Scrubbing Toilet Bowls
There’s no ignoring the unpleasant nature of this task. Plain and simple, scouring toilets requires elbow grease and a seriously effective cleanser. Speed is of the essence here, as is minimizing contact with dirty surfaces and germy brushes.

The Challenge

Scrubbing the bottoms, rims, and walls of toilet bowls.

The Contenders

reusable: Ajax Cleanser, 70 cents for 14 ounces. Vileda PowerFibres Toilet set (caddy not shown), $4, www.vileda.com for store locations.
disposable: Clorox Toiletwand, $10, six single-use sponges included; refills, $3 for six.

The Outcome

Both methods resulted in equally tidy bowls. But despite a significantly higher price, the Toiletwand won by a landslide. Its blue cleanser is clearly visible, so you can track your cleaning progress. Each sponge head packs plenty of product, and the excess is washed away with a single flush. The number one selling point? There’s no brush to contend with when the job’s done. Simply slide the button forward to jettison the dirty sponge into the trash. (One tester did note, however, that during a thorough cleaning, the plastic handle sometimes touched the side of the bowl, thus requiring a rinse before being stowed away.)