of promoting world sanitation and advocating better standards in developing nations. Observed today in 19 countries, the purpose of World Toilet Day is to recognize that 2.5 billion people across the globe have no access to clean toilets. The holiday highlights the absolute need for proper sanitation in the bathroom.
You’re among the lucky ones with access to flushing toilets, and World Toilet Day is the perfect time to treat your commode to a day of pampering. With these tips, you’ll end up with one seriously clean toilet.
Clean the Bowl
Choose your favorite toilet bowl cleaning product and squirt an ample amount into the bowl. Be sure to aim high up under the rim for complete coverage. Follow the directions on the bottle, but most of the time, the manufacturer recommends letting the product sit for at least 10 minutes. This is a great time to clean other areas of your bathroom. Once time’s up, scrub the bowl with a toilet brush, giving extra attention to any stained areas.
If you notice any vertical stains originating from underneath the rim, the siphon jets here are grimy and need a good cleaning. Grab an old toothbrush or tile grout brush and scrub away at the siphon jets.
Once the bowl is adequately scrubbed, flush the toilet and use the “clean” water entering the bowl to rinse the toilet brush before putting it away. The bowl should now look sparkling clean!
Remove Tough Stains
If mineral build-up lingers after applying the above cleaning methods, you can tackle it easier than you think. First, shut off the water supply behind the toilet. Flush the toilet to remove water from the bowl and tank. Soak up any remaining water in the bowl with paper towels.
With the bowl empty, soak a few paper towels in cleaning vinegar (or white vinegar) and place them over the stains. Let the vinegar work overnight.
In the morning, remove the paper towels scrub the stains with an old toothbrush. If some stains remain, repeat this process or use a product containing hydrochloric acid, a much stronger cleaning chemical. For safety, follow the precautions on the bottle closely.
Clean the Toilet Seat Attachments
For an ordinary toilet cleaning, spray a disinfecting product onto the toilet seat attachments and scrub all the little grooves with an old toothbrush before wiping the area clean with a paper towel.
For an extra clean toilet on World Toilet Day, remove the seat entirely to clean out the grime that seeps underneath the attachments. It’s easy – simply flip up the covers with a screwdriver and unscrew the seat. Clean all newly exposed surfaces thoroughly and replace the seat when you’re done.
Clean the Outside of the Toilet
Often, the areas outside the toilet are the dirtiest because they’re easy to skip during a regular toilet cleaning session. When you’re being thorough for World Toilet Day, follow these steps:
- Wet a paper towel with your preferred cleaning product and run it along the groove where the toilet tank meets the bowl.
- Wipe down all surfaces of the toilet seat and the outside of the toilet bowl.
- Wipe down the flusher handle and all toilet tank surfaces, including the lid.
- Scrub around the base of the toilet and knob covers with an old toothbrush.
- Tackle any trouble areas with a baking soda/water paste. Let the paste sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then wipe away.
With these tips from Mr. Rooter Plumbing, your World Toilet Day will be as sanitary as ever!