It sits innocuously in the bathroom.
You probably use it a few times a week and, chances are, it never gets cleaned.
The humble toilet brush is a staple in every household, but did you know the average brush can harbour around 2.3 billion bacteria – comparable to the pollution level of the sewer?
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Mould, as well as all these germs, increases in the moist environment of the brush case – meaning the quick scrub you give your loo could end up putting more germs into it than it takes out.
Cleaning experts advise cleaning your toilet brush after every use.
Melissa Maker, internet cleaning superstar and creator of Clean My Space, recommends spraying the brush with a disinfectant, letting it sit for 10 minutes, then running it under hot water to rinse.
It’s also advisable to change your plastic toilet brush every six to nine months but, if you haven’t done this for a while, you might be surprised at the range of toilet brushes on now offer.
From thousand-dollar, marble-housed contraptions to those costing a few dollars in Kmart; from plastic to silicon; from eco-friendly to ergonomically pleasing and from round to flat-headed, the choices for this supposedly simple item are apparently endless.
One of Amazon’s most popular toilet brushes, with more than 13,500 reviews, is the Joseph Joseph Flex Smart Hygienic Silicone Toilet Brush (currently $34.95).
Instead of the more traditional round look, the brush has a D-shaped head which ensures that it reaches all areas, even under the rim.
It also claims to be anti-drip and to have an anti-clog design, with wide bristle spacing ensuring dirt rinses off easily.