I am looking for an in-tank toilet sanitizer, of the type that releases some kind of cleaner/disinfectant with each flush.
So far the most recommended one seems to be the Fluidmaster Flush 'n Sparkle, because it supposedly only releases the chemical into the flush pipe directly, not the water that is sitting in the tank, so it does not corrode or degrade your seals/gaskets over time.
However, it does seem to be pretty cheap and flimsy, and I have heard negative things both about the long-term durability and the lack of effectiveness of the cleaner itself. Are there any better or higher quality options out there? [I have a Toto UltraMax II if it matters].
Thanks
EDIT: This is definitely not intended as a replacement for cleaning and "best practices" toilet courtesy, just as an addition. The bowl of this Toto toilet is very "clingy", anything that can help mitigate that is welcome.
I was recently sent a Soft Scrub 4 in 1 Toilet Care product, which is an automatic toilet bowl cleaner, but unlike some which are situated in the tank this type hangs on the side of the rim of the bowl.
I received this product as part of my role as a Purex Insider.
There is a little hanger that you hang on the side of the toilet and inside are four little balls of cleaning product.
The instructions say to make sure you position the product to hang where the water will flow over the little cleaning balls each time you flush, and this will keep your toilet bowl clean.
I had not cleaned the bowl in several days when I first got this product, and read the instructions thoroughly to see if it needed to be cleaned first before adding it. The instructions were silent on this matter, so I went ahead and just installed the little hanger without first cleaning it up.
After several weeks of use I could tell this wasn't the right thing to do. The product kept the bowl from getting even dirtier, but never did clean the dirt that had already accumulated.
Of course, I received the version of this product called "Sapphire Waters scent" which does not contain bleach. There is another version called "Alpine Fresh" which does contain bleach, which may have worked better for cleaning the yucky stuff already in the toilet when I installed the product. I just don't know for sure though.
Therefore, if you choose to use this product make sure you install it after thoroughly cleaning your toilet bowl, and it should keep things clean for you after that.
Here's the before and after pictures, with the after picture taken about two weeks after installation.
The same rings were still there, never having left.
This product said it would last for about four weeks, and I would agree with that assessment. Around the four week mark the little balls had completely dissolved and I had to throw it away since it had been used up.
The other reason I wasn't as impressed with this product is because it fell off a couple of times from the rim of the bowl during its use.
If you've got males in your house, who lift the toilet seat to do some of their business [you know what I mean!] than it is likely the little balls of cleaner will either fall into the toilet or onto the floor once or twice. That is annoying and potentially gross to fish out of the toilet bowl.
Further, my youngest daughter decided to take it off the hanger herself at one point, until I scolded her. She was trying to show me the neat thing hanging on the potty. I quickly determined this is NOT a good thing to have in a home that needs to be child proofed!
Overall, if you have no kids and no males, and keep a clean bowl to start with this product may work for you. My home does not meet those criteria, so I personally won't be using it again.
I would love to hear from others who've used this product, whether you've had a similar experience or a better one than I have. You can share your toilet bowl cleaner review here of this or any other product, or read other reviews that have already been submitted.
FTC Disclosure: The Soft Scrub brand provided me with a sample of this product in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.
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I Was Impressed With The Alpine Fresh With Bleach Version
by Sarah
I was very impressed with this product.
I did clean the bowl before I inserted the product.
I had used Clorox before this and was not impressed in the least. There was build up around the bowl within a week. This product kept the toilet bowl clean.
I have three boys who are older and cannot find it in themselves to flush the toilet all the time, and it kept the toilet very clean.
The only thing that was a problem was the overwhelming smell. Beyond that this product works very well.
I intend to buy it again.
Taylor says:
Thanks for your review Sarah, and glad it worked better for you than for me! I notice the Alpine Fresh scent contains bleach, whereas the one I used did not. I wonder if that made a difference?
So, has anyone else tried this product? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought of it, good or bad. You can submit your review here and I'll add it to the page, or you can read other toilet bowl cleaner reviews already submitted.
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Do in tank toilet bowl cleaners work?
You may like the fresh blue look of the water when using in-tank tablets, but you are actually damaging your toilet — and the long-term cost of repairs and replacements to your toilet far outweigh the short-term ease of dropping in a cleaning solution.
What is the best cleaner to put in a toilet tank?
Tips for Maintaining Your Toilet Tank Add a cup of white distilled vinegar to the tank once a month. Leave it to sit overnight and then flush it in the morning.
What is the best product to clean inside toilet?
Toilet cleaning agents.
Mrs. ... .
Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner, 2-Pack. ... .
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Zep Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner. ... .
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Is there anything safe to clean the inside of a toilet tank?
From mildew to hard-to-tackle calcium deposits, vinegar is an inexpensive, natural cleaner that dissolves a range of bathroom offenders, including toilet tank rust. Choose a white vinegar [either distilled or the basic white vinegar will work] over a colored variety, as the latter could stain your toilet.