Ecover Toilet Cleaner, 750 ml (Pack of 1)

Product Information

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.'" 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. 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.

You can just add water at home, which significantly reduces carbon emissions during transport as well as high consumption of water during manufacturing. Promisingly, we have found a number of alternative products that offer a completely plastic-free solution to your dishwashing needs. 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. 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. READ NEXT: Our guide to the best toilet brushes Are there more environmentally friendly cleaners available?Ecoleaf by Suma – 5l and 20l bulk sizes for refill at home and refill stations. All bottles and bulk containers are 100% recycled plastic The chemical, even though diluted, travels from your toilet bowl to our waterways. During this production process, bleach also ends up being released into surrounding canals. You can read more on bleach, its environmental impact and green bleach alternatives here. Greenscents – bulk sizes, which can be returned to them for reuse, and refill stations. Standard size bottles made from biopolymer, from waste sugar cane 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.

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.

The best toilet cleaner to buy

Astonish, ATTITUDE, Bentley Organic, Bio-D, ecoleaf ( Suma), Fill Refill, Greenscents, Miniml, and SESI. Chlorine bleach, on the other hand, is a strong antibacterial agent that can deal with all types of toilet germs, as well as get rid of stains.

It’s also possible to buy concentrated eco versions of toilet cleaner. The reason this is an eco option is because the main ingredient in traditional toilet cleaners is water. This is a similar story to eco friendly laundry detergent sheets, which do away with adding water during manufacturing. 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-buyingOn top of that, chlorine bleach is considered harmful to aquatic life and as well as indoor environments. One study found bleach-containing toilet cleaners to be a source of VOCs. Prolonged exposure to hydrochloric acid has been found to cause eye and nose irritation and even respiratory tract inflammation.