First, get yourself a bowl swab, also known as a johnny mop, from a store that caters to the cleaning industry. This should only cost a dollar or so. While you’re at the store, also buy a quart bottle of toilet bowl cleaner. If you have bad stains you may need a cleaner with a high concentration of hydrochloric acid. If not, a lower concentration of HCL, or a phosphoric acid based one will work fine. Remember goggles and gloves in all cases, but especially if you’re using a product with a high concentration of HCL.

When you’re ready to get to work, work smart, not hard. Use your bowl swab to force as much of the water out of the bowl as you can. Don’t pour the bowl cleaner directly into the water. This dilutes it and robs it of its power. Instead, hold the mop over the toilet and saturate the bowl mop with the cleaner and use it to swab the inside of the entire bowl, paying special attention to the area under the rim. Let the bowl cleaner work for a few minutes and then swab the bowl one more time without any additional cleaner. Flush the toilet and be sure to rinse the acid out of the swab. You’re done. Finally, forget about those stiff bristle brushes that they sell in the grocery store. You’ll never be able to really clean under the toilet’s rim with one of those.

The scrub brush and Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner (or similar) seems to work best. To get the nasty stains at the bottom empty the bowl (as mentioned above) and use CLR (if it’s a hard water stain) OR Comet if it’s just regular stains.

No amount of lime removal will be effective. You must remove the iron which has set in the bowl. A product called “Iron-Out” will do just that. The instructions on the label tell you to put i certain amount in the tank (like a cupful) or so. You only get enough for 2 to 3 uses in the average box, and while it is not very expensive, there is a much more efficient way to use, and get many uses out of one box.

First, locate the shut-off valve for the water to the tank and close it, so the tank will not refill after a flush. Flush it once. The bowl should be empty of water before you start.

Put on a pair of disposable gloves. Wet the toilet bowl brush. Open the box of Iron-Out. Don’t get it on your skin, it may burn. I use the inverted plastic lid from a margarine container and sprinkle about a teaspoon or so on the lid (turned upside down, of course). Hold the lid still with one hand. With the other hand holding the handle of the brush, rub the wet bristles in the powder, then apply the bristles to the iron ring stain in the toilet bowl. It usually only takes touching the stain with the brush, it is so effective.

You see, you are using it full strength directly on the stain. When finished, re-open the valve, let the tank fill, and flush once more. The bowl should be clean. Wash your gloved hands and the brush bristles before removing the gloves. This should avoid any accidental contact with the powder. DON’T WIPE YOUR EYES OR YOUR FACE WITH THE GLOVES ON! Remove the gloves and wash your hands again.

Don’t worry so much about the “germs.” They’re your germs and your body has developed a healthy relationship with them (assuming you maintain basic hygiene). If you keep treating those germs with bleach, disinfectant, and antibacterial products, though, watch out! What you’ll do is kill off *most* of the germs, letting only the toughest survive–and reproduce. End result: Strains of resistant germs colonizing your home.

Stick with water and–if you must–mild detergents, and you’ll maintain a nice equilibrium in your home.