The one toilet cleaning mistake everyone makes
Discovering that toilets harbour a lot of germs isn't exactly a shocking revelation. However, there is one toilet cleaning mistake many of us are making that could potentially be turning your loo into a germ-infested health hazard.
You might think a toilet brush is your ally when it comes to the battle against germs but it turns out it could actually be hindering your hygiene efforts rather than helping them.
When you use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl of your loo, the bacteria from the lingering stool is transferred onto the bristles. Gross, we know.
If you don't then give the brush a thorough clean before placing it back in the holder, the moist conditions can create the ideal environment for the growth of potentially harmful bacteria.
Hygiene expert Stephanie C, from Expert Home Tips, told The Sun that storing your toilet brush in this way could encourage germ multiplication.
"In order to minimise this risk, the toilet brush should be bleached after use to kill germs."
Esther Gantus from A Woman's Touch said she recommends that you regularly soak your toilet brush in disinfectant for a few hours or overnight.
"There is no specific time frame on when you should clean your toilet brush," Gantus said. "It all depends on how regularly you use it."
However, this isn't the only toilet cleaning mistake that could spread germs in your bathroom.
Forgetting the back of the toilet
Just because it's out of sight, doesn't mean you should keep the back of your toilet out of mind. Urine and fecal matter can build up over time in this often forgotten area, leaving a tough to clean residue to battle with when you finally get around to it.
Give the back of the toilet a thorough clean by rolling up a few paper towels, soak them in bathroom cleaner and "floss" the area until it looks as good as new. Let it sit for a minute or two and floss again with a dry paper towel to finish.
The toilet rim
You might squirt some toilet cleaner under the rim of your toilet whenever you clean your toilet bowl, but that's often not enough to keep the area germ free. If your toilet brush can't reach up into the small space, stop grime from building up under the rim by using a toothbrush to scrub the area and give it a deep clean.
"Worse case scenario: grab two gloves, some Jif and use your elbow grease," Gantus said.
Shut, then flush
This isn't a cleaning tip per se, but simply putting the seat down when you flush the toilet will help reduce the spread of germs.
When a toilet is flushed with the lid open, bacteria sprays out of the loo up to 25 centimetres, covering the surrounding area in a layer of filth.
Written by Natalia Didovich. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.