If there’s still waste stuck on a submerged plunger, flush your toilet several times to rinse it off. If you’re trying to opt for more natural cleaning products, you can pour apple cider vinegar into the toilet instead of bleach. If you’re using apple cider vinegar, keep in mind that you’ll need to use a lot—the amount of vinegar should equal the amount of water in the bowl. This may be around 1 gallon (3,800 mL) of vinegar.

This step also cleans out your pipes if you just used the plunger to remove a clog. The bleach will break down any toilet paper or other waste that’s been pushed into your drains.

After it’s dry, you can store the plunger in a plastic bag and place it in a bathroom cupboard. [5] X Research source Alternatively, you can leave the plunger to dry on a few paper towels.

If you want to clean a toilet brush, you can use this method to do so. Just be sure to spray all the bristles of the brush thoroughly. [7] X Research source

If you’re worried about getting any grime on other surfaces, use an outdoor or garage sink. If you don’t have one, you can also flush your toilet a few times and use the clean water that fills the bowl.