You probably know that you need to replace your toothbrush regularly in order for it to properly work, but the same goes for another type of brush in your bathroom — your toilet brush.

When it comes to a toothbrush, if you don’t replace it often enough, it can’t do its teeth-cleaning task. This is also true for the toilet brush. It needs to replaced (not as often as a toothbrush) to properly clean your toilet, said Melissa Maker, the founder of Clean My Space and host of the Clean My Space YouTube show.

“If the bristles aren’t firm anymore, they’re not going to be able to scrub and do their job,” Maker noted.

How often you need to replace your toilet brush depends on a few factors, here’s what to know:

Some experts say you should replace your toilet brush yearly.