How to choose the best toilet brush for you
Get your latrine sparkling clean in no time with the best toilet brush for your bathroom
There’s nothing worse than scrubbing away at stubborn stains and obscured rims on the toilet bowl, especially when you don’t have the best toilet brush for the job. Sometimes, no amount of toilet cleaner or bleach can save you from this fate, especially if you live in an area with particularly hard water that’s prone to limescale.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re tired of struggling to clean hard-to-reach areas with standard toilet brushes. Or you might be sick of buying cheap brushes that break after five minutes’ use. Even worse, you could have a smelly brush that’s needed replacing for longer than you’d like to admit; it’s recommended that you replace your toilet brush every six months, but many of us are guilty of waiting longer.
From brushes that include a built-in rim cleaner and interchangeable heads to innovative easy-clean silicone brushes, we’ve got it covered in this list. So, if you fancy getting an insight into the wonderful world of toilet brushes, you can read our detailed buying guide below. If you want to skip that, scroll a little further down to find the best toilet brushes out there.
How to choose the best toilet brush for you
You might be thinking, “It’s a toilet brush. Is there really anything to explain?” Well, you should never underestimate the power of a good bog brush; it can make your life so much easier when you’ve got the correct shape, the right materials and a strong build quality. Here are a few things to consider before you make that all-important investment.
Should I buy a bristle brush or a silicone brush?
Silicone brushes have seen a surge in popularity in recent years because they’re much easier to clean than standard bristle brushes, and therefore harbour fewer bacteria. That means they don’t need replacing as often and don’t start to smell as quickly either.
With silicone brushes, the flatter, spatula-shaped designs tend to work better than those with more traditional rounded heads. Silicone brushes that emulate the bristle brush shape usually have weak bristles that don’t do a great job on stubborn dirt. The spatula style is much more suited to tackling grime, although you’ll have to get used to a different technique of brushing.
Bristle brushes are the bog-standard brushes you’ll find in most homes. While the thin, sturdy bristles are tougher on dirt than silicone brushes, they’re so tightly packed together they’re impossible to clean perfectly, meaning that bacteria build-up is inevitable. Therefore, they need replacing much more often and can start to smell if they’re not kept clean and stored in a well-ventilated stand.
What features should I look out for?
Rim cleaner: This convenient feature sticks up so that it can reach underneath the rim of the toilet bowl, an area that’s infamously hard to clean without getting uncomfortably hands-on. In silicone brushes, this often consists of a flexible top that can bend to fit those hard-to-reach spots. For bristle brushes, the rim cleaner typically juts out from the brush head at an angle.
Replacement heads: The environmentally conscious among us will not only be frustrated with the added cost of replacing a toilet brush every six months, but also with the amount of waste involved. Luckily, you can buy replacement heads for quite a few toilet brushes. Granted, this isn’t quite as green as using a single long-lasting silicone brush, but it does save you purchasing a new handle and stand every time.
What makes a good brush stand?
The brush may take care of the business end, but the stand is of almost equal importance. Finding a stand that’s got decent ventilation, space for drips and that’s easy to clean is essential for keeping gross smells to a minimum. Usually when you buy a toilet brush it will come with a stand, but the main things to look out for are the following.
Wall mount: This will be particularly useful if you’ve got pets roaming the house, or if you want to be able to clean the floors without moving your toilet brush around.
Drip tray: Damp brushes are the worst for harbouring bacteria and bad smells, so having a stand that collects all the drips is integral for keeping your brush clean for as long as possible.
Ease of cleaning: Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but once the brush has drip-dried, any dirt left at the bottom of the stand is going to have to be cleaned. The easier and quicker you can do this, the better – for your nose’s sake.
Ventilation holes: Sometimes you may forget to clean out the tray, which is easily done. Buying a stand with ventilation holes close to the base should allow bad smells to evaporate rather than stewing at the bottom of a sealed container, ready for you to find the next time you clean it.
