A quick wipe with whatever’s under the sink keeps things looking clean on the surface. But sadly, it won’t touch the limescale build up clinging on at the waterline and under the rim.
Cleaning a toilet properly means removing the dirt you can see and killing the germs you can’t, plus getting rid of that limescale.
This guide covers all three, from the everyday disinfecting through to tackling limescale in five easy steps.
01. Disinfecting vs descaling a toilet?
02. What you’ll need
03. Before you start
04. How to clean a toilet, step-by-step
Disinfecting vs descaling a toilet?
Cleaning your toilet involves two main jobs, disinfecting and descaling.
Disinfecting kills bacteria and germs, and is a good regular habit to get into to keep on top of the basic clean with little effort needed.
Descaling deals with limescale, the mineral build up left behind by hard water. It's a bit harder to remove and can’t always be easily seen, so it needs a different cleaning method.
Tackling it takes something acidic instead of a disinfectant cleaner. You can use a limescale cleaner from the shop or household items like white vinegar or citric acid which can be effective too.
Now we’ve covered the differences between disinfecting and descaling, let’s get onto the job itself.
What you’ll need
You may already have these items under the sink without needing to buy anything new.
Before you start
Before cleaning, it’s best to clear away anything sitting around the base of the toilet first, so the loo roll holder, bins or anything propped up nearby. That way you’re not stopping halfway through to move things out of the way.
Open the window if you have one in your bathroom, or put on the extractor fan and leave it running during the clean and for a few minutes afterwards.
Good air circulation while you clean helps disperse any strong smells and minimise your exposure to cleaning products.
It’s a good idea also to keep the cloth and gloves that you use for cleaning the toilet only for that one job. It’s a small habit that can stop germs travelling around the rest of the bathroom.
How to clean a toilet, step-by-step
Here’s the process from start to finish.
Step 1
Flush the toilet with the lid down. This clears out anything loose first and keeps whatever’s in the bowl from ending up in the air around you.
Step 2
Apply disinfectant. Pour some disinfectant cleaner around the bowl and under the rim.
You can disinfect your toilet brush at the same time by leaving it resting in the toilet water for this step. The seat lid won’t shut with the brush handle in the way, but that’s fine. It’s only the flush itself that needs the lid down to stop particles getting thrown up into the air during the flushing action.
Now leave the disinfectant to work for ten minutes.
If you're using neat bleach rather than a dedicated toilet cleaner, five minutes is enough. Leaving longer than this can be corrosive over time so it’s best to be cautious.
Step 3
Clean the outside. While the disinfectant is doing its job, clean the outside of your toilet working from top to bottom.
Using a cloth and your disinfectant, start with your cistern, if yours is not built into the wall, and the flush handle, button or plate. Then move onto the seat lid both the top and underneath, and the rim where the seat sits.
If your seat is quick-release, remove it at this point. This will give you better access to clean the hinges, the rim underneath the seat and the seat itself.
Finish with the outside of the toilet bowl and around the base. Don’t forget the handle of your toilet brush also.
Step 4
Scrub and flush. When the five minutes is up, use your toilet brush to scrub the inside of the bowl, around the waterline and under the rim.
Brushing lifts away the residue and dirt the disinfectant has loosened while it was working.
Close the lid and flush to clear everything away.
Step 5
Limescale clean. If you're also cleaning any limescale, this is the stage to do it.
Not every clean needs this step. Limescale doesn’t always show as the obvious waterline ring but can begin to build under the rim where it's hard to spot.
A regular limescale treatment can keep any hidden build up in check and prevent it from becoming a bigger problem over time.
If you used a bleach based disinfectant, it’s important to make sure all of that product has been rinsed from your toilet before using any limescale cleaner, vinegar or citric acid.
This is because bleach and an acid based cleaner when mixed can react together and release harmful fumes which you don’t want to breathe in.
Before the limescale clean, flush your toilet and while it is flushing use your toilet brush to clean around the bowl and under the rim to brush away any residue of the previous cleaner.
Let the cistern fully refill and then flush once more. Now you’re ready for the limescale clean.
| Product | How to use it | Leave for |
|---|---|---|
| Shop-bought limescale remover | Apply around the waterline & under the rim as the bottle directs | 15-30 minutes |
| White vinegar | Pour 1-2 cups (250ml - 500ml) around the waterline and under the rim | Overnight |
| Citric Acid | Pour some warm water into the bowl first, then add 2-3 tablespoons of citric acid | 1-2 hours |
Common questions about toilet limescale
How often should I clean limescale from my toilet?
The frequency of limescale cleaning depends on the hardness of your water and how quickly the build up occurs. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to include limescale removal in your regular toilet cleaning routine every 1-2 weeks.
If you notice limescale buildup occurring more quickly, you may need to increase the frequency of your cleaning.
Will a general household cleaner work if it is acidic?
Limescale is made of calcium carbonate and removing it takes an acid that reacts directly with that mineral.
Vinegar, citric acid and a dedicated limescale remover all do this, but a general household spray won’t necessarily have the same reaction and may not be very effective.
Tackling Stubborn Limescale?
Look after your cleaning kit
Nobody thinks about the toilet brush until it’s the thing making the bathroom smell a bit off. Left standing in its holder when it’s wet can breed the same mould and bacteria that builds up inside your toilet.
Cleaning your brush at the same time as the toilet bowl as detailed in Step 2 is one way of keeping your toilet brush clean.
Leaving the brush to air-dry afterwards rather than leaving it sitting in a wet toilet holder will also help to keep it in the best condition.
Gloves and any reusable sponges need cleaning too. Give them a five-minute soak in a diluted disinfectant solution, then leave them to air dry before they’re used again.
By following these steps, you can keep your toilet sparkling clean, free of germs and limescale, and minimise the time and effort needed for future cleans.
If you’re curious about different toilet styles, take a look at our full range.
Rimless toilets take away that inner rim completely from inside the toilet bowl removing a favourite spot for limescale to build up (and giving you one less place for the brush to try and reach).
Smart toilets take care of a lot of this for you, with self cleaning water jets and a smart cleaning cycle.
Close-coupled toilets are another popular choice, with the cistern sitting directly on the toilet bowl for a compact look. Back to wall and wall hung toilets offer a sleek, modern appearance with the cistern hidden behind the wall.
Whatever you go for, you’ll still need to tackle the cleaning with a brush in hand, but at least now you know exactly what steps to follow.
