How To Clean a Toto Washlet: The Complete Guide
Toto washlets are popular additions to any toilet, decreasing your reliance on toilet paper but still requiring regular cleaning and maintenance. If you own a Toto washlet or are considering buying one, you may wonder how to clean it.
To clean a Toto washlet, turn it off to avoid water damage to the electrical parts. Then, you can wipe the seat using a damp cloth with mild soap, ensuring to remove all dirt and bacteria. It’s also good to wipe the wand but do so gently.
Knowing how to clean and maintain a Toto washlet is vital if you want to keep it in immaculate condition, and this article will go through each step in detail. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Turn the Seat Off
If you’re wondering how to clean a Toto washlet, the first step is to turn the seat off and unplug it.
Press the “off” button on the toilet seat or press the button on the remote if you have one. It’s also good to unplug it from the wall or extension cord to ensure no electricity flows through the device as you clean it.
Water coming into contact with electrical wires and devices can cause a short circuit, which can subsequently damage the Toto washlet or worse (like an electrical fire, for example). Even though you won’t be using much water to clean the Toto washlet, it’s best to turn it off before getting started.
2. Wipe the Toto Washlet Using a Damp Cloth
Once the device is switched off and unplugged, use a soft, damp cloth to wipe the seat. Although a damp cloth is generally enough to remove dirt and grime, soap will help kill remaining bacteria.
Any mild antibacterial soap will do, including dish soap. If using dish soap, dilute it in water before using it.
Here are some tips on how to effectively wipe your Toto washlet:
- Use a bucket to mix soap and water. A bucket lets you quickly soak a cloth in the mixture and wring it out before wiping the Toto washlet.
- Gently wipe the washlet instead of scrubbing. Scrubbing may damage the device and cause scratches, which you certainly want to avoid. Therefore, it’s better to gently wipe the surface. In most cases, scrubbing shouldn’t be necessary because the washlets are easy to clean.
- Ensure the cloth isn’t too wet. The washcloth should be lightly damp, but it shouldn’t be soaking as this isn’t necessary and is more likely to damage the electrical components.
- Wipe every part of the Toto washlet. Be sure to wipe each section, including the lid and bottom of the seat. It’s also a good time to wipe the rest of the toilet at this point, making sure to get rid of any dust particles that may be present.
3. Remove the Washlet To Clean Hard-To-Reach Areas
When doing a deeper clean, it’s good to remove the washlet off the unit to get into the small areas of the toilet that may have dirt buildup. Most units have a release button, making the removal easy.
Consider removing the lid of the Toto washlet as well, allowing you to get into other small sections that you’d otherwise miss. Removing the lid should be easy, but do it gently to avoid breaking anything. Check the manual with your Toto model if you need help removing any components for cleaning purposes.
After removing the lid or entire unit, ensure everything is fully dry before reattaching after cleaning. Placing the lid back on when everything is damp means it will take longer to dry and might cause unpleasant water stains or marks/smudges, so it’s best to avoid this!
4. Wipe the Wand
Another component you want to remember is the wand, which is the main attraction of the Toto washlet. Thankfully, the wand cleans itself each time you use it, so it shouldn’t be too dirty.
Still, there can be some dirt buildup, and it’s good to wipe this off to avoid further buildup. Like when cleaning other parts of this device, it’s good to gently wipe the wand using a damp cloth with mild soap if necessary.
When wiping the wand, be careful not to pull too hard because you might damage or break it. As you may know, the Toto bidet wand remains inside the device until it needs to be used, and once it’s been used, it goes back inside the device. As a result, it’s protected from dust and dirt, making the cleaning process super quick and easy.
After wiping the wand, go over it with a soft dry cloth until it’s fully dry. Once the unit is ready to be switched back on, you can put the wand back into hiding to protect it.
5. Wipe the Control Panel
When wiping the Toto washlet, remember to go over the control panel attached to the side in most models. Although it may not look dirty, this component likely has a lot of bacteria because it’s where you use your hands to press buttons and change the settings.
Giving it a wipe using a cloth and soap is sure to remove any harmful bacteria, but make sure the cloth isn’t too damp because it may interfere with the panel if some water gets into the electrics.
Like the other parts of the washlet, it’s best to dry the control panel with a dry cloth after wiping it with a damp soapy cloth. Doing so removes soapy residue and ensures there won’t be any water stains.
6. Rinse the Filter if Necessary
Each Toto washlet features a deodorizer, also known as a filter. As you can imagine, this filter may accumulate dust and other particles over time, so it’s good to remove and clean it now and then.
While most components should only be cleaned using a damp soapy cloth, it’s okay to submerge the filter in water to clean it. However, you must thoroughly dry it before placing it back onto the unit. Otherwise, it will remain damp for longer and won’t function properly.
Water should be enough to clean the filter. You can likely wipe it clean with a damp cloth if it doesn’t seem too dirty. But if there is a fair amount of dirt and dust, place it under running water and wipe it until it’s clean.
If some tough pieces of dirt won’t come off, consider scrubbing the filter to clean it. While scrubbing the rest of the washlet is not the best, scrubbing the filter (gently) should be fine.
7. Turn the Washlet Back On and Make Sure It’s Working
Once you’re finished cleaning everything, plug the device back in and turn it on. After that, make sure it’s working by testing a function. If it’s not working or turning on, make sure it’s plugged in fully and that you’ve hit the power button. Once you’ve determined it’s back up and running, it’s ready to be used again!
Does a Toto Washlet Clean Itself?
A Toto washlet does clean itself, so you likely won’t need to clean it as thoroughly as many other toilet seats. Before you use a Toto washlet, it automatically mists itself so that nothing sticks to the toilet bowl. The wand also cleans itself before and after each use.
On top of that, the washlet has a filter that sucks in odors. The filter means you don’t have to worry as much about leaving a smell when leaving the bathroom!
Despite its self-cleaning qualities, a Toto washlet still needs to be cleaned and maintained now and then. For example, the seat itself (i.e., the part you sit on) is not self-cleaning, so it’s good to wipe that now and then to ensure there isn’t a buildup of dirt, dust, and bacteria.
Other components that aren’t self-cleaning include the lid and filter, so you should pay attention to those, too. Keep an eye on the washlet to ensure you can wipe away the dirt as soon as it appears.
How a Toto Washlet Cleans Itself
In the last section, I discussed the basics of a Toto washlet’s self-cleaning properties. In this section, I’ll discuss how it cleans itself in more detail.
The Seat Has an Automatic Mist Feature
One of the great things about the Toto washlet is the automatic mist feature. Before you go to the toilet, the sensor can detect you and react quickly by spraying water around the bowl. The water acts as a protective layer for the toilet bowl, making it less likely for things to stick to it when you do your business.
As a result, you don’t need to use as much bleach to clean the toilet and generally don’t have to use a toilet brush.
The mist feature doesn’t just occur before you go to the toilet–it also occurs after. The water used is known as EWATER+, which is slightly more acidic than regular water. As a result, it works well as a cleaning agent without harsh chemicals.
Not only does the EWATER+ mist clean the toilet bowl, but it also cleans the wand after each use, which is how it remains clean even when you don’t clean it yourself.
The Air Around the Toilet Is Cleaned Using Filters
As briefly mentioned in the previous section, Toto washlets feature filters known as deodorizers, which are excellent for filtering out foul odors. The filter sucks the air in and brings it through the carbon filters within the deodorizer.
The process occurs while you go to the toilet and after you’re done, ensuring the bathroom remains smelling fresh as quickly as possible. Due to the filter in the Toto washlet, you won’t have to use as many air fresheners in your bathroom as you once did.
How Often Should You Clean a Toto Washlet?
You should clean a Toto washlet whenever you notice a stain or other pieces of dirt/dust. The best way to keep it clean is to use a damp soapy cloth. You should do a deep clean once every month to maintain the device and ensure it stays in good condition for as long as possible.
Since much of the device is self-cleaning, you won’t have to clean certain parts of the seat and toilet as often as an average toilet seat. For example, the bowl won’t need to be cleaned very often due to the mist feature.
The self-cleaning parts (like the wand and bowl) should be cleaned approximately once a month. The features that aren’t self-cleaning (like the part you sit on and the outside of the toilet) should be cleaned as frequently as you would a regular toilet, which may be every few days.
The most important thing is that you clean visible stains and dust as soon as they appear, decreasing the chances of dirt building up and causing permanent stains.
Things To Avoid When Cleaning a Toto Washlet
So far, this guide has discussed everything you should do when cleaning a Toto washlet. Now, let’s discuss the things to avoid.
Using Bleach
Although you might use bleach on a regular toilet seat without thinking about it, you should avoid doing this with a Toto washlet because parts of the unit are made of plastic and other materials that might become discolored.
You may still use bleach inside the toilet bowl now and then, but avoid getting it near the Toto seat. Although using bleach won’t damage the functions of the washlet, it can harm the appearance by causing unpleasant stains.
Bleach and other harsh chemicals not only stain the surface but may also damage the coating, meaning it won’t last as long–this is primarily due to bleach’s corrosive nature. Using abrasive cleaning agents may also damage the surface of your Toto washlet.
Pulling Too Hard on the Wand
One of the components you must be highly careful with is the wand. You will only need to touch the rod when cleaning it because it moves in and out by itself.
When wiping the wand with a cloth, be gentle with it, ensuring you don’t pull too hard accidentally. Pulling too hard can pull it out of place, and it might not even work afterward. Gentle wiping motions are enough to clean the wand sufficiently.
Scrubbing Too Hard
Scrubbing too hard is another thing to avoid when cleaning a Toto washlet because harsh scrubbing can cause scratches and may wear away at the surface. While scrubbing too hard is one thing to avoid, using coarse items for scrubbing should also be avoided.
Examples of things that are too harsh for a Toto washlet include:
- Sponges
- Brushes
- Cleaning agents with rough particles
- Anything sharp
As long as you maintain the washlet and clean it regularly, you shouldn’t need to scrub it.
Leaving Soap Residue on the Washlet After Wiping
Using a soapy cloth is the best way to clean a Toto washlet, but there are certain things to consider when using this method. Most importantly, always dry the soapy residue right after wiping the area.
The residue can damage the surface and cause unpleasant soapy water stains if you don’t. The easiest and most convenient way to dry the soapy residue is to use a clean cloth, ensuring it’s not too rough.
You may also use a kitchen towel, but that is not ideal because it might cause slight scratching, primarily if used over a long period.
Is It Completely Necessary To Clean a Toto Washlet?
It is completely necessary to clean a Toto washlet because even though it is self-cleaning, certain parts will have dirt buildups over time. However, it’s not essential to clean the washlet too frequently.
Bleaching the toilet bowl is something you’ll only rarely need to do because the misting function will take care of that for you. Still, there may be some stubborn bits of debris that need some extra scrubbing.
Regarding the actual seat, it is 100% necessary to clean it regularly because bacteria and dust can easily build up in this area.
What Happens if You Don’t Clean a Toto Washlet?
If you don’t clean a Toto washlet, it will become dirtier over time. Certain parts will get more contaminated than others, especially those that aren’t self-cleaning.
For example, there likely won’t be much of a problem if you avoid cleaning the toilet bowl, but there will be a buildup of dirt and dust around the lid if you don’t wipe it now and then. You should clean and maintain a Toto washlet (mostly) the same way you’d clean a standard toilet seat.
How Long Does It Take To Clean a Toto Washlet?
It should only take 5-10 minutes to clean a Toto washlet, depending on whether you’re doing a deep or light clean. Thankfully, Toto washlet cleaning is easy and straightforward because all you need to do is wipe the surfaces with a soft, damp cloth.
Removing the lid and other components (like the filter) for a more deep cleaning can take 10 minutes or more. So, set aside time if you plan to give your Toto washlet a deep clean.
Conclusion
One of the remarkable things about a Toto washlet is that it’s self-cleaning, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to maintain and clean it. After reading this guide, you should better understand how and when to clean a Toto washlet.
