Ecover Toilet Cleaner, 750 ml (Pack of 1)

Product Information

SESI, Fill Refill and Miniml have wide networks of refill stations, and Fill Refill and Miniml sell directly to consumers too. Splosh send concentrated refill pouches (which you can return to them for recycling) in the post. All of these companies were awarded a positive Company Ethos mark for their focus on refills. Bulk-buying

Ecoleaf by Suma – 5l and 20l bulk sizes for refill at home and refill stations. All bottles and bulk containers are 100% recycled plastic This will depend on the problems your loo is causing and how involved you want to get with them. For general day-to-day cleaning, a strong multipurpose cleaner should take care of things nicely. If you have problems with limescale or want your toilet to be sparkling white, then you’ll need to add more specific products, such as a limescale remover or a whitening product, to your cleaning arsenal. You can just add water at home, which significantly reduces carbon emissions during transport as well as high consumption of water during manufacturing. Toilet cleaners usually contain chlorine bleach to kill off bacteria and microbes. Many mainstream toilet cleaner makers portray the toilet bowl as one of the dirtiest places in the house and we need to use these deadly chemicals to keep ourselves safe. Non-toxic and easy to use, these bombs are perfect for giving your toilet a much-needed refresh in between deeper cleaning sessions, while still providing antibacterial and cleaning action through its essential oils, without any harsh chemicals!Prolonged exposure to hydrochloric acid has been found to cause eye and nose irritation and even respiratory tract inflammation. As toilets are naturally the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of germs and bacteria, it’s not surprising that many consumers find it hard to trust gentler cleaning solutions. Once a fringe ethical phenomenon, more and more shops and companies are now offering refills. And it’s not just health food shops, alternative supermarkets and zero waste stores. Refill only brands Astonish, ATTITUDE, Bentley Organic, Bio-D, ecoleaf ( Suma), Fill Refill, Greenscents, Miniml, and SESI.

These handy bombs are made of 100% natural ingredients, including citric acid, bicarbonate of soda, and either tea tree or lemongrass oil. A recent Which? report (May 2021) stated that large bottles of household cleaning products used 47% less plastic and needed less space to be transported. You can also look for bulk containers made from recycled plastics such as Bio-D’s 5 litre bottles or other innovative solutions such as Greenscents’ biopolymer bottles made from sugar cane waste. Greenscents was certified as palm oil free by the International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark POFCAP. Those whose entire product range was certified as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny were Astonish, ATTITUDE, Bio-D, ecoleaf, Ecozone, Fill Refill, Sodasan and Greenscents.Ecozone toilet cleaner is completely plant-based with no petrochemicals, artificial preservatives or synthetic fragrances. I’ve also used the Ecozone eco washing up liquid before and that was brilliant. Thanks to their cleaning effectiveness and strong antibacterial properties, harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach and hydrochloric acid are often the first ingredients to come up in toilet cleaning formulas. Chlorine bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite) is a corrosive chemical, toxic if ingested, an eye and respiratory irritant, can irritate the lungs and eyes, and in waterways can become toxic organochlorines, compounds rarely found in nature and which can take centuries to decompose. The industry says that chlorine bleach traces are present at such low concentrations in waste waters, that there is no real possibility of the formation of trace toxic by-products.

In October 2015, the UK Government banned the testing of ‘finished’ household products on animals and introduced a ‘qualified ban’ on testing the ingredients on animals. But it’ll make little difference to animal welfare. This is because no animals have been used for testing ‘finished’ household products in the UK since 2010. It’s usually the ingredients not the ‘finished’ products that are tested on animals. Harpic Power Plus sits at the top of our list because of its strength and versatility. This toilet cleaner targets a wide range of problems – its formula works on stains, removes limescale and rust build-ups and also kills germs and bacteria. The reason why bleach is still one of the most popular ingredients for toilet cleaners, despite its harshness, comes down to its antibacterial power. However, there are a few things that you should like out for when selecting a toilet cleaner for you to avoid!With everyone trying to do their bit by being a little greener, environmentally friendly cleaning products have become increasingly popular in recent years. Eco-conscious companies tend to make products that use less harsh chemicals – for toilet cleaners, look out for products that are certified as less damaging to marine creatures, as all that flushed water can eventually end up in the ocean. Several others ( Bio-D, Fill Refill, Miniml, SESI, Sodasan, and Splosh) scored our best rating for stating that all of their palm ingredients, including derivatives, were certified by the RSPO. Attitude – Standard bottles are recycled plastic. 2L eco-refill boxes are plastic bag in a box which can be put in recycling Many other companies included in this guide also offered bulk sizes (2 litres to 20 litres) to consumers so they can 'refill at home': ATTITUDE, Bio-D, ecoleaf, Eco-max, Ecover, Greenscents, and Sonett. Although the plastic impact of bulk purchasing is lower than buying individual bottles, only Greenscents containers can be returned for reuse. Bleach does the job, but what is the job and is it necessary? As we live in the Age of Bacteria immunologist, Gerald N Callahan, sums up: 'Neither humans nor micro-organisms benefit from fully destroying the other. This is not a war, as it has often been described, even though we have an impressive array of weapons - bactericidal cribs and mattresses, toilet cleaners... If it were (a war), we would have lost long ago, overpowered by sheer numbers and evolutionary speed. This is... like a waltz that will last for all of human history. We must hold to our partners carefully and dance well.'"

Refill stations are also becoming a more popular way to top up your toilet cleaner. This is great as the option to refill dramatically decreases the use of single-use plastic.

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READ NEXT: Our guide to the best toilet brushes Are there more environmentally friendly cleaners available? The stronger and more direct the product, the more likely it is to remove dirt and calcification with minimal scrubbing. However, some build-ups and stains can be incredibly stubborn and might even resist a strong cleaner and some intense scrubbing. If this sounds familiar, our top tip is to leave a product to sit overnight and then scrub down the bowl with (and we’re aware this may sound odd) a pumice stone. Natural ingredients like citric acid, found in virtually all chemical-free toilet cleaners, can take care of lifting dirt, removing odours, and keeping bacteria at bay. We have rated all the companies for their toxic chemicals policies. The companies which received a best rating had a policy because they had banned the use of parabens, phthalates and triclosan (see our feature on toxic chemicals for why we have chosen these chemicals) were: Bio D – bulk sizes and refill stations. Majority of single bottles and bulk sizes are 100% Recycled plastic, apart from 20 litre bulk refill containers.