I Don’t Use a Brush to Clean My Toilet — Here’s the Easy $14 Gem I Use Instead

For me, scrubbing the toilet is easily the worst part about cleaning the bathroom. There’s something about dunking a brush into the toilet bowl and putting it back in its holder that grosses me out — who knows what’s hiding in those bristles. The mineralized water in New York also causes stubborn hard water stains to form along the perimeter of my toilet bowl; I spend 15 minutes hunched over, furiously scrubbing (which is way too up close and personal for my liking), to try to get them out. I was lamenting this fact with my mom during one of our daily phone calls when she recommended I try the Clorox ToiletWand Cleaning System — it’s what she’s been using for years. 

I tried the system myself to see if mother does, in fact, know best. Spoiler alert: she totally does. Keep reading for the full scoop. 

It’s an all-in-one system that includes a reusable brush handle, six disposable scrubbing pads (that are already pre-loaded with toilet cleaner), and a slim caddy to store the wand and refills in one place. The set is designed to streamline the cleaning process by eliminating the need for a separate cleaner and toilet brush. And it does this while promising a deeper, more thorough clean by killing 99.9% of germs and (finally) banishing pesky hard water and lime stains. 

First, load the scrubbing pads into the lidded section of the caddy, then grab the wand and push it down onto a scrubbing pad to snap it into place (no hands!). “Activate” the cleaner in the pad by dipping it in the water, then start scrubbing. When you’re done, you can pop the pad in the trash by sliding the button on the handle. It’s that simple. The entire system will run you about $14 and you can purchase a 10-pack of scrubbing pad refills for $8 bucks. Not too shabby. 

Shout-out to my mom for putting me onto this, because the Clorox ToiletWand single-handedly took the ickiness out of cleaning my toilet. The disposable scrubbing pads mean I don’t have to worry about bacteria thriving in a bristled toilet brush, and the fact that they pop off at the slide of a button is so convenient — especially for a germaphobe like me (I never have to interact with the pieces that touched my toilet). What’s more, the wand’s long curved handle ensures I can maintain a comfortable distance from the bowl, but still achieve a thorough clean. 

Thanks to the ToiletWand’s heavy-duty cleaning solution, I can scrub away hard water stains without breaking a sweat. Once I submerge the pad into the water and start scrubbing, the cleaner gets to work — it dissolves unsightly grime and mineral residue in no time at all. The result is a pearly-white porcelain throne and a fresh, clean scent, to boot. It’s a 10/10 for me. 

Plus, I love that I don’t have to use a separate toilet bowl cleaner (the fact that the exposed nozzle repeatedly comes into contact with the innermost sections of the bowl is off-putting to me). All the cleaning power I need is housed in the tiny disposable pad! 

What’s more, I don’t have to worry about a bulky toilet brush and cleaner bottle crowding the already limited space around my toilet bowl. The storage caddy’s slim profile tucks neatly against my toilet bowl and the wall, and is surprisingly unobtrusive; I barely notice it. So I’m confident it’ll fit seamlessly in cramped bathrooms. 

Buy: Clorox ToiletWand Cleaning System, $14