Although nobody really enjoys cleaning the toilet, most of us prefer to have a fresh-smelling, sparkly clean loo.
There are lots of products available on the market now to help achieve this, including powerful cleaning liquids, cleaning tablets and gentle cleaning formulas containing less harsh chemicals.
Whichever option you choose, you will need to leave the product to work for a while, usually for an hour or two or even overnight. This lets the product do the hard work so you have less scrubbing to do later!
Always check the instructions first to get the best results.
Best Toilet Cleaner Products in the UK
1. Duck Deep Action Gel Liquid Cleaner
Duck Deep Action Gel Liquid Cleaner is a liquid cleaner with the added advantage of a bottle with a uniquely shaped bent neck.
This makes cleaning right underneath the rim a lot easier and gives peace of mind that all areas have been completely and hygienically cleaned. It leaves a long-lasting, pleasant pine fragrance and also kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria.
This product has excellent cleaning properties and a fresh smell, however, some toilet bowl stains may be left behind and need a good scrub with the toilet brush.
2. Harpic Active Fresh Toilet Cleaning Gel
Harpic Active Fresh Toilet Cleaning Gel is quick and easy to use and has been specially formulated for a deep clean above and below the waterline. It will also kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria.
The gel sets to work as soon as you apply it around the toilet bowl, making sure to get the product underneath the rim to break down stains and remove all limescale.
If you’re in a rush, leave the gel in the bowl for a minimum of 30 minutes before brushing and flushing.
This is an effective product for cleaning a toilet bowl and keeps your loo smelling citrus fresh for hours – perfect if you’ve got company coming round!
3. HG Toilet Renovation Kit
The HG Toilet Renovation Kit sounds like a total toilet overhaul and it really is – the kit contains a liquid cleaner, a handy scrubber with a scratch-free scrubbing pad and plastic gloves.
HG Toilet Renovation cleaner sticks to the toilet surface to remove even the most persistent deposits. When used in combination with the special scrubber, all limescale and dirt can be effectively removed.
This product requires a bit more effort than some other options but is very effective at removing even the most stubborn stains. Leaving you with a sparkling clean bowl that you could eat from… but you definitely shouldn’t!
4. Ecozone 3-in-1 Toilet Cleaner
Ecozone 3-in-1 Toilet Cleaner is a non-toxic, biodegradable gel toilet cleaner and it’s a good choice for those who prefer fewer chemicals in their home.
Although this cleaner doesn’t claim to kill quite the same percentage of germs and bacteria as some of the chemical-based options (killing 99% rather than the standard 99.9%), it still cleans effectively and removes tough stains using natural citric acid.
It’s also much more pleasant smelling than many other toilet bowl cleaners, leaving a subtle Ocean Breeze scent behind after cleaning and no residue.
This product is cruelty-free and Vegan-friendly, so it’s a great choice for those looking for kinder cleaning products.
5. Ecover Pine & Mint Toilet Cleaner
Ecover’s toilet cleaner gives you that clean, fresh toilet bowl without the harsh chemical smells that can sometimes make your eyes water.
This pine and mint-scented cleaner uses a multi-action decalcifying agent to help break down limescale and stains and with a quick scrub, your loo will be shining.
The slightly thicker consistency of this cleaner means you don’t need to use as much as with more watery cleaners, so it should last a lot longer, especially when you buy a 5-litre bottle.
This is a good quality cleaning product, but the smell can be quite overpowering and may not be to everyone’s tastes.
6. Astonish Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs
Astonish Toilet Bowl Cleaner tablets are quick and easy to use, and specially formulated for a deep clean.
You can leave them down the toilet overnight, so you can wake up to a sparkling clean toilet, and it will also kill germs and bacteria.
The tablets work as soon as you drop them into the water, with a foaming action breaking down stains and removing limescale.
This is an easy and effective product for cleaning a toilet bowl, however, the smell is not as pleasant as some other cleaners, and sometimes the process needs to be repeated for a truly clean toilet bowl.
How to Clean a Badly Stained Toilet
Cleaning a badly stained toilet is all about waiting for the right time to strike. We don’t mean waiting for someone to get up off of the toilet, although that can massively help you gain access to the troubled area. What we mean is leaving the toilet cleaner to work.
All of the toilet cleaners we mentioned above can help you keep your toilet clean and prevent bad stains. You just need to use them effectively.
Plus, with the addition of a few household cleaners that should be in everyone’s cleaning arsenal, cleaning a badly stained toilet is really simple.
What you’ll need:
- Your toilet cleaning product of choice (we’d recommend the Astonish Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs or the HG Toilet Renovation Kit above).
- A toilet brush
- A scrubbing pad
- And an absolute must-have – Rubber gloves!
Step 1: Leave the cleaning solutions to soak
If you’re battling a very badly stained toilet, time can be your best friend. Pour a healthy amount of your chosen cleaning product into the loo and leave it to soak for as long as possible.
Step 2: Scrub
Sadly, there is no way of cleaning a badly stained toilet without some scrubbing. However, if you can leave the cleaning solution in the toilet bowl for 30 minutes or even an hour, it can greatly reduce the amount of scrubbing needed.
While a toilet brush can help here, it is often easier to throw on some rubber gloves, grab a scrubbing pad and get to work.
A scrubbing pad can help you get into all of the hard-to-reach areas and ensure that your time spent scrubbing is well worth it.
Take your time with the scrubbing, and don’t flush the loo until you feel you have reached every area.
Step 3: Flush and see
If you’ve left the cleaning solution soaking for long enough and you’ve scrubbed the toilet bowl more than you’d care to remember, you can sit back and admire your shiny, new-looking toilet.
If you didn’t quite get all of the stains, you may need to repeat this step, and it might be worth choosing a different toilet cleaning product.
Step 4: Keep the toilet looking fresh and clean
Now that you have removed all of the stains from your porcelain throne, it’s a good idea to try and keep it looking good.
There are lots of toilet cleaning products available to help you achieve this, but we’d recommend Bloo Fragrance Switch Toilet Rim Block. This keeps your toilet clean and smelling nice. You’ll need to stay on top of cleaning the loo, but this can keep it looking better for longer.
Toilet Cleaner FAQs
What do professionals use to clean toilets?
Most professional cleaners use cleaning products with bleach to get the job done. The fact is that the toilet is one of the most challenging places to clean in the home, and you need a powerful cleaning product on your side.
Now, there are some bleach alternatives that do work really well. But for stubborn stains in a toilet, almost every professional cleaner will always reach for a bleach.
What causes brown stains in the toilet bowl?
Water with too much manganese and iron in causes brown stains in the toilet. A water softener can help with the staining but won’t stop it altogether. The only way to stop brown stains from occurring in your toilet is to stick to a regular cleaning schedule.
Can you clean a toilet with Coca Cola?
This toilet cleaning urban legend often does the rounds on the internet. A lot of people claim that Coca Cola does, in fact, clean toilets really well, while others claim it is fiction.
The idea behind the Coke trick is the carbonation and mild acids in the drink are said to break down the dirt and grime in the bowl.
There are a few videos of the Coca Cola trick floating around. In some of the videos, this toilet cleaning trick works an absolute treat. In others, not so much.
It certainly won’t harm your toilet if you add a can of undigested Coca Cola to it, so give it a try yourself and see if it works for you.
Is it OK to use bleach in your toilet?
Yes, it is perfectly OK to use bleach in your toilet. In fact, most professional cleaners use bleach to clean toilets because it is the best cleaning product to use. However, you shouldn’t mix it with vinegar, as this will produce a harmful chlorine gas.
Conclusion
If we had to pick just one toilet cleaner product to recommend, it would be Duck Deep Action Gel Liquid Cleaner. The curved bottle design makes it easy to clean under the rim, and the tough cleaning solution should kill at least 99.99% of germs while leaving a pleasant pine scent in your bathroom.
In The Wash is your guide to the best laundry and cleaning products, tips and tricks. Our mission is to solve the UK’s cleaning and laundry dilemmas!
