The Butter Knife Hack That Will Leave Your Grimy Toilet Crevices Sparkling

Cleansers that start dissolving dirt on contact before you even start wiping with a cloth keep housekeeping simpler and infinitely easier. But there are parts of the home, like the bathroom, that need frequent, detailed attention that requires more than clever cleaning products. The toilet is one such area. Depending on the model you have, there can be little nooks and crannies that a sponge alone can't reach. That's why this hack works — if you wrap a butter knife in a paper towel, it becomes the perfect tool to clean out the gunk that builds up in those little crevices.

This detailed work may seem like it doesn't have a big return for all the effort you have to put in, but we'd say that's deceptive. The reason the effort is worthwhile is because splashes happen, landing in spots that you might not easily see. You may think you're doing a bang-up job cleaning the commode, and yet something is still stinking up the bathroom. Butter knife to the rescue (preferably one you use only for this dirty job!).

Saturate the area first with your favorite toilet cleaner. Wrap a butter knife in a piece of paper towel and start swiping. This hack is perfect for the following areas: that little indentation between the back of the toilet and the tank; around the edges of the hinges that keep the seat attached; and any crevices that appear when the lid is in the up position. There's usually a tight space between the back of the tank and the wall, which is also a great place to clean. Slip a butter knife wrapped in a paper towel that you've pre-moistened with cleaner into that spot.

There are as many toilet designs as there are bathroom layouts, so each one has something a little bit different. The butter knife will certainly help with those indents and shelves, but there may be tiny areas that are more rounded. Not only will your sponge or rag not fit, but neither will your knife. In that case, saturate the area with cleaner as before, but use a Q-tip to swab out those little cul-de-sacs. Finally, to bring home the sparkle, consider giving the whole unit a onceover with a steam cleaner.