Toilet brushes?!!

**mumofone** · 01-02-2015, 01:12 PM

Ok so I know I need to remove the toilet cleaner from my downstairs toilet to make it safe for little ones but would a toilet brush be considered a risk of hazard?! Do you remove yours or am I fine to leave it?! Strange one I know! :-)

**mama2three** · 01-02-2015, 02:40 PM

definitely move it !

**lollipop kid** · 01-02-2015, 03:09 PM

Definitely try to make it inaccessible. I once caught one of my mindees trying to 'paint' with the toilet brush

(This is despite ensuring that they can't get into the loo on their own - but the door hadn't been shut properly, hence the above...)

Oh, and add it to your risk assessment, obviously! (Have edited to add this in as I forgot earlier!)

You can imagine the panic and tons of cleaning that caused!

L

**FloraDora** · 01-02-2015, 03:35 PM

All of my bathrooms/ toilets have a toilet brush...I find it useful to use when pooh I pop in from a nappy gets stuck...
My LO's are only in the room with me there or hovering nearby to give them independence or privacy. I know what they are doing in there and they don't get the chance to pick up the brush ....once they are finished they wash their hands and leave...they wouldn't/ haven't ever touched the toilet brush...they linger there long enough to do what they need and then get back to playing with more interesting things.....though some linger over washing hands to play in the water...and the toilet brushes I have in the outdoor brush box are frequently used in water play in the garden.

Risk assess, knowing your routines and proceedures and then decide whether you should leave it in there.

**watford wizz** · 01-02-2015, 05:11 PM

Unless you are sterilising a toilet brush and its holder after every use its a terrible harbour for germs and re using it you are just spreading more germs each time. Each to their own but it's disposable gloves and a flushable toilet wipe here.

**alex__17** · 01-02-2015, 06:55 PM

I use the toilet duck fresh brush which is a compromise the brush bit gets flushed away after use so you're left with the plastic handle in a stand which would be easy to pop in a cupboard however I leave mine next to the loo as it's tucked right in a corner and the loo is v close to wall so not on the kid's radars!
I'm also either there or just outside for older ones, not yet had any try and touch it

**Maza** · 01-02-2015, 06:58 PM

I started a toilet brush thread a couple of years ago. I HATE them and if I see them in public loos they literally make me gag. To answer your question - you know your mindees. If you feel you can keep your loo brush then you will need to risk assess it. x

**FloraDora** · 01-02-2015, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Maza

I started a toilet brush thread a couple of years ago. I HATE them and if I see them in public loos they literally make me gag. To answer your question - you know your mindees. If you feel you can keep your loo brush then you will need to risk assess it. x

You are right -
Public toilets - uucchhh!!
Public toilets and toilet brushes - don't go near!!!

Mine, because I know they are clean and thrown away and replaced ....serve a purpose.

**LilMisConfused** · 01-02-2015, 07:37 PM

Watford wizz I am with you on the dislike of toilet brushes but beware the "flushable" wipes - at our last house we had to have the council out to unblock our drains because of them (apparently the guys who unblock drains have to deal with them a lot!) and recently at our current house the water board sent letters to everyone in the area telling us not to use the "flushable" wipes as they even block up the main drains! So we are currently back to the dreaded toilet brush - the disposable duck brush sounds interesting though - worth it?

**watford wizz** · 01-02-2015, 08:21 PM

Thanks for the warning but I use green biodegradable wipes and haven't had any problems so far x

**alex__17** · 01-02-2015, 09:27 PM

I like my duck brush thing there's lever on the brush that opens tje end so you can put the pad in, so you dont have to touch anything that goes in the loo, it's got chemicals in the pad which is about 2 inches wide maybe, not massive but can have a good clean turns everything blue then release pad straight into toilet and flush away.
There would be nothing to stop giving the end a quick rinse or spray with antibac if kids are likely to ne touching it and it rests in a small stand.
Not very expensive from supermarket and money well spent as toilet brushes turn my stomach (also can't bear public loos lol)!

**Dragonfly** · 02-02-2015, 07:31 AM

All flushable wipes whether bottom wipes or cleaning wipes just get blocked in main drains together with fat poured down the sink etc. Although toilet brushes are deemed ugh! they cause much less damage to the drainage system. I think toilet bottom wipes flushable wipes should be banned.
put bleach down the loo and leave brush in it for an hour or so.

Simona · 02-02-2015, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by mumofone

Ok so I know I need to remove the toilet cleaner from my downstairs toilet to make it safe for little ones but would a toilet brush be considered a risk of hazard?! Do you remove yours or am I fine to leave it?! Strange one I know! :-)

I would say it comes down to supervision...and teaching children what the brush is to be used for.
I have been to many CMs' settings...no one has ever removed the toilet brush...young children likely to play with it have to be supervised anyway...the brush is not the only possible danger in a toilet?

**ziggy** · 02-02-2015, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

All flushable wipes whether bottom wipes or cleaning wipes just get blocked in main drains together with fat poured down the sink etc. Although toilet brushes are deemed ugh! they cause much less damage to the drainage system. I think toilet bottom wipes flushable wipes should be banned.
put bleach down the loo and leave brush in it for an hour or so.

I also bleach my toilet brushes. Then 'hide' them behind toilet. I never allow little ones in bathrooms alone. As for public toilets, there are probably more germs on door handle from people who dont wash their hands

**bunyip** · 02-02-2015, 09:57 AM

I'd say that any child capable of being left to independent toileting should be capable of understanding, "don't suck on the toilet brush cos it's full of poo."

The rest would normally be down to natural selection, but sadly Ofsted tend to frown on Practical Darwinism as a teaching method.

**Mummits** · 02-02-2015, 11:13 AM

I have a toilet brush which is fully enclosed in a stainless steel airtight/watertight container with quite complicated and stiff fastenings which little ones would struggle to open, and I agree bigger ones should have enough sense not to mess with it anyway (though maybe they should actually use it on occasion!). I hate toilet brushes too but agree that so-called flushable wipes are an environmental menace.

**TinyTinker** · 02-02-2015, 02:37 PM

in my house the minded kids can never get my toilet to flush! so having a toilet brush in their reach is pointless! I have to go up after any no2's to sort out the loo for the next person anyway, lol.

My own daughter once tried to sort out a poo on the bowl problem herself! it wasn't pretty