If cleaning the toilet is not your favourite chore, you are not alone. The good news is that a few small changes to your routine can make it faster, more thorough, and way less gross. This method is pulled from a real life cleaning routine and expanded into an easy plan you can follow every week.
Below you will learn how to clean a toilet efficiently, how to get the hidden spots most people miss, and how to keep your toilet cleaning tools cleaner too.
What you need
Gather everything first so you are not hunting for supplies mid clean.
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Vacuum with hose or crevice tool
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Mint Cleaning Scrub
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Toilet brush
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Mint All Purpose Cleaner
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Small bamboo cleaning brush
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Two microfiber cloths, one for wiping and one for drying and buffing
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Optional, gloves
Tip: Use separate cloths for the toilet area and wash them right away after.
Step 1, Vacuum the toilet first
This step feels extra, but it is one of the easiest ways to level up your results.
Vacuuming removes hair, dust, and debris before anything gets wet. That means you are not smearing grit around with your cloth later, and you get a cleaner finish with less effort.
Focus on these spots:
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Around the base of the toilet
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Behind the toilet
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Around the hinges and the seat area
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The floor around the toilet, especially the sides where hair loves to gather
If you do not have a vacuum handy, a quick sweep works, but vacuuming is the best option for tight edges and corners.
Step 2, Scrub the bowl with Cleaning Scrub and a dedicated toilet brush
Next, sprinkle a small amount of Mint Cleaning Scrub into the bowl. You do not need much. A little goes a long way.
Use your toilet brush to scrub thoroughly:
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Under the rim
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Around the water line
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Down into the drain opening
Take your time under the rim. That is where buildup likes to hide, and it is often the difference between a toilet that looks clean and one that actually is clean.
Tip: Let the scrub sit for a minute or two before your final scrub if you are dealing with stubborn spots.
Step 3, Spray the full toilet with All Purpose Cleaner
Once the bowl is handled, move to the outside. Spray the whole toilet with Mint All Purpose Cleaner. Yes, the whole thing. That includes areas people often skip.
Spray these zones:
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Lid and seat, top and underside
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Hinges and around the hinge hardware
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Rim area where the seat meets the bowl
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Tank, handle, and base
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The floor at the base if it needs it
Let the cleaner sit briefly so it can loosen grime while you detail the tricky spots.
Step 4, Detail the hard to reach areas with a small bamboo brush
This is the secret weapon step.
Grab your Mint Bamboo Cleaning Brush and work the cleaner into the tight areas where cloths and big brushes struggle. You will be shocked how much buildup can live in these little corners.
Focus on:
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Around the hinges
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The seam where the seat attaches
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Any grooves in the toilet design
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Around the handle base
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The edge under the lid where dust collects
What if you cannot remove the toilet seat
Some toilet seats pop off easily, but many do not. Some need a screwdriver, and some are just finicky.
If yours is not simple to remove, do not worry. The bamboo brush plus all purpose cleaner is a great alternative for getting into the edges and tight spaces without taking anything apart.
Step 5, Do not skip the side screw covers
Here is one of the most missed spots on almost every toilet.
On many toilets, there are small screw covers on the sides near the base. Pop those covers off gently and clean underneath. These spots are often full of dust, grime, and unpleasant surprises.
Spray a little all purpose cleaner, scrub with your small brush, then wipe clean.
This step takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference.
Step 6, Wipe the toilet from top to bottom
Now that everything is loosened, wipe down the toilet with a microfiber cloth.
Start at the cleanest areas and move toward the messier ones:
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Tank and handle
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Lid top and bottom
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Seat top and underside
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Outer bowl
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Base and floor edges
This order helps prevent spreading grime back onto areas you already cleaned.
Tip: Fold your cloth into quarters so you can rotate to a clean section as you go.
Step 7, Dry, buff, and shine with a fresh microfiber cloth
This is the step that makes your toilet look professionally cleaned.
Use a second clean microfiber cloth to dry everything. Drying removes leftover moisture, reduces streaks, and leaves the surface looking polished.
Pay special attention to:
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The top of the tank
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The handle area
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The bowl curve
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The base edges
When the toilet is dry, it will look brighter and stay looking clean longer.
Final tip, Clean your toilet cleaning tools with glass cleaner
Toilet brushes and small detail brushes can get grimy fast, and cleaning them after use keeps your whole routine fresher.
After you finish the toilet:
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Rinse your brushes well with warm water
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Spray them with Mint Glass Cleaner
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Give them a final rinse if needed
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Let them air dry completely
This helps remove residue and keeps your tools cleaner for next time.
Tip: Store brushes where they can dry fully. Trapped moisture can lead to unpleasant smells.
How often should you clean your toilet
For most households:
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Quick clean once per week keeps buildup away
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Touch ups mid week help if you have a busy bathroom
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Deep detailing, like the screw covers and hinge areas, every one to two weeks is a solid rhythm
If you have kids, guests, or multiple bathrooms in regular use, you may want to do the outside wipe down more often.
Quick checklist for a sparkling toilet
If you want the short version to save for later, here it is:
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Vacuum hair and dust first
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Scrub the bowl with cleaning scrub and a toilet brush
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Spray the whole toilet with Mint All Purpose Cleaner
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Use a cleaning brush for tight areas
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Pop off side screw covers and clean underneath
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Wipe everything from top to bottom
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Dry and buff with a fresh microfiber cloth
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Clean your brushes and disinfect with Mint Glass Cleaner so they are ready for next time