How to Clean a Children's Potty

Co-authored by Ryan Santos

Last Updated: October 10, 2024 References

Potty training is a big milestone in your child’s life! While it’s exciting to see them learn such a necessary skill, it can be messy at times. You’ll need to know how to keep your child’s potty clean in order to ensure proper hygiene and potty training success.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning the Potty Bowl

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1
Remove the bowl from the potty chair. Lift the center collection bowl out of the potty chair. If the potty trainer has a toilet seat on top of the bowl, you’ll need to remove that piece before you can lift the collection bowl.^{[1]
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- Keep the potty training chair in the bathroom next to the toilet to help your toddler associate it with having to go and make cleanup more convenient.
2
Empty the contents of the potty bowl into the toilet and flush. Hold the bowl over the toilet and dump out the contents. Depending on if you’re dealing with liquid or solid waste, you may need to use a wad of toilet paper to remove any sticky spots.^{[2]
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- Avoid trying to slap the backside of the bowl to remove stools as it may cause splattering.
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3
Rinse the bowl over the toilet with hot water.Fill the collection bowl with hot water, swirl it around, and dump it into the toilet. This will help loosen and rinse away any small bits of stool. You may need to repeat this action a few times.^{[3]
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- You can fill the bowl under the sink or tub faucet, just note that you’ll need to disinfect these areas afterwards (especially if you plan to take a bath later).
4
Spray the bowl with disinfectant cleaner and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Use an all-purpose disinfectant to spray down the inside and outside of the bowl. Then, let it sit for up to 5 minutes so it has time to do its antibacterial magic.^{[4]
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- For a natural cleaning alternative, you can also fill a spray bottle with ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of water and ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of white vinegar.
5
Dry the bowl with a paper towel before replacing it in the chair. Use a paper towel to wipe down the bowl. Keeping it dry will stop mold and mildew from growing. Make sure it’s completely dry so your toddler isn’t put off from training by sitting on a damp surface.^{[5]
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- If your toddler shows signs of an aversion to the scent of cleaning products, rinse the bowl again with water again before drying it.
- Avoid using towels or rags to dry the bowl because they can carry bacteria. Using paper towels will also keep your laundry load to a minimum.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Disinfecting the Potty Chair

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1
Disassemble the potty chair, if necessary. Take apart the chair to make it easier to clean every surface. If your potty chair has a detachable seat, take that off first. Then, remove the bowl and any other components of the chair.^{[6]
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- If necessary, refer to the instruction manual that came with your potty chair for specifics about how to take it apart.
2
Spray each component of the potty chair with an all-purpose disinfectant. Spray down every surface of the chair with a disinfectant. Make sure to spray it into crevices and indentations to kill bacteria.^{[7]
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- You can also submerge each component into a bucket or large bin filled with 1 part water and 1 part vinegar for a natural option.
3
Let the disinfectant sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the disinfectant to do its thing for up to 5 minutes before you wipe it away with a clean paper towel. If you’ve submerged the chair into a cleaning solution, let it sit for at least 5 minutes before taking it out to dry.^{[8]
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- If your potty chair has lots of small, hard-to-reach crevices, you may want to scrub the disinfectant into those areas with an old toothbrush.
4
Dry the potty chair with a paper towel. Use a paper towel to wipe away moisture from the bowl, chair, seat, and any other parts of the chair. You can also use a fan or a hairdryer to dry hard-to-reach areas.^{[9]
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- Drying the chair will keep mold and mildew away.
- Don’t use towels or rags to dry the chair because they might carry bacteria. Plus, you’ll need to wash them separately from other items in very hot water to fully disinfect them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Ensuring Proper Hygiene

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1
Clean the potty bowl after every time your toddler uses it. Disinfect the bowl every time your toddler uses it to prevent the spread of bacteria. Toddlers are known to put their hands in their mouths a lot, so it's important to keep all surfaces as bacteria-free as possible.^{[10]
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- Even if your toddler has only peed, it's important to clean it out each time so you know if your toddler has actually urinated.
2
Clean the potty chair once a day or more as needed. Make sure to clean the entire chair at least once a day. You may have to clean it 2 or 3 times if your toddler has an accident that calls for additional clean-up.
- If your potty chair has a handle or different features on it that your toddler touches while they're using it, make sure to disinfect those areas each time.
3
Use disposable potty liners for a quick clean-up. Secure the liner around the bowl of the potty just like you would a garbage bag onto a bin. Then, all you have to do is lift it up and dispose of it just like you would a diaper.^{[11]
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- Buy disposable potty liners at home stores, grocery stores, or online. Look for universal-sized liners that will fit any potty.

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Tips

Avoid adding essential oils to cleaning products because your toddler may be repelled by the scent, hindering the potty training process.

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