Ever since Thomas Crapper was associated with that toilet idea, the overlooked toilet brush has lurked in our bathrooms.

Imagine the hell that the brush goes through (hopefully at least) once a week. Getting its bristle-hair scraped around a bowl that had the household's last week worth of digested meals swished around in it. Afterwards, it is usually tossed behind the toilet, still clad in bacteria and wastes.

You should treat your brush better. Your health and social standing may be impacted by how well you use your toilet brush.

First off, toilets are nasty, filthy places. They are breeding grounds for bacterium such as E. Coli, the stuff that made a lot of people ill when it ended up in ground meat at several fast-food restaurants. Just using a brush to swirl the water around basically gives the nasty bugs a free carnival ride, plus a place to hang out when you toss the brush into the corner. Give your toilet brush the tools it needs to keep your toilet clean and sanitary.

Always use a toilet cleanser that has the added benefits of a disinfectant. Try to kill off as many nasty little bugs as you can. Use rubber gloves when cleaning the toilet, as you wouldn't want any of the water to splash onto your skin - especially if you have any cuts or abrasions. Make sure to use the bristles to scrub up underneath the rim and inside the drain.

After the toilet is scrubbed, let it soak while you use a sponge (yuck!) or a disposable wipe to clean the outside and the seat assembly. Don't forget the hinge area where the seat is attached - it seems the guys often hit this spot before they get the stream stabilized. If the wipes are flushable, toss them in.

Go ahead and flush and get rid of all the little germ carcasses.

At this point, after making sure that there is no lingering cleaner in the bowl, it is time to take care of your friend. Put a capful of bleach in the water and swish it around with your toilet brush. This will make sure there are no Klingon germs left. Your nose will thank you later.

Put the toilet brush in a holder, not just flopped on the floor. If you don't have a holder, get a cheap flowerpot without a hole in the bottom. This lets the brush dry without spreading toilet water and bleach on your floor (and carpet and feet).

Now, when people come over to visit, your bathroom will smell cleaner. If you have a date over, and they need to use the restroom, they will notice if you keep a clean bathroom. You might end up in there later together, so it pays to make a good first impression when it comes to your toilet and your friend, the toilet brush.


Roninspoon says re toilet brush: Wait a minute. You're supposed to clean toilets? But they're already full of delcious cold water!

Maylith says If you lack a brush holder, recycle a plastic gallon milk-jug. Use a sharp, serrated knife or scissors to chop out a section from the neck to halfway to the bottom, then around the side, leaving the handle area intact. This leaves you with something non-porous (clay flowerpots usually are porous) and cleanable, and you can always throw it out if it gets too nasty.

Well, it's better than a 2 liner factual.

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