Ecover Toilet Cleaner, 750 ml (Pack of 1)

Product Information

Prolonged exposure to hydrochloric acid has been found to cause eye and nose irritation and even respiratory tract inflammation.

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. 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. 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. 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. Greenscents was certified as palm oil free by the International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark POFCAP.

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. As you can see, there are many ways you can keep your toilet clean and germ-free without using toxic chemicals that could put your health and the health of the planet on the line.

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. However, there are a few things that you should like out for when selecting a toilet cleaner for you to avoid!

Splosh – buy a filled plastic bottle then buy through the post concentrated pouches of cleaners. Pouches can be returned to Splosh for reuse or recycling. 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! 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.

Some of the brands we reviewed are completely palm oil free across all products. They were: Greenscents and Planet Detox. 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 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.

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. Ecover - most bottles use 75% PlantPlastic, from sugar cane, and 25% recycled plastic. Toilet cleaner is 50% recycled. 5 litre Bulk sizes and refill stations.

If you’re looking to run a more sustainable bathroom, one great swap you can make is with your toilet paper. 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.We’ve also seen a boom in consumer interest in refill-focused companies, like Splosh, SESI, Fill Refill and Miniml, who only sell products to refill an existing bottle with. 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. These handy bombs are made of 100% natural ingredients, including citric acid, bicarbonate of soda, and either tea tree or lemongrass oil. 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.'" READ NEXT: Our guide to the best toilet brushes Are there more environmentally friendly cleaners available?