Not many people know this, but I used to work at a small, middle-of-nowhere hotel.
And when you work in the middle of nowhere, you often have to do multiple jobs that are typically divided up to multiple employees in bigger cities. For example, I worked the front desk as a receptionist, and I cleaned rooms as a housekeeper. I even designed and maintained the hotel’s website and blog.
But for today, let’s focus on housekeeping.
As a housekeeper, I had to work fast. There were lots of rooms to clean in a day, and they all needed to be shining and sparkling before check-in time. I learned which tools worked and which ones didn’t when I had to clean up after messy patrons.
Here are the tools I still use today in my own home to keep my toilets as sparkling as those in a hotel.
1. Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
During the pandemic, disinfecting wipes were nowhere to be found. But now that the vaccine is here and things have started to return to normal, I’m happy to have Clorox disinfecting wipes on hand.
Although the brand doesn’t particularly matter to me, disinfecting wipes are my go-to solution for keeping the outside of my toilet looking pristine. I use these wipes to thoroughly clean the outside of the tank, the lid, and the bowl. And let’s not forget the flush lever – lots of hands touch it throughout the day, so it’s pretty important to kill the germs that accumulate there.
On the days I can’t find disinfecting wipes, I also use a combination of paper towels and disinfecting spray to achieve the same germ-fighting effect.
2. The Works Toilet Cleaner
I’ve used a variety of toilet bowl cleaning fluids, and some work better than others. The cleaner that works best for the best price, I’ve discovered, is The Works toilet bowl cleaner.
It works its magic on the inside of the toilet bowl, tearing through tough stains and hard water buildup. Just squeeze a bit around the upper edges and scrub away with your favorite toilet scrub brush.
In the past, I’d only find The Works at the Dollar Tree, which made it all the more appealing to my tight budget. I’d often order them online and buy them by the case so I’d always have a steady supply sitting in my bathroom closet.
Recently, The Works has become more widely available at stores like Walmart and even Home Depot. But I don’t recommend buying The Works online from Amazon or even Walmart because the cost of shipping brings up the price enormously.
3. Pumice Toilet Bowl Ring Remover
And last, but certainly not least, my ultimate secret to a sparkling toilet: Pumice.
In my area, hard water is a problem. I don’t have a whole-house water softener, so calcium buildup makes my toilet look stained even with regular cleaning. Dark rings around the waters edge does not look appealing at all.
Pumice cleaning stones are a cheap way to remove the hard water buildup without damaging your toilet bowl. Just scrub at those stains in the same way you’d use a regular toilet brush and the toilet will be shining in no time.
Did It Work for You?
I’ve had a few compliments about my toilets over the years, mostly from my mom. But once I did have a friend ask me if I was moving house because my bathroom was so clean that she thought I was prepping to show it for sale.
It’s kind of a weird thing to be proud of, but now it can be your weird thing, too. Let me know if these items worked for you, or if you have a favorite method, in the comments below.
