If you’ve ever had something, drop in the toilet, you know it can be a stressful situation. But don’t worry, there are steps you can take to determine how to disinfect something that fell in the toilet.
Soap and Warm Water
Before you begin the cleaning process, make sure to remove whatever fell in the toilet carefully. Use gloves and tongs if necessary to ensure there is no further contamination of germs or bacteria.
Once you have removed the item from the toilet, it’s time to get washing! Use warm water mixed with soap or detergent for best results. Make sure that all surfaces are washed thoroughly before allowing them to dry completely.
Tip: how to use a plunger
Hydrogen Peroxide: For Both Disinfection and Sterilization
For this method, use a solution of hydrogen peroxide mixed with water (30% hydrogen peroxide & 70% water). Simply wipe down all surfaces of the item until they are damp and let them sit for at least 4-5 minutes so that all germs are killed off completely.
After completing these steps, allow your item to dry completely before using the item.
Cleaning With Disinfectant Products
Clorox is a well-known brand of bleach-based cleaning products, including their signature bleach-based disinfectant. It’s an effective solution for killing germs and bacteria on hard surfaces and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Mixing 1/2 cup of Clorox with a gallon of water will produce an effective cleaning solution for an item that had fallen into a toilet bowl.
Lysol has long been known as one of the most powerful germ fighters available today. Their line of ready-to-use sprays offers an effortless way to disinfect surfaces in just seconds, without having to mix any solutions yourself!
They also offer other products such as wipes which are great for quick clean-ups for smaller items that were retrieved from a toilet.
Pine-Sol is another trusted brand of household cleaners, offering several different products specifically designed for killing germs and bacteria on hard items that may have fallen into a toilet.
Sanitizing Sensitive Items with Rubbing Alcohol
One of the most effective and easy solutions for sanitizing is using rubbing alcohol, which has antiseptic properties that make it great for killing bacteria and germs. Here are some tips on how you can use rubbing alcohol to sanitize sensitive items after they have fallen in the toilet:
Mix 60% rubbing alcohol and 40% water in a spray bottle and lightly dampen all surfaces of the item (do not saturate). Let the rubbing alcohol sit for at least 4-5 minutes so that germs will be killed off completely.
Once you have completed these steps, carefully wipe down each surface with a cloth dampened with clean water and then let everything air dry thoroughly before returning it back into your bathroom or home.
Boiling Solid Items
Before beginning, make sure you have all of the necessary supplies on-hand. This includes a big pot or cauldron, enough water to fully submerge whatever item you need to disinfect, a pair of tongs and rubber gloves. Additionally, you should also have a few towels nearby just in case things get messy!
Fill your pot with water and bring it up to an optimal boil—around 212°F (100°C). Once it has reached this temperature, use your tongs to carefully lower your item into the pot and allow it to boil for 10-15 minutes. This will ensure that any bacteria or germs are killed off completely!
After ten minutes, remove your item from the boiling water with your tongs and let it sit out until it is cool enough to handle. Then take it outside (or somewhere away from people) and lay it on some newspaper or paper towels so that it can dry thoroughly before returning it back into your home or bathroom.
Bleach: Microbes Hate Chlorine
prepare a solution of 4 parts hot water and 1 part chlorine bleach in a bucket or bowl—you should never mix more than 10% bleach with water. If your item is more delicate, you can opt for a mixture with less chlorine (no less than 3%). Once you’re done mixing, dip a cloth or sponge into the solution and lightly scrub all surfaces of the item that you had retrieved from the toilet.
After rinsing off all surfaces of the item with clean water let it air dry completely before using the time once again.
