You can scrub the inside of the bowl until it shines and still have a toilet that doesn't feel clean. That's usually down to the one place most people miss: under the rim. Here's how to clean it properly, step by step.
Why under the rim gets so dirty
The rim is where the water enters the bowl when you flush. Limescale builds up around the holes the water comes out of, and the overhang is hard to see and harder to reach. Over time, this can lead to brown or black marks, streaks running down the bowl, and smells that come back however often you clean.
What you'll need
- Rubber gloves
- A toilet cleaner with an angled nozzle (a thick gel clings best)
- A brush with a head that bends, or a flexible disposable head
- Optional: a limescale remover for hard water areas
Step by step: how to clean under the toilet rim
- Flush first. Start with a clean flush so you're working with fresh water.
- Apply cleaner under the rim. Point the angled nozzle up under the rim and squeeze as you work your way all the way round. Let it run down the sides of the bowl.
- Leave it to work. Give the cleaner the time recommended on the bottle, usually a few minutes. This does a lot of the hard work for you.
- Scrub under the rim. Tilt your brush so the head pushes up into the overhang, and work slowly all the way round. A flexible head is much better here than stiff bristles, as it bends to follow the curve.
- Clean the bowl and the U-bend. Work down the sides of the bowl, then reach into the water at the bottom and as far into the pipe as you can.
- Flush and check. Flush to rinse, then take a look under the rim. A small mirror or your phone camera can help you check the spots you can't see.
Dealing with limescale under the rim
If you live in a hard water area, limescale can build up around the flush holes and partly block them. A dedicated limescale remover, used as directed, will help break it down. For stubborn deposits, repeat the treatment over a few cleans rather than scraping, which can damage the glaze. As with any toilet cleaning, never mix limescale removers with bleach-based products.
How often should you clean under the rim?
Make it part of your normal weekly clean. It only adds a minute, and little and often stops limescale and stains from building up in the first place.
The easier way to reach under the rim
Flush Buddy's sponge head is flexible, so it bends up under the rim and into the curve of the bowl without you having to wrestle with the angle. The 44cm handle keeps your hands well away, and when you're done, the head clicks off straight into the bin. See how Flush Buddy works.