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These hardworking scrubbers should be replaced every six months. Most toilet brushes have nylon bristles, and over time, these bristles can bend, fray, or fall out, reducing the effectiveness of the brush. Silicone brushes hold their shape longer, but the softer bristles are less effective at removing residue and build-up. To clean your toilet brush after use, spray it with a disinfecting cleaner and let it air dry by closing the handle under the toilet seat and letting the brush head drip into the toilet bowl.

A small amount of diluted bleach is okay to pour down a garbage disposal. As part of your weekly garbage disposal maintenance, use 1 teaspoon of bleach with your concoction of ice cubes and lemon peels. Turn on the disposal and run the water until the blades chop up the ice cubes.

Any more bleach in your disposal can harden oils and greases in your drain, which can cause problems. Always wear gloves when working with bleach, and know that you really don’t need bleach at all—vinegar, baking soda, salt, and ice should do the trick.

Vinegar can be used as an all-purpose cleaner for many things, including hot tub filters. Soaking hot tub filters in vinegar and water for up to 24 hours can remove dirt and oil, and as a bonus, it won’t cause the water to foam after you reinstall it if there’s vinegar left on it. But make sure you still rinse it to remove any debris, dirt, or grime stuck on it.

As a general rule of thumb, avoid handwashing dishes whenever possible—especially if you have a full sink. Using a dishwasher saves water and better sanitizes your dishes. However, if you have delicate dishwear, high-end glassware, or fragile plastics, you should opt to handwash it to avoid cracks, chips, or warping from the high heat of a dishwasher.