Goodbye Toilet Brush: There's A Better Way To Clean Using A Drill Attachment

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Among the many household chores we have to keep up with, cleaning toilets is certainly one of the least enjoyable. In fact, a 2024 survey conducted by Cinch Home Services found that cleaning the toilet ranked as the most hated chore, with 41.6% of the thousand-plus respondents saying they disliked the task. And it's not just the unpleasant odors and stains but the difficult, awkward angles of scrubbing in and around the toilet that make it a burden. Any little trick to simplify the process can go a long way in your weekly routine, and one example is to swap a traditional toilet brush for a drill brush. A basic power drill can do more than make holes in the wall. You can attach a variety of scrubber heads to a power drill and clean the toilet, along with other parts of the house, quickly and thoroughly while eliminating tiresome manual scrubbing.

There are plenty of options when it comes to scrubber attachments, like Holikme's 30-Piece Drill Brush Attachment Set. Retailing for $25.99, it comes with brushes, sponges, and scouring pads in various shapes and sizes, plus an extension rod to help clean behind your toilet. It has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 based on over 29,000 reviews, with customers saying they clean everything from kitchen appliances to car tires. If you don't need that many attachments, you can find simpler options, like this two-piece set from Ryobi, listed at $12.97.

While it's slightly inconvenient to get your drill every time you clean the toilet, at least compared to grabbing a nearby toilet brush, the added RPMs can tackle tough stains, cover large surface areas, and save time. Drill attachment sets let you switch between different levels of brush stiffness depending on what you're cleaning. Stiff brushes can target stubborn mineral buildup, and then you can switch to a wool pad for polishing and refinishing the toilet bowl. Just make sure the brushes you use won't scratch porcelain, or whatever material you're cleaning. Nylon bristles are generally safe on toilets, while metal wire brushes can scratch.

Of course, a power drill and brush attachment alone won't finish the job. You still want to sanitize the area, not just scrub, whether that means using a commercial cleaning product or an easy vinegar solution. You may also need to treat toilet bowl stains by letting a cleaning product sit for several minutes before scrubbing. When finished, it's recommended to rinse the drill brush attachments, or even put them in the dishwasher, to remove bacteria. That's all it takes. Just a few minutes of cleaning the nooks and crannies of your toilet with a cordless power drill and your least favorite chore is out of the way, with minimal elbow grease required.