A clean toilet is a wonderful thing. It's so much nicer to use than one that's covered in icky stains and, um ... well, the stuff that tends to get on toilets. Yes, even just the thought of it is enough to gross a person out. To help you keep your porcelain shiny, you need to get your hands on some toilet bowl cleaner. These cleaners cut through the gunk and eliminate germs, so no one will be afraid to use your bathroom when duty calls. These cleaners do the heavy lifting for you, so to speak, making the task of toilet-cleaning more manageable. If it's time to stock up on some toilet bowl cleaner, here are a few of the best options available today. Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner Germs: You Are Not Welcome HereSay goodbye to the germs that are setting up camp around your toilet with this powerful toilet bowl cleaner.Best OverallFind on Amazon In case you haven’t guessed, toilets are full of germs. In fact, they’re one of the dirtiest places in your entire house. But this strong toilet bowl cleaner can help you disinfect your toilet. Its powerful ingredients eliminate nearly all of the bacteria lurking there. While it’s killing germs, this formula also helps you remove tough stains from the bowl. How does it work? Simple: you simply squirt this cleaner inside the bowl. The angled design of the bottle means you can easily reach under the rim and other hard-to-reach locations. The cleaner is thick, so it won’t immediately run down to the water. Once you apply the cleaner, use your toilet brush to give everything a good scrub. Give the toilet a flush and you’re done. Pros Fresh scent that’s not overpowering so it leaves your bathroom smelling nice Comes with two bottles, so you’ll be able to clean your toilet many times before you need to order more Helps fight stubborn stains to keep your toilet looking clean Cons Because it has such powerful cleaning ingredients, it’s recommended that you use protective eyewear for safety when using this product. Lysol Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Flush Your Way to CleanSimply apply this applicator to your toilet and each time you flush, a special gel helps keep it clean and fresh. Best GelFind on Amazon If you’re tired of constantly scrubbing your toilet, an automatic cleaner like this can help. You simply stick one gel tablet to the inside of your toilet bowl with the handy applicator. You’ll hardly notice the blob of gel is there, but each time you flush, the stream of trickling water will activate it, releasing a tiny bit of cleansing chemicals. Unless you use your toilet a lot (like, a lot), each applicator can last for a few weeks. Frequent flushing means it won’t last as long. With that said, this product won’t completely keep your toilet clean on its own. You will still need to do some occasional scrubbing. But it’ll help to keep things fresh in between your deep-cleaning sessions. It really does keep the bowl in better condition. Pros Pleasant tropical scent that keeps your bathroom smelling fresh Helps keep your toilet clean between deep cleanings so it minimizes your work Comes with six gel packs, which will help keep your toilet clean for several weeks Cons You’ll still need to scrub your toilet, so it won’t completely do away with the need for manual cleaning. However, you won’t have to scrub as often, so it will save you some time. 2000 Flushes Bleach Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Scrubba-Dub-DubKeep this toilet bowl cleaner in your tank, and it'll work on breaking down residue and stains so your scrubbing takes less time.Best One-Time ApplicationFind on Amazon Bleach really helps keep your toilet clean, but it can be so messy to use. If you splash, you end up getting little white spots on whatever you’re wearing. Thankfully, this product eliminates that concern. It’s a tablet that contains chlorine bleach, so there’s no splattering or spilling. You simply drop it in the tank of your toilet, and each time you flush, the formula rushes into your bowl to help keep it clean. Once in your tank, this cleaner lasts about 2,000 flushes (hence the name). Depending on how many people are using your toilet, that can be about four months. And once it’s gone, it’ll be completely dissolved so you don’t have to try to fish anything out of the back of the toilet. Pros Stays out of sight in your toilet tank Contains bleach that helps eliminate germs and keeps your toilet sanitary between deep cleans Doesn’t turn your water blue or any other color, so your toilet water will look normal Cons You don’t want to use this product in a toilet you don’t use regularly, as the bleach can build up and begin to disintegrate rubber gaskets and things inside your tank. If it’s in a toilet, flush it at least once a week. Ecover Toilet Bowl Cleaner Au NaturelIf you prefer to avoid harsh chemicals, you'll appreciate the natural power of this toilet bowl cleaner. Most Eco-Friendly Find on Amazon Most toilet bowl cleaners contain powerful chemicals that help keep things fresh, but not everyone wants to use harsh chemicals in their home. If you prefer to keep things more natural, this cleaner is a good choice. It’s made from plant- and mineral-based ingredients, so it’s safer for both you and the environment. And best of all, it still does the job it’s intended to do. This toilet bowl cleaner helps get rid of stains and keeps your toilet clean. It also leaves your toilet smelling fresh with a natural fragrance. It’s easy to use and you only need to apply a small amount each time. Pros Safe for use in septic systems so you can use it in any home Can decalcify your toilet and get rid of hard water stains so it looks better Cons The scent is very strong, so you’ll still be smelling it for a while after you clean, which can be overpowering for some people. Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush Toilet Bowl Cleaning System A Clean BreakStop keeping a dirty toilet brush in your bathroom and switch to this unique toilet bowl cleaner with flushable pads. Most ConvenientFind on Amazon This toilet bowl cleaner is a little different than most. It comes attached to a pad and activates in water. You use the innovative toilet brush to grab a pad and then scrub your toilet like normal. When everything is clean, you simply flush the pad down the toilet. Then you store the handle until next time. The handle portion won’t smell like your old toilet brush did. Since this starter kit comes with a stand, you’ll have a place to store it in between uses. You also get four pads, so it has everything you need to start cleaning right away. Pros Comes with everything you need to make the switch and clean your toilet without making additional purchases Pads have the cleaning power to cut through the gunk and keep your bowl fresh Pleasant citrus scent leaves your bathroom smelling nice Cons Each pad is single-use, so you’ll need to buy refills fairly frequently. This can add up. Frequently Asked Questions How often should I clean my toilet? This question is tough to answer because it really depends on your household and how many people are using each toilet. Typically, you should clean and disinfect your toilet on a weekly basis. However, if you have little boys (or a grown man with bad aim), once a week isn’t going to cut it. They just miss more and you don’t want that mess smelling up your bathroom. If you’ve got a potty training toddler, you’ll also want to clean more regularly. They’ll be grabbing the sides of the toilet while they’re sitting, and you want it to be a clean environment. But honestly, no matter who is using your toilets, you should check your bathrooms each day. Then, clean your toilets often enough that the room always smells fresh and no one has to touch anything nasty. My pets drink out of the toilet. Can I use a toilet bowl cleaner? If you have a pet that frequently drinks from your toilet, you’ll want to make sure you keep your toilet clean. You don’t want them licking up bacteria such as E. coli from a dirty one. But, you also need to be aware that most toilet bowl cleaners have chemicals that can harm your pet. You will want to keep your pet out of the bathroom for a couple of hours at the very least after you clean the toilet to allow the chemicals time to dilute and get flushed away. With a toilet-drinking pet, it’s best to not use a toilet bowl cleaner that stays in your toilet. With these, the chemicals are always present. And while one or two drinks may not cause a huge problem, those chemicals can build up and accumulate inside your pet over time. So stick to the toilet bowl cleaners that you apply with each clean, for your pet’s sake.