A can of shaving foam is meant for the bathroom sink, not the toilet. Yet more and more people are spraying it straight into the bowl and walking away. The trick has been all over European home sites this week, and it isn’t as strange as it sounds.
In short
- Shaving foam is sprayed onto the inside of the bowl, left to sit, then scrubbed with the brush.
- Like soap, it contains surfactants that loosen grime and dried-on urine.
- It clings to the walls and leaves a fresh scent.
- It won’t dissolve heavy mineral rings or disinfect the toilet.
What it’s for
The Hungarian site KertVár and the German site Ludwigshafen24 describe the same routine: spray the foam generously on the stained areas of the bowl, spread it with the toilet brush, wait, then scrub. Ludwigshafen24 recommends a dwell time of 20 to 30 minutes.
Why foam rather than a regular cleaner? First, because it stays put. A liquid slides straight down into the water, while a thick foam clings to the sides, right where the stains are. Second, because of what’s inside: according to the home site Hunker, shaving creams “contain surfactants and other ingredients similar to soaps and cleansers,” which help lift dirt, grime and dried-on urine.
Ludwigshafen24 adds another argument: unlike some harsh cleaners, shaving foam contains no aggressive chemicals that could attack the ceramic surface of the toilet. The site presents it as a complement to your usual routine, not a replacement. KertVár, for its part, notes that the same can works on bathroom mirrors and shower curtains.
How to do it
- Use a basic foam, not a gel, and an inexpensive one: Ludwigshafen24 says even cheap products work.
- Spray under the rim and on the stains, then spread it with the brush.
- Let it sit. Hunker suggests about 10 minutes for regular cleaning; for stubborn marks, go up to the 20 to 30 minutes suggested by Ludwigshafen24.
- Scrub and flush. Wipe the base of the toilet with the leftover foam on a cloth: Hunker notes it also helps with odors around the floor.
Bonus: Hunker notes that the fragrance added to most foams leaves a fresher scent.
The limit
Shaving foam is a mild cleaner, not a miracle product. The brown or gray ring that forms at the waterline comes from hard water, and soap doesn’t dissolve minerals. For that ring, frugal-living columnist Mary Hunt, in Everyday Cheapskate, recommends baking soda and vinegar or borax and vinegar, and for the toughest stains a pumice stone, used sparingly so as not to scratch the china. Shaving foam doesn’t disinfect either: Hunker itself advises stronger products if that’s your goal. And never mix it with bleach or another cleaner in the bowl.
For mineral rings, here’s the best way to remove limescale from the toilet. You can also see what baking soda around the toilet is for, and the new option replacing toilet paper in more and more bathrooms.
A can of foam, a brush and twenty minutes. That’s the trick.
