Greenscents – bulk sizes, which can be returned to them for reuse, and refill stations. Standard size bottles made from biopolymer, from waste sugar cane Even though there’s no set formula used by all toilet care brands, you’re likely to see many of the same ingredients when looking at a toilet cleaner’s label. 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.

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 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. Ecoleaf by Suma – 5l and 20l bulk sizes for refill at home and refill stations. All bottles and bulk containers are 100% recycled plastic READ NEXT: Our guide to the best toilet brushes Are there more environmentally friendly cleaners available? But the real ethical issue centres around manufacture. Bleach is from the organochlorine family of chemicals, compounds rarely found in nature and which can take centuries to decompose. Greenpeace has called for a complete end to organochlorine production.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. 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. Prolonged exposure to hydrochloric acid has been found to cause eye and nose irritation and even respiratory tract inflammation. 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.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. Attitude – Standard bottles are recycled plastic. 2L eco-refill boxes are plastic bag in a box which can be put in recycling This is a pH-neutral formula based on citric acid and sodium carbonate, specially designed to lift grime and stimulate the growth of odour-killing bacteria. 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.