Today I’ll be answering a reader question from Tamara, who wrote in response to Anna’s post on getting rid of that “boy bathroom smell!” She asks:
Any tips on how to clean a toilet, under the tank on the back ledge of the bowl, ya know that little space straight in front of a 4 year old’s aim?
HOW TO CLEAN A TOILET (THE BACK LEDGE, UNDER THE TANK) TUTORIAL
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flat head screwdriver
- Cleaning supplies – disinfectant wipes, like these
- Cleaning gloves
That is kind of a tricky little place to get into! I would first try using an old toothbrush. If that’s too thick, grab a plastic knife, wrap a disinfectant wipe around it, and slide it along. If the toilet seat seems to be in your way and you have an extra 10 minutes, take it off. This will not only give you more room, but it’s great for getting around and underneath the hinges of the seat, which are also hard areas to clean. If you don’t know how to take the seat off, no worries – read on!
How to Remove a Toilet Seat
Step 1: Use your fingers to pull the plastic covers off the hinges.
Step 2: Take your flat head and turn each screw counterclockwise until either the screw itself pulls out or the the entire seat pulls up.
On the underside, you can see there is a bolt. It may help to hold the bolt with one hand while unscrewing with your other.
Step 3: Lift the seat off. You should be able to completely remove it now and clean off all that build-up!
I actually just wrapped a disinfectant wipe around my flat head and stuck that in there. Worked great! Removing the seat gave me the added room I needed to really get inside that small crevice under the tank. I also gave the seat and hinges a good wash before screwing back on!
Simply screw the lid back on when you’re finished cleaning! There you go – that’s how to clean a toilet and remove the backsplash.
And I couldn’t help but share this little saying that kept popping in my mind as I wrote this post. I saw it back in high school at a friend’s house and have never forgotten it!
Here is a printable version if you want to hang up a little reminder in your bathroom!
Kim
Nana says
June 18, 2014 at 8:33 amI have boys and have a “huge” problem with this issue. I clean by spraying the entire seat and ledge with a good cleaner. After allowing few minutes to allow cleaner to work, use a empty dish detergent filled with water to spray with clean water. I always have a towel to catch most of the water. I have also found that a white folded washcloth behind the seat works to catch a lot of the sprays and can be thr.own in with the laundry
Anna says
June 18, 2014 at 9:04 amAny time we move, my first investment is always a new toilet seat -plain, white-painted wood – the kind you can pop off without unscrewing. They’re about $20, and make a world of difference.
Anna says
June 18, 2014 at 12:14 pmThat is so smart!
Mary says
January 12, 2016 at 7:03 pmI have three toilets with that type of seat and think it should be mandatory that they all come off like that!
Cindy says
June 18, 2014 at 11:03 amI agree with Anna! We purchased new toilets and they came with the seats that pop off, but for our 1/2 bath we just purchased a new toilet seat that comes off. I remove them every time I clean the bathroom and it has cut down on the smell.
ulrike says
June 18, 2014 at 4:44 pmI have a toilet seat that looks like the one in your pictures, but all I have to do is move the top of the screw knob to the left and I can lift the whole seat up. No unscrewing necessary. This seat comes in wood and plastic.
Debbi says
June 18, 2014 at 8:54 pmMy dad always said, “we aim to please. You aim, too, please.” Still makes me chuckle.
Anna says
June 18, 2014 at 10:24 pmHaha, love it!
Margaret says
September 12, 2014 at 6:04 amMy grandmother had the saying on the wall in her bathroom. Love the memory and the tips for getting the toilet really clean!
rosie says
October 7, 2014 at 10:31 pmI use my steam cleaner which is just tremendous for cleaning all the little nooks and crannies which are otherwise difficult to get to and the best thing is…. no nasty chemicals! Joy!
It’s also great for cleaning around the base of taps too, which can also be difficult to get into. Sending hugs from a chilly Scotland x
Kathy says
November 22, 2014 at 6:10 pmLOLOL, love your saying at the end. My aunt had a picture behind her seat (she had 4 boys) that said “If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat!” 🙂
Linda says
December 1, 2014 at 7:26 pmUse a steamer.
Laila says
January 1, 2015 at 11:33 amI’ve always taught my boys to sit down while peeing, I never have to deal with the clean up others do.
Marty says
October 28, 2015 at 1:17 pmAwesome! Their wives will be happy!
Nida says
January 13, 2016 at 8:18 amThat’s amazing! Me too! It keeps the toilet so clean this way, doesn’t it? ?
Mom of 4 says
January 19, 2016 at 5:11 pmSadly, that only works if their dad is on board with it and does not think it uh, emasculating. It would solve a LOT of problems including stepping IN puddles in FRONT of the toilet.
Anna says
January 19, 2016 at 5:51 pmAh! I hate that! I usually go in and wipe the floor before I walk up to the toilet, SO gross!
laurel says
February 26, 2016 at 3:15 pmMy ex=husband and 3 sons nearly drove me crazy spraying urine all over all the toilets in our house. Years later I met and married a very tall man who was taught by his mother to sit when he peed. Every day I thank this woman I never met!!!
Lacey says
July 10, 2016 at 11:36 amI only have one son. When he was little I just had him sit to pee as well. I guess I don’t get why you teach them to pee standing at such a young age. And as for the when you sprinkle whipe the seat thing, I don’t really want to sit on their wiped off pee either. Just personal preferance I guess, but my son is 15 now and I still don’t have issues with urine everywhere.
Michele says
February 28, 2015 at 9:14 pmOMG…. I have 2 boys and I’m constantly cleaning the toilet, around the toilet and there still was a lingering pee smell…. I took the toilet seat off and there was a pool of urine inside the caps where the screws are!!! I will be popping those puppies out every time I clean from now on!!!!
Kathryn Thompson says
April 13, 2015 at 5:36 pmI had a close male friend from Switzerland who used to complain about the same thing (he lived in a house full of guys). He had been taught to pee sitting down for this very reason! I think teaching the men in your life to pee sitting down at home is much easier and more hygienic. Just sayin’
Nida says
January 13, 2016 at 8:21 amI totally agree!! ?
Vanessa Anderson says
October 3, 2015 at 5:42 amMy husband wouldrun a bead of silicone caulk at the base of the tank to keep the puddle from going under the tank.
K B says
October 11, 2015 at 4:47 amWow, what a coincidence, I wrote, & put this exact verse up, except for an & between sweetie and wipe, over 20 years ago, in the restroom at work. Who did you get this from? I’m wondering if they were one of my employees!
Cassandra Woodhouse says
October 31, 2015 at 4:22 pmHi – That sign has been amusing and reminding people for many, many years. I think a new generation is rediscovering it!
Sheila Ehlers says
October 21, 2015 at 4:25 pmI just heat a big measuring cup of water and white vinegar and lay old towels on the floor at the base of the toilet. Then just pour the hot mixture over the back of the toilet seat and all the yuk in the crevices get washed right out! It’s a beautiful thing! Of course, I have more laundry to do, but I love this. It even helps with cleaning that hard-to-reach area behind the toilet. 🙂
Patty says
November 12, 2015 at 9:57 amWhen mopping the floor, dunk the mop into the bucket then, without squeezing the mop out much, let the mop water drizzle all over that area of the toilet behind the seat. This lets that water run down through all the nooks the urine has run into and cleans them out. Of course you then have to mop up all that water that ran down onto the floor, but this method is easy and gets rid of all that hidden urine and its smell. I also found Hydrogen Peroxide in a spray bottle gets rid of the smell. Of course Lysol’s aerosol spray will do it too, but you have the Lysol smell to deal with.
Sara says
November 15, 2015 at 2:30 pmMy husband and two son’s sit. The general rule in our family is that urinals are made for sanding up to urinate and toilets are designed to sit on. Haven’t had urine smells in my bathroom since.
Anna says
November 15, 2015 at 2:54 pmThat’s amazing, I love that rule. 🙂
Joyce Tonn says
November 25, 2015 at 10:52 pmI have said it before and I will say it again a steam machine works so much easier then unscrewing the toilet seat .
Kady says
December 6, 2015 at 1:04 amWhy are women responsible for cleaning up urine splashes and drips (and other nastiness) left by men? My spouse will not check under the seat when he’s finished using the bathroom and often when I go in to use it, it smells anything but fresh, and it looks terrible. I’ve asked him nicely, complained loudly, and even huffed and puffed when I’ve cleaned up after him and he absolutely will not check the seat. So I do it under duress. Why can’t they just sit down if they can’t stop dripping and splashing? I’ve asked my spouse more than once, if he EVER found anything – urine drops, blood, ANYthing, on the seat or under it after I’d used the bathroom. His answer, “No, of course not”. Then I asked why did he think it was ok to leave nasty stuff for me to find, smell, and have to clean up then. No answer to that. I’ve even tried just leaving his mess, but that doesn’t work either. He just ignores it. So, out of frustration and issues of cleanliness, I break down and clean it. If anybody has a solution, PLEASE let me know. I am sure I’m not the only one with a spouse who refuses to clean up after himself. We don’t even have words about it. He just won’t do it and I resent having to.
Nancy says
January 8, 2016 at 11:22 amI hired a maid to deal with it twice a month!! 🙂 And she cleans the kitchen for me too!….where he dribbles tea on the counters and cabinets when he pours it! Best $100 I spend a month!! lol And she helps me with other projects too. I clean the other parts, dishes, laundry. But it has made a world of difference for me! He even suggested it! Just a thought!
Mom of 4 says
January 19, 2016 at 5:17 pmARGH, I have one of those too. My best weapon to date is to teach my boys to clean the bathroom, it has made them more careful….as far as the adult…..I don’t have any answers…..just that I feel very disrespected when it comes to this.
Lorraine says
January 17, 2016 at 5:14 pmMy “little boy” is my 74 year old husband. He says since he’s 6’4″ tall it’s just hard for him to always hit the bulls-eye, especially for those middle of the night trips. I say that’s no excuse for leaving trails down the front of the bowl and the on the tile floor. Finally found the remedy: Clorox Urine Remover for Stains & Odors. Spray on, wait 5 minutes and blot off. As an extra…it even cleaned the grout! The main ingredient is hydrogen peroxide. It’s biodegradable, too. Can also be used on fabrics and carpet…pet stains, too. I didn’t notice any odor.
Mary grant says
January 19, 2016 at 10:18 amI raised three boys. Night time toilet visits are difficult for half asleep boys. I tiled my bathroom floor and used tile mop boards . I used a very healthy bead of good caulk around entire toilet before re-install. I bought one of the first ‘steamer’cleaners and used it weekly around splash areas and front of toilet and floor, tile enables me to splash around a bit w/my hot soapy water when scrubbing entire toilet, the mopping it up. Then I made a little wooden sign. It said: “Hold It Down And Watch It, Hot Shot”. Now a days you could even use glow paint!
shana says
January 22, 2016 at 8:29 pmI fold a towel paper into a tube and stick it into the gap under the tank.. easy to change the rolled tissue or towell paper.
fujikats says
January 27, 2016 at 10:46 amHow about a noticeable sign above the toilet that says: PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT! LOL In all seriousness, there’s no reason why men can’t sit – they just like the macho feeling of standing up and aiming. I’d say that’s fine, as long as they clean up after themselves every single time they pee!
Leslie says
January 30, 2016 at 5:55 amPet urine spray! It has an enzyme that “eats” urine and smells nice too. after I clean I spray all around and let it seep into where the urine would then air dry to to it’s magic!
Bethery says
January 31, 2016 at 11:54 pmJust found this. In college, a friend put up a sign similar to Debbie’s dad. “We aim to please, so please aim.” It has a good cadence.
Dee says
February 8, 2016 at 7:47 pmI’m in shock. I don’t understand the concept of pee anywhere but in a toilet bowl. Just saying….
Debbie says
February 9, 2016 at 4:11 amHow do you replace a toilet that is lose on the floor without calling a plumber?
Anna says
February 9, 2016 at 7:46 amYou probably just need to replace the seal. Take the toilet off, buy a new seal at the hardware store (you can ask them about how to install it) and that should take care of it. I’m not a plumber though so this is just my opinion from our experiences in the past. 🙂
Susan Knapp says
March 6, 2016 at 12:21 amAs the grandmother of five boys, mother of two boys and long time wife, I would make only one suggestion – teach them all to SIT WHEN THEY URINATE OR DAILY TOILET DUTY IS THEIRS!!!
GinaO. says
March 13, 2016 at 9:44 amWhen we built our house, our boys were 3 and newborn. My 3 year old was potty trained and I KNEW I didn’t want the pee pee smell in my brand new bathroom so I had my husband caulk the tank to the bowl and any other little crevice. Worked like a charm! Still is with our 3 year old grandson,?
Bethany Davis says
March 15, 2016 at 9:58 amGreat tip! Thanks! -Bethany (Ask Anna assistant)
Carol Young says
March 18, 2016 at 2:56 pmI remove the seat occasionally to do a thorough clean and I always put a little Vaseline around the holes before putting the seat back on. It creates a bit of a seal that keeps the urine from seeping in between those plastic screws. I also take a paper towel and fold it longways into the gap between the tank and bowl. I replace that every week when I clean the bowl.
Lori Woodel says
March 21, 2016 at 12:11 pmI recently met a woman with 4 boys. She put a urinal in the only bathroom in their house. As a first time guest using her bathroom, I had my “Eureka” moment and thought she was a genius!
I raised 3 boys and my ex-husband was lazy with his aim. If I could do it all over again I would install a urinal in the kids’ bathroom and sacrifice one of the double sinks in the master bath to make room.
Jane Gray says
June 12, 2016 at 10:04 pmMy mother taught school for 30 some years. Mostly first and second grades. Her idea was to take fingernail polish and paint a bulls eye in the bottom of the bowl. It helped her out a lot. Not perfect but worked through the day until the janitor could get to it at the end of the day.
ron says
August 20, 2016 at 4:39 pmSit down to pee.
Maid to Clean MT says
December 8, 2016 at 6:58 pmI love the printable reminder. Going to have to use that in my home as a gentle prompt.
Anna says
December 9, 2016 at 3:37 amThank you! I hope it works for you! 🙂
Sandra says
September 17, 2017 at 8:34 amYears ago when I had a husband and a growing son, I hung the following in the hallway bathroom: “Aim carefully, it’s shorter than you think!” Husband was NOT thrilled but my son thought it was hysterical. The sign did solve the problem (either that or the fact that I made them both responsible for cleaning that bathroom every Saturday morning).
Dia says
June 6, 2018 at 12:33 pmThis has been a big issue around my home lately and I don’t have kids. Hate when I step in it. I get my q tips out and clean in that crevice behind the toilet, wipe up the tile and ask him to go use his bathroom in the basement. It is good to know that I’m not the only women that this is a issue for.