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Toilet Tank Tablets Cause Damage: Better Ways to Clean the Toilet

If it seems as though your toilet flapper needs to be repaired every year, it could well be that your toilet tank cleaner is causing damage to your toilet. Drop-in toilet tank cleaner tablets do help to keep the toilet clean, with fresh blue water, but the chemicals can cause damage to the parts in your tank, including the seals, the flapper, gaskets and washers. Both metal, plastic and rubber parts are susceptible to damage from the chemicals, and if you use toilet tablets, you will notice that your toilet starts to leak, or fails to flush as it should.

Damage happened quicker while the tablet sat in the tank without the toilet being flushed regularly, and manufacturers are now required to include a disclaimer on packages. However, it is still best to clean the toilet manually and regularly using a brush and cleaning agent. Only the toilet bowl requires cleaning, and not the tank, which is the part that is targeted by the tablet.

How to Clean a Toilet Bowl

It may seem easier to drop a tablet in the tank, but even if you do that, you still need to put in some manual effort to clean packed on dirt, limescale and the hinges. Cleaning the toilet using the method described below, will take less than 5 minutes, once a week, and daily brushing will ensure it stays clean the rest of the time.

1. Spray on all-purpose cleaner

Use a high-quality antibacterial all-purpose cleaner in a spray bottle to target the hinges, either side of the lid and seat, the rim, the base, tank flusher, and the base, and leave it to sit for a moment to break down the dirt.

2. Use toilet bowl cleaner

Toilet bowl cleaning products have an angled spout to help you apply the product under the rim. Simply glide the nozzle around the rim and squirt it in.

3. Give it a good wipe

Use paper towl to wipe down all the areas you sprayed, ensuring that you get into all the little nooks and crannies, as well as behind the toilet.

4. Clean the hinges

Over time, dirt builds up in the crevices surrounding the hinges. Use an old toothbrush with some all-purpose cleaner to scrub the hinges clean.

5. Brush clean the bowl

Use the toilet bowl brush to gently scrub the inside of the toilet bowl clean. Do this gently to avoid any backsplash. When you get to the bottom of the chute, pump the brush in and out.

Bonus Tip: Once you are done brushing the toilet, hold the brush in the water and flush to clean the brush. Now place the brush to the rim and put the seat down, letting the brush drip-dry for a while before replacing it to the container. Once in a while, soak all your bathroom cleaning tools in water and bleach before rinsing it off and allowing it to dry.

Need some help repairing your toilet? You know you can always rely on Anta Plumbing!

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Written by Anta

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