Cleaning the toilet is no one’s favorite chore. We tested nine toilet brushes — both non-disposable and disposable — and brush-plunger combos and chose the SimpleHuman model as the best toilet brush because of its useful and clever design, cleaning power and mess-free storage. We also recommend the OXO – Good Grips, a hygienic budget option, and the best disposable toilet brush from Clorox makes cleaning the toilet and brush a mere minute-long process.
Cleaning the toilet is no one’s favorite chore. We tested nine toilet brushes — both non-disposable and disposable — and brush-plunger combos and chose the SimpleHuman model as the best toilet brush because of its useful and clever design, cleaning power and mess-free storage. We also recommend the OXO – Good Grips, a hygienic budget option, and the best disposable toilet brush from Clorox makes cleaning the toilet and brush a mere minute-long process.
Important features to consider
Small differences in the design of a toilet brush can make a big difference in the cleanliness of your bathroom. We looked for brushes that enable the quickest and most-thorough toilet cleaning, and are long-lasting. We also looked for brushes that are easy to rinse and hide away discreetly when you’re finished with chores.
Shape of the toilet-brush head: Depending on which areas of your toilet get the dirtiest, you’ll want a toilet-brush head that’s shaped to reach under the toilet rim. Look for a design that has a curved head or long bristles, which allow a brush to fit easily into tough-to-reach places.
Bristle type: Most toilet-brush bristles are made of nylon, and we prefer this stiff plastic material for scrubbing. Silicone brushes are less common and a bit more expensive; they’re flexible and easier to clean, but they don’t scrub as well. The way bristles are set in the brush can also affect how long the brush takes to dry, so watch out for dense, criss-crossing bristles that trap moisture and grime.
Handle material and length: A toilet brush’s handle can make the difference between a good and great brush. The handle should be stiff enough to help you scrub, but it also shouldn’t get in your way. Handles that are too long, too short or that bend at odd angles can make the cleaning process harder.
Storage: Most people agree that the toilet-bowl brush shouldn’t be the focal point of a bathroom, so an unobtrusive, easy-to-store brush is key. All of the toilet brushes we tested came with their own storage, so we took their holders into consideration when deciding upon our top picks.
How we tested
We devised a system for testing our selections for cleaning power, durability and overall hygiene.
Cleaning: We cleaned at least two different toilets with each of our brushes and rated the overall experience on a scale from one to four stars, with one for “made cleaning worse” and four for “made cleaning great.” We considered how long it took for us to reach all areas of the toilet bowl, whether we had difficulty with hard-to-reach spots and to account for brush coverage, how much of the toilet-bowl cleaner was left untouched.
Durability: We tested durability by pressing the bristles into the toilet bowl as hard as possible to see if they warped. We approximated what might happen when you’re cleaning a particularly dirty toilet or what might happen to your toilet brush with continued use over time. For disposable brushes, we assessed the ease of changing the disposable pad.
Odor and maintenance: After cleaning, we washed each brush as directed on the package – usually just by rinsing it in the cleaner-filled toilet water – and stored it for 12 hours. We then smelled the brush to determine whether it had a clean odor or smelled of mildew. We also noted if the storage allowed the brush to dry and how much, if any, water was trapped inside the holder.
1
SimpleHuman: Best Overall
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The SimpleHuman toilet brush was the most expensive model we tested, but it was easily the best non-disposable brush. We also felt that this brush was the best looking, with a luxurious feel and narrow, curved shape. This shape also makes it easy to clean the bottom of the bowl and under the toilet rim. The densely packed bristles didn’t bend or break under pressure, and we were able to clean the entire toilet bowl in under a minute.
The brush’s holder is a standout: Its magnetic handle clings to the side of the holder for secure storage. The holder also has a large opening at the back that allows the brush to dry easily, so the brush and holder smelled fresh when we went back to check them 12 hours after use.
2
OXO - Good Grips: Also Great
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The OXO – Good Grips Hideaway Compact Toilet Brush is a slightly more affordable alternative to the SimpleHuman brush. The light-weight design doesn’t feel as luxurious, but it’s just as effective. The fact that the OXO is smaller also made it easier to hide out of sight. Its bristles are dense and long enough to reach under the rim, and its small head fits entirely into the bottom of the toilet drain.
The OXO container has a clever opening and closing mechanism, so the brush is completely covered in storage but you don’t ever have to risk touching the head of the toilet brush to get it out. It’s still not kid-proof, and it’s obviously an inexpensive toilet brush holder, but the bristles are hidden.
3
Clorox - Toilet Wand: Best Disposable
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Disposable toilet brushes can be a more hygienic alternative to a traditional model. The Clorox – Toilet Wand uses a disposable scrubbing sponge (much like the best kitchen sponge) infused with toilet bowl cleaner, so you get excellent scrubbing power without having to worry about cleaning up residue. They’re designed to be easy and quick to use, making it nearly effortless to maintain a clean toilet. Clorox makes one of the most popular disposable brushes, and we’ve selected it because of its great functionality: Attaching and disposing of the brush head can be done with just one hand, and you don’t need to touch it.
All it took was one pass of the toilet wand to make the toilet bowl sparkle; overall, we only spent about one minute from start to finish with this brush. Not only does the Clorox – Toilet Wand clean quickly, but the design of the storage stand makes it easy to stack extra brush heads and attach them without needing to touch the cleaning agent.
4
mDesign
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The mDesign toilet brush and holder uses a clever concept that’s somewhat similar to the OXO. The plastic-bristle brush fits snugly into the container, thanks to a sleeve at the top of the brush that, when inserted into the holder, acts as the holder’s top. You never need to touch the brush, and any odors are sealed inside the holder.
The bristles are sturdy and allowed for easy cleaning under the rim, and because the brush head is shaped perfectly to fit the toilet drain, we could plunge it deeply. We also like its chic design: the slender holder is a cannister and slips behind the toilet where it can be barely noticed. The mDesign comes in eleven colors — metallic-hued and pastel — that would accommodate most bathroom color palettes.
5
Mr Clean - 440436 Turbo
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The Mr. Clean – 440436 Turbo has dense bristles – even denser than the OXO – and an easy-to-hold handle. The bristles bent under pressure, but for the most part, they held their shape well. The Mr. Clean is similar in shape to the OXO, so it was also good for cleaning under the rim and at the bottom of the toilet.
The Mr. Clean is slightly less expensive than the OXO, but we knocked it down in our rating because of its storage container. The Mr. Clean comes with a plunger as well – a nice bonus – but its storage holder was clunky and unhygienic: Twelve hours after testing, the brush was wet, and water was still pooled in the bottom of the holder.
6
Boomjoy
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The bristles on the Boomjoy Toilet Brush head are made of widely spaced synthetic-rubber spikes, making it less brush-like, but more clean-feeling and easier to use than other brushes we tested. It dried especially well after testing, but because the brush spikes are more spread out, it took longer to clean the toilet and to get rid of all the toilet cleaner from the sides of the bowl. Using the brush felt like we were just swirling cleaning product around rather than actually scrubbing.
We also found that many of the thermoplastic-rubber spikes remained bent after significant pressure, which made us doubt the brush’s longevity. However, we did appreciate the bristle flexibility, which allowed us to reach every part of the toilet. The added feature of tweezers that fit into the top of the handle is a smart design choice that allows you to pick up any unsightly things left behind in a sanitary manner.
7
Scrubbing Bubbles - Fresh Brush
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The Scrubbing Bubbles – Fresh Brush, like the other disposable toilet brush on our list, cleaned well and quickly. Despite a clumpy brush head, it easily reached under the rim and into the bottom of the bowl. The flushable head is an added bonus, as it minimizes drips on your bathroom floor. Note, however, that many older sewage systems can’t handle “flushable” products like this very well, and we’ve never met a plumber who approved of flushing anything thicker than toilet paper.
Fresh Brush’s holder is slim and unobtrusive, but it doesn’t have a place to store extra cleaning pads. It’s also quite lightweight, making it easy to knock over. Unlike the Clorox design, you’ll need to touch the cleaning pads in order to attach them.
8
Marbrasse
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The Marbasse – Compact Toilet Bowl Brush has one big flaw: It’s too compact. The design looks great, and the storage stand appears well-made. However, even though it performed well on the basin of the toilet bowl, the combination of the handle’s sharp angle and the short bristles make it impossible to reach under the rim of our test-toilet.
9
MR. SIGA Toilet Brush and Plunger Combo
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The MR. SIGA toilet brush and plunger combo is pretty much identical to the Mr. Clean combo. Its brush isn’t terribly stiff, and although it does the job, we doubt that the bristles will be durable. The plunger handle is a bit short, but the plunger head is sturdy and well made.
As with the Mr. Clean model, the real drawback is the holder, particularly for the plunger, which simply rests on the exterior of the base and allows for unpleasant smells after use. The MR. SIGA set is a bit more expensive than the Mr. Clean plunger-brush combo and really is no better.
