Cleaning the toilet stinks - for how often we use it, we sure hate the thought of having to clean it. But not only will a dirty toilet look bad, it could stink up your entire bathroom.

Many bathroom cleaning products have bleach and other chemicals that can irritate or damage your eyes, while others like trisodium phosphate (TSP) and borax require you to wear protective rubber gloves, goggles and a mask while using them.

Also avoid toilet bowl cleaner tablets or disks, as these can contain chemicals that damage porcelain. Wire brushes will scratch the surface of your toilet, making it more difficult to clean in the future.

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner streamlines the widely unpopular toilet cleaning process, and doesn't contain the harsh chemicals commonly found in other products. Simple Green also deodorizes, so you can remove stubborn stains and leave your bathroom smelling clean and fresh at the same time.

You don't need to wear rubber gloves when dealing with Simple Green, but you may feel inclined to use them when cleaning toilet stains. It helps to buy them in a different color than the ones you use otherwise, so you never accidentally use your toilet cleaning gloves for other household chores.

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner does not eliminate germs, but a fast-acting spray-application disinfectant can eliminate cold, flu, E. Coli, Salmonella, Staph and other illness-causing bacteria in 2 minutes or less. Click here to learn more about disinfecting your toilet.

Aside from disinfecting, deep clean the bowl and outside of your toilet once a week. You can even swish the toilet brush around the bowl once a day to maintain cleanliness.

Directions for Cleaning a Toilet

1. Wet. Flush the toilet to wet the inside of the bowl.
2. Apply your cleaning solution. Spray full strength Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner all around the bowl, making sure to get it under the rim.
3. Soak. Allow the cleaner to sit on the surface and coat the walls of the bowl for about 5 minutes.
4. Spray exterior. While the bowl is soaking, flip the lid and seat down and spray the outside of the toilet with water and then with full strength Simple Green.
5. Wipe lids. Spray Simple Green on a damp cloth or sponge and wipe down both sides of the lid and seat. If you want to, use an old toothbrush to scrub close to the hinges. Don't forget to wipe the underside of the seat.
6. Wipe down toilet. Wipe the rest of the exterior from top to bottom with a damp microfiber or non-abrasive cloth. Don't forget to clean the handle and the base of the toilet.
7. Dry. Dry with a clean cloth or paper towels.
8. Clean toilet bowl. Once you've finished wiping down the exterior, begin scrubbing the bowl with a toilet brush to get rid of any stains and mineral deposits. For extra scrubbing power, dip the brush in the toilet water once in a while, as the Simple Green will have dripped down and mixed with the water. If you have a stubborn ring right along the waterline, it can be scrubbed away with a pumice stone.
9. Flush. After you've thoroughly scrubbed, close the lids again and flush away the residue.