Take the chore out of cleaning a toilet with these smart tips and tricks. Simple household items will help your toilet sparkle, plus our scrub-free shortcuts will make quick work of rings, rust, and stains lurking in your toilet.

Few jobs are more groan-inducing than cleaning a toilet. No one wants to get up close and personal with their commode, but it’s a necessary task. We’ve developed a few tricks to make cleaning a toilet easier.

Most of our tips require little to no touching of the actual toilet. Plus, they put common household items to work—so no need to stock up on fancy cleaning products.

1. Use Vodka

Grab that cheap bottle of vodka that’s been occupying cabinet space for far too long and use it to make your toilet sparkle. Pour 1/2 cup of vodka into your toilet bowl each month to keep rings from forming.

2. Pop In Denture Tablets

In a hurry? For a super-speedy clean, pop a denture tablet or two into the toilet bowl. The effervescent action will deliver a quick mini clean in minutes—no brush required.

3. Work Some Magic (Eraser)

Snip off a portion of your trusty Magic Eraser, toss it in the toilet, and let it work wonders on tough rings overnight. Flush the eraser in the morning and use a brush to get rid of any loosened stains.

4. Water Works

Pour a bucket of water into the toilet bowl before coating the inside with cleaner. This will flush the toilet without triggering a bowl refill. The lowered water level lets you put cleaner directly on the bowl for a deeper clean.

5. Coat with Cleaner

To streamline the cleaning process, coat the toilet bowl with cleaner before you do anything else. Then move on to the handle, seat, tank, and any other areas you’d like to sanitize. By the time you’re done, the toilet bowl cleaner will have soaked in. Scrub it clean, then flush.