You might think that you don’t need instructions about what can and cannot be used in your toilet for cleaning and deodorizing purposes, but we think you will be surprised with what we have to share with you. With over 45 years in the plumbing industry, Sun Plumbing has a pretty good idea about what is safe for your toilet!
What is Safe for My Toilet?
In our December blog, we discussed what can safely be flushed down your toilet including the best type of toilet paper to use to avoid those unnecessary and unpleasant toilet clogs. This month we want to look at which cleaners and deodorizers are safe for your toilet.
Cleaners
You may remember that dreaded day when your mom looked at you and said, “You’re old enough now to clean your own toilet.” Oh no. Those are not the words any kid wants to hear, but as adults, we understand the value of a nice, clean toilet, particularly when guests are coming!
When it comes to cleaning the toilet bowl, we recommend that you stick with a more natural cleaner. You won’t have to worry about it having any harmful chemicals that will harm you or your toilet. A review of several eco-friendly toilet bowl cleaners found Clorox Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Toilet Bowl Cleaner to both be effective cleaners without being too damaging to your wallet. (Warning: the review contains one bad word in reference to feces, but we still found it to be a helpful review.)
Toilet Tank Tablets
Those little disks that you can plop into the back of the toilet tank seem like a convenient way to clean the toilet, but are they safe? The purpose of these tablets is to add chemicals to the water in the toilet tank to help reduce toilet bowl stains. If you really want to use these tablets (we understand that they are handy), then we urge you to use tablets without bleach. They are harder to find than tablets containing bleach, but they are the safer choice.
What Is Not Safe for My Toilet?
Harsh chemicals and bleach
Harsh chemicals and bleach are damaging to your toilet and its working parts. This is why we recommend using products that are as natural as possible. Using toilet tablets with bleach has been shown to cause damage to the flush valve and flapper, as well as other parts of the tank. After the introduction of these tablets to the world, plumbers noticed an increase in repair calls on newer toilets. While the colored water may make you feel reassured that your toilet is being sanitized, it isn’t worth the repair costs that you could incur.
Drano
Is Drano safe to clean toilet clogs? No, Drano and similar products are not safe to put down your toilet in an attempt to clear clogs. We understand that a toilet clog is an issue that you want to remedy immediately. However, Drano and similar products are not the way to do it. Drano can actually damage your toilet. Additionally, if you have used toilet cleaners with strong, chemical ingredients (against our advice), you could cause a dangerous chemical reaction! Now, not only could you damage your toilet, but you could actually harm yourself. Remember: Drano equals “no bueno!”
Sun Plumbing Is Here to Help
If you are experiencing toilet issues and damaged parts due to harsh cleaners, tablets, or “unclogging” products, then you need to call Sun Plumbing. Our best advice is to use safe products that do not contain harsh chemicals such as bleach. People were cleaning their homes for years before these products arrived on the scene. It is not necessary to damage your toilet in order to clean it!
If a clog is the issue and a plunger isn’t doing the trick, do not use Drano! Give us a call right away. We know you wanted it fixed five minutes ago, but Drano can damage your toilet AND you! It isn’t worth it. Use the other bathroom, drive to a friend’s house, go to Starbucks, but don’t use Drano. We will get out to your home to fix that pesky toilet clog as quickly as possible. If you need plumbing help and are located in the Melbourne or Viera area, then give Sun Plumbing a call. There is no toilet clog that we can’t handle!
