Astonish, ATTITUDE, Bentley Organic, Bio-D, ecoleaf ( Suma), Fill Refill, Greenscents, Miniml, and SESI. 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. Hydrochloric acid is used for dealing with the most stubborn stains and limescale, as it’s perfect for breaking down all residues. You can just add water at home, which significantly reduces carbon emissions during transport as well as high consumption of water during manufacturing.

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. We have rated all the companies for their toxic chemicals policies. The companies which received a best rating had a policy because they had banned the use of parabens, phthalates and triclosan (see our feature on toxic chemicals for why we have chosen these chemicals) were:

Animal testing and cruelty-free toilet cleaners

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. 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.

If you’re looking to run a more sustainable bathroom, one great swap you can make is with your toilet paper. 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.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. 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. 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.

The effectiveness of these ingredients can’t be put into question, but most shop-bought toilet cleaners do come with environmental costs, as well as safety issues. What are the environmental and health effects of these chemicals? READ NEXT: Our guide to the best toilet brushes Are there more environmentally friendly cleaners available? 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 Prolonged exposure to hydrochloric acid has been found to cause eye and nose irritation and even respiratory tract inflammation. 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.

In October 2015, the UK Government banned the testing of ‘finished’ household products on animals and introduced a ‘qualified ban’ on testing the ingredients on animals. But it’ll make little difference to animal welfare. This is because no animals have been used for testing ‘finished’ household products in the UK since 2010. It’s usually the ingredients not the ‘finished’ products that are tested on animals. Mix Clean Green toilet cleaner is not only one of the best plastic-free toilet cleaners on the market but also one of the most sustainable when it comes to active ingredients. These handy bombs are made of 100% natural ingredients, including citric acid, bicarbonate of soda, and either tea tree or lemongrass oil. 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.