If there's anyone who can make cleaning a toilet a groundbreaking topic, best believe it'd be no one other than Mrs Hinch. The cleanfluencer took to Instagram to share her latest Sunday reset reel – and fans couldn't help but notice her 'genius' hack for easily cleaning a toilet seat.
Yes, we know cleaning a toilet isn't a very glamorous topic at all, but it's unfortunately something that must be done. Whether you're trying to clean timescale from toilets or taking on the lovely task of cleaning a stained toilet bowl, it's a given that the seat itself needs some TLC, too.
Well, instead of just poking around the nooks and crannies of the toilet seat like we typically do, Mrs Hinch has done what we've never actually thought to do: disassemble the toilet seat to give it a thorough clean.
One comment reads, 'I've never thought to clean the toilet seat like that!!! Amazing!' with another fan agreeing saying, 'I know right, my mind was blown when I saw that! So much simpler and easier. Deffo gonna try this out.'
Better yet, other experts agree with Mrs Hinch's method. 'Disassembling your toilet seat from the toilet itself as Mrs Hinch demonstrated in her video is an excellent way to give your seat a deep clean,' assures Nancy Emery, Drench's cleaning expert.
'It gives you access to areas you can't reach with the seat still attached so you end up with a much more hygienic and efficient clean.'
Not only that but there were a handful of fans who expressed that they've also long been practising this toilet seat cleaning hack and swear by it. However, others were simply in shock and desperate to know how on earth you even disassemble a toilet seat in the first place (relatable, to be honest). If you fit the latter category, we've got you covered.
'On most modern toilets, you will see a button at the centre of the toilet seat when you lift the lid and the seat. Pushing this button will allow you to effortlessly lift the toilet seat up and off the toilet pan,' explains Megan Adamson, bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing. This gives you full access to your toilet pan and the underside of the seat, allowing for a good and thorough clean.
However, if you've got a traditional toilet with hinges, disassembling the seat is a task that's a little more difficult and time-consuming – but still worth it. Megan warns that you'll need a screwdriver to unscrew them from the toilet. 'With the screws removed, you will be able to lift the seat away from the pan and get to work on cleaning your toilet.'
Whether you've got a modern or traditional toilet, disassembling the seat from a toilet is a task certainly worth adding to your list the next time you clean your bathroom if you've never done it before.
Be warned though, while it's important to do a good deep clean, Trade Plumbing's Peter Clayton warns that removing the toilet seat too often can eventually weaken the hinges, causing them to break after repeated removal. Therefore, try to keep this task for when a deep clean is necessary, such as big seasonal cleanings, for example.
However, if after seeing Mrs Hinch's video you're now worried that you're committing a bathroom cleaning mistake by not taking it on, Petya Holevich, cleaning expert at Fantastic Services assures that toilet seats are designed to be cleaned in place anyway. Mrs Hinch's tip is more so just for extra credit.
So long as you're following the recommended frequency of cleaning to keep your toilet hygienic (once a week), simply using a soft brush at the crevices with a mild disinfectant or white vinegar is sufficient for regular upkeep.
