You can usually find a toilet brush sitting humbly next to most toilets in the U.S., ready to do its duty. However, experts say that this cleaning tool should be done away with. While taking inventory on household cleaning rules that need to be updated, cleaning expert Aggie MacKenzie told The Guardian that she would never even let a toilet brush inside her home. “Toilet brushes give me the heebie-jeebies,” MacKenzie said. “I can’t bear them. I just think they are vile.” As she noted, “There is a fetid liquid bacteria soup at the bottom of every toilet-brush holder.” And for more ways to stay germ-free, Never Eat Leftovers That’ve Been in the Fridge This Long, Experts Warn Believe it or not, toilet brushes can be hazardous to your health. “Please keep in mind that it not only has bacteria from the toilet water, but also it can trap fecal matter or toilet paper which is not only unsanitary but unhealthy,” says expert plumber Gary Johnson.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb David Cusick, CSO and executive editor of House Method, further elaborates that leaving a used toilet brush sitting out “is unhygienic because bacteria will harbor and grow and cause illnesses, such as urinary tract infection, diarrhea, and respiratory issues.” And for more toilet trouble, If Your Urine Is This Color, Call Your Doctor. While it may sound a little off-putting, experts suggest putting on a thick pair of rubber gloves and cleaning the toilet by hand. MacKenzie told The Guardian that she “would much rather get a pair of thick rubber gloves on and use my fingernail under the thick rubber gloves to get any bits.” Cusick also suggests opting for the glove method. “An alternative to a toilet brush is a pair of thick rubber gloves that you can use to clean the toilet,” he says. “You may also use toilet paper to remove small bits from the toilet. This may require more elbow grease.” And for more useful information delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. If putting your hand in a toilet—even with a glove on—is too much for you, you can always purchase a toilet wand with a disposable tip. “These allow you to attach a long toilet paper product to a handle, using it to wash the bowl and sometimes even the seat and then throw it in the trash,” Johnson says. And for more essential hygiene tips, This Is the Absolute Worst Time to Brush Your Teeth, Dentists Say.
