You've cleaned the toilet, the bathroom looks spotless, and yet there's still a smell. More often than not, the culprit is sitting right next to the loo: the toilet brush and its holder. Here's why it happens and how to fix it.
Why toilet brush holders smell
After you clean the toilet, the brush goes back into its holder still wet. Water drips off the bristles and collects in the bottom of the pot, along with whatever came off the bowl. With no air getting in, that murky water sits there between cleans and slowly starts to smell.
The bristles themselves are part of the problem. They hold on to water and grime, and once a brush is a few months old, rinsing it doesn't fully get it clean.
How to clean a smelly toilet brush holder
- Put on rubber gloves and empty any water in the holder down the toilet.
- Soak the holder. Fill it with hot water and a splash of bleach or your usual toilet cleaner, following the instructions on the bottle, and leave it for 15 to 30 minutes. Stand the brush in it at the same time.
- Scrub inside the holder with an old cloth or sponge you can throw away afterwards. Pay attention to the bottom and any ridges where grime collects.
- Rinse both thoroughly with clean water. Empty the rinse water down the toilet.
- Dry them properly. Wedge the brush handle under the toilet seat so the head hangs over the bowl, and leave the holder upside down to drain. Only put them back together once both are dry.
Never mix bleach with other cleaning products, especially limescale removers or anything containing ammonia, as this can release harmful fumes.
How to stop it smelling again
- Let the brush drip dry over the bowl after every clean before putting it back.
- Empty and rinse the holder every week, and give it a full soak every couple of weeks.
- Replace the brush regularly. Every three to six months is a good rule of thumb. Our guide on how often to replace your toilet brush covers the signs to look for.
- Keep the bathroom ventilated by opening a window or running the extractor fan, which helps everything dry faster.
Or get rid of the wet brush altogether
The smell comes from putting a dirty, wet brush back into a pot. A disposable toilet brush avoids that completely. With Flush Buddy, you click a fresh, scented head onto the handle, clean, then press the button to drop the used head straight into the bin. Only the clean handle goes back into the caddy, so there's no dirty water collecting and nothing left to smell.
See how Flush Buddy works, with free UK delivery on every order.