Septic safe toilet cleaners are more than just a good idea for those of you with septic systems. They’re an absolute necessity! The best way to care for your home is to maintain it regularly and avoid any unnecessary risks. If you’ve had your septic tank pumped recently, make sure you clean out your toilet ASAP. It can be difficult to know which products are the safest and most effective, though. To help you find the best septic safe toilet cleaner, we’ve put together this list of our top five most trusted favorites.
Contents
- 1 Summary of Most Trusted Septic Safe Toilet Cleaners
- 2 Types of Toilet Cleaners
- 3 Why Does a Septic Safe Toilet Cleaner Matter?
- 4 How to Choose a Septic Safe Tank Cleaner
- 5 Detailed Analysis: Most Trusted Septic-Safe Toilet Cleaners
- 6 Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 7 Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 8 Eco-me Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 9 Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 10 Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena Liquid Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 11 Frequently Asked Questions:
Summary of Most Trusted Septic Safe Toilet Cleaners
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- It is USDA certified that's why you can use it with confidence that it won't harm the good bacteria inside your septic tank. Moreover, it is cruelty-free because the manufacturer didn't test it on animals. In fact, it is Leaping Bunny Organization certified. Its bottle's nozzles are elegantly curved to help you squeeze it out around your toilet bowl rim, where most stains usually hide.
- After applying it to your toilet bowl, you must allow it to sit for at least a few minutes before using your toilet brush to scrub it.
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- The thick gel sticks to your toilet bowl walls and getting rid of calcium deposits, rust, as well as grime. It just makes your toilet chores much easier! Additionally, it is plant-based and it's free of synthetic fragrances, petroleum solvents, sulfates, and dyes. All these stuffs contribute to it being safe for waterways and septic systems. Its packaging is also made from recyclable materials. It certainly suits its name!
- Furthermore, this septic safe toilet cleaner is incorporated with essential oils and other carefully selected ingredients to make it even more effective. Also, just in case you also need other types of cleaners, great news because Mrs. Meyer's Lavender Verbena Liquid also comes in laundry detergent, liquid hand soaps, as well as multi surface cleaners. If you love the scent of lavender this is for you!
Types of Toilet Cleaners
When it comes to toilet cleaners, no one size fits all. While some individuals may like a traditional combination of the toilet brush and toilet cleaner, some people may like the convenience of a toilet wand with a disposable cleaning head preloaded with cleaner.
There are also gels and tables that you can either attach inside the toilet bowl or go in the toilet tank to help keep your toilet clean in between deep cleanings.
Search for toilet cleaners specifically geared towards your toilet issue. With that said, here are the four most common types of toilet cleaners.
Tablet Toilet Cleaners
Tablet toilet cleaners are solid by nature and need no preparation other than simply dropping them into the toilet tank or bowl. The majority of pills are bromine or chlorine-based. These are potent compounds that work as both antiseptic and cleaner. Tablet toilet cleaners are also known as automatic toilet bowl cleaners or automatic toilet cleaners.
Gel Toilet Cleaners
Gel toilet cleaners are thick, viscous substances that can be applied to your toilet bowl rims. They soften stains and debris, making it easy to brush them away using a toilet brush. Normally, thick gels are pretty efficient when it comes to cleaning the toilet. They remain on the toilet bowl long enough to get rid of stains.
Spray Toilet Drain Cleaners
Spray toilet cleaners are usually aerosol or liquid. They are available in spray bottles, and all you need to do is spray it on the stained spot and clean using a piece of old cloth or a sponge. It is straightforward.
Squirt Bottle Toilet Cleaners
Squirt bottle cleaners come in bottles, making it easy to clean those hard-to-reach spots of your toilet bowl. Squirt bottles usually contain liquid and gel cleaners that are pretty efficient in eliminating stains from under your toilet rim.
Good Types that Are Safe for Septic Systems
Except for the toilet cleaners that we will discuss in this guide, most toilet drain cleaners are toxic, so we don’t suggest them for septic systems.
Instead, we highly recommend you to pour a bucket of hot water into your toilet bowl frequently.
Tip: The water shouldn’t be too hot or it might crack the toilet bowl.
Hot water can easily dissolve or wash away most mineral deposits and other debris down to the septic tank.
Overall, you can classify toilet cleaners as safe as long as they don’t contain bleach.
Vinegar can also act as an alternative.
What Is a Bad Type of Toilet Cleaner for Septic Tanks?
Toilet cleaners that contain bleach are bad as they kill beneficial bacteria. Clorox is a good example of a toilet cleaner that contains bleach.
Bleach can also deteriorate the rubber parts of your toilet tank, which can cause leaks.
Another bad type of toilet cleaner is the active ingredients in Lysol, called hydrochloric acid. Just like bleach, hydrochloric acid will kill all the beneficial bacteria inside your septic tank. In fact, it is stronger than bleach.
Why Does a Septic Safe Toilet Cleaner Matter?
Picking a trusted septic safe toilet cleaner has two primary benefits.
The first benefit will impact you personally, while the second benefit will affect the environment.
Most toilet cleaners contain chemicals like bleach. Sure, bleach is an excellent stain remover, but as we’ve mentioned above, once it gets inside your septic tank, it can eradicate the beneficial bacteria in there.
When there are not enough useful bacteria, waste that enters the septic tank won’t be broken down easily and could even clog drainpipes. If it’s not fixed in time, the waste can start clogging your toilet.
Another reason why septic-safe toilet cleaners matter is that they are environment-friendly. Septic tanks don’t have a way of treating or removing any chemicals present in the waste.
That’s why these chemicals flow out of the septic blended with the seeps and effluent down to the groundwater. The groundwater is connected to water bodies which support much aquatic life which could get affected by the chemicals.
How to Choose a Septic Safe Tank Cleaner
The truth is, you don’t have to be an expert to pick the most trusted septic safe toilet cleaner. You need to learn how to choose one. And with that said, here are some of the factors you need to consider before purchasing one.
Chemical Composition
Many toilet cleaners utilize chlorine bleach compounds in their formula to get rid of stains and eliminate pathogens. Chlorine is definitely a super-effective toilet tank cleaner. However, high concentrations of it can be harmful to you as well as the environment.
For instance, many individuals are allergic to chlorine. Prolonged exposure to it can cause skin irritation, nausea, and dizziness. Moreover, a small amount of chlorine bleach over your eyes can ruin your sight forever. Whenever you choose to use chlorine-based toilet cleaners, make sure to use protection such as goggles and gloves.
On the other hand, some toilet cleaners use caustic products like sodium hydroxide to eliminate stains and bacteria. Sodium hydroxide produces heat when dissolved in water. This reaction is deadly to any pathogen.
Safe for Septic Tanks
Ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and chlorine are great for disinfecting and removing stains. But they also have a drawback. They are not good for septic tanks since they also kill beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms.
In a septic system, bacteria and enzymes digest organic matter in water, which reduces frequent maintenance because there are fewer sediment deposits at the bottom of the septic tank.
Keep in mind that ammonia, sodium hydroxide, and chlorine pollute the soil in very high concentrations, so as much as possible, you should avoid them. A good alternative is toilet cleaners that contain baking soda as their primary active ingredient.
Aside from being an excellent cleaning agent, baking soda is perfect for eliminating bad pungent odors. You can also use citric acid as it is a powerful disinfectant and generally safe for the environment. However, you shouldn’t use it too much as you might kill a good portion of beneficial microorganisms.
Duration
This factor is another aspect you must consider. Some toilet cleaners can only be used once, which means after applying them, waiting for them to take effect on your toilet, and then they are gone after you flush your toilet. Even though you only use them once, but they are super effective.
Color
Colored toilet cleaners normally look good, but they are not always the best option. Colored toilet cleaners help you when applying them, but the chemicals used to color them can be harmful to your septic tank. Nowadays, you see toilet cleaners in various colors. Normally, the color matches the fragrance. Yellow, orange, red, purple, green, and blue are some of the most common colors.
Fragrance
If you’re sensitive to smell and don’t like pungent odors, make sure you choose toilet cleaners that have a weak scent. Some toilet cleaners have very concentrated odors,
Size
Normally, tablet toilet cleaners are not an issue because they fit very well in small and large toilet tanks. But it is not advisable to break them into fragments when putting them in your toilet tank since they dissolve quicker than normal.
Meanwhile, gel toilet cleaners can become an issue if the container is too large. There are instances in which the container can become an obstacle to the float ball inside the tank.
If your tank is too small, it is better to choose tablet toilet cleaners.
Detailed Analysis: Most Trusted Septic-Safe Toilet Cleaners
Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner
The Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner comes with a powerful cleaning formula that leaves your toilet bowl smelling fresh. It gets rids of even the trickiest stains, mineral deposits, hard water stains, and rust.
No products found. No products found.For those eco-friendly enthusiasts, this septic-safe toilet cleaner amalgamates naturally derived and plant-based ingredients, cleaning any dirt present in your toilet bowl effectively. Its packaging is crafted from post-consumer or recycled plastic. Its contents are also cruelty-free because they are not tested on animals.
Moreover, the Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner doesn’t contain bleach. This is good news because it doesn’t eliminate the good bacteria required for a balanced septic system. It also does not make harsh chemical residue or fumes while you are cleaning.
With its angled sprout, it can reach hard-to-get spots under the rim, cleaning them correctly. To wash off trickier hard water stains, you need to use a brush to scrub the stubborn spots.
If you need a powerful cleaning formula that smells fresh and doesn’t contain any bleach, then the Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner is for you!
Key Features
- Unit Count: 709 Milliliter
- Surface Recommendation: Toilet
- Brand: Green Works
- Special Ingredients: Bleach
- Item Form: Gel
- Bleach: None
- Contains: Blue and yellow colorant, natural thickener, fragrance with essential oil, lactic acid, citric acid, plant-based cleaning agent, and filtered water.
PROS
- It doesn’t contain bleach, which means it is safe to use for any septic system.
- Provides powerful cleaning that is done naturally.
- It is a strong gel formula that eliminates hard water stains, mineral deposits, and rust.
- It is cruelty-free because it was never tested on animals.
- Made from biodegradable cleaning ingredients that are mineral and plant based.
- Powerful cleaning but doesn’t emit any harsh chemical residue or fumes.
CONS
- Its green dye may cause light stains.
Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This septic safe toilet cleaner is made from a plant-based formula and will deal with all your toilet stains immediately. It doesn’t contain bleach or chlorine, dyes, synthetic fragrances, or even ammonia, making it safe for individuals on a septic system.
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The Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner is biodegradable upon entering the septic tank because it was manufactured from natural sources. It is certified by the USDA or United States Department of Agriculture. That’s why you can use it with confidence that it will neither harm the good bacteria or the environment in your septic tank.
It is also cruelty-free as the manufacturers didn’t test it on animals. In fact, it was certified by the Leaping Bunny Organization as cruelty-free.
Its bottle’s nozzles are beautifully curved to aid you to squirt it out around the toilet bowl rim where most stains normally hide. Once you squirt it, you should allow it to sit for a while before grabbing your brush to scrub away the stubborn stains.
A good partner to use with Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner is the Seventh Generation Toilet Paper. It’s a septic safe toilet paper that easily disintegrates to prevent clogging of the pipes.
The Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner is also a great option. Because aside from being one of the most trusted septic safe toilet cleaners, its formula is plant based and reasonably priced.
Key Features
- Scent: Emerald Cypress & Fir
- Special Features: Bio-based, Non-toxic, Anti-septic, Fume-free, and Gluten-free
- Surface Recommendation: Toilet
- Brand: Seventh Generation
- Item Form: Discrete Subunit
PROS
- Many users, including me like its scent.
- It is nontoxic, plant-based, and biodegradable.
- On normal stains, it cleans well and fast.
- It is USDA certified so rest assured your septic tank’s environment and good bacteria won’t get affected.
- It was certified by Leaping Bunny Organization, so it is cruelty-free. If you’re an animal lover, that’s good news!
CONS
- Can deal with mineral stains but not that much.
Eco-me Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This one is very effective in getting rid of mineral deposits, particularly calcium, hard water spots, rust, and stubborn stains. It doesn’t contain synthetic fragrance, no ammonia, and bleach, making it very septic-safe.
No products found. No products found.Aside from being septic-free, this septic safe toilet cleaner is also cruelty-free. You can utilize it with the confidence that the maker didn’t test it using any animal. The manufacturer employed many research techniques to come up with this natural plant-based cleaner without harming any animal in the process.
As a thick liquid, it sticks on the bowl greatly, and you don’t have to use a lot of it because it foams relatively easily. Simply squirt the soap on the bowl without forgetting under the rim and scrub it with a toilet brush.
It also has a herbal mint smell which I particularly like. It deodorizes the area leaving it smelling fresh compared to other chemical-rich cleaners out there. Just be careful because the gas might accumulate inside the bottle. Always face away when opening it, or be sure that the bottle cap is facing away from you.
From the name itself, you can immediately tell that the Eco-Me Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner is certainly one of the most trusted septic safe toilet cleaners out there!
Key Features
- Item Volume: 32 Fluid Ounces
- Scent: Herbal Mint
- Surface Recommendation: Floor, Toilet
- Brand: Eco-Me
- Item Form: Gel
PROS
- The Eco-Me Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner is septic and greywater safe.
- It doesn’t contain synthetic fragrance, bleach, or ammonia.
- You can effectively clean your toilet bowl without inhaling any harsh fumes, which is ideal if you have pets or kids.
- It is very effective when it comes to eliminating mineral deposits such as calcium.
- It is also powerful against stubborn stains, rust, as well as hard water spots.
CONS
- It would do even better if it was a bit more concentrated.
Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
If you are searching for something natural, then the Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner is another great option. It makes toilet cleaning easy to do and makes tough stains eliminated.
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Its thick gel sticks to your toilet walls, eliminating calcium deposits, rust, and grime. It also eliminates dirt buildup, which makes your home tasks much easier.
The Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner is plant-based. Moreover, it is free of synthetic fragrances, petroleum solvents, sulfates, and dyes. It is also safe for waterways and septic systems, making it an environment-friendly product.
Additionally, its ingredients are biodegradable, cruelty-free, and its packaging is crafted from recyclable materials.
This septic safe toilet cleaner will surely make your life better, especially your toilet cleaning chores.
Key Features
- Scent: Tea Tree Peppermint
- Surface Recommendation: Toilet
- Brand: Better Life
- Item Form: Gel
- Eco-Friendly
PROS
- It is Leaping Bunny certified because it was never tested on any animal, making it cruelty-free.
- It is crafted from ingredients that are gentle on the planet, so rest assured your children and pets are safe too.
- It is safe for both waterways and septic systems.
- It effectively eliminates grime, rust, as well as calcium deposits on your toilet walls.
- It doesn’t contain synthetic fragrances, petroleum solvents, sulfates, and dyes.
CONS
- Even though it is natural, you can still smell a little bit of chemical.
Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena Liquid Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This trusted septic safe toilet cleaner features effective cleaning agents while emitting a special, singular scent for your house. This lavender-scented septic safe toilet cleaner has an original and clean floral fragrance.
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Its plant-derived cleaning ingredients effectively deodorize and clean toilets without using chlorine, phthalates, or harsh mineral acids. Mrs. Meyer also incorporated essential oils as well as other carefully selected ingredients to make their formula effective.
The Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Verbena Liquid Toilet Bowl Cleaner is also available in other garden-inspired products and scents such as laundry detergent, liquid hand soaps, and multi-surface cleaners.
Do you want to get refreshed while doing some toilet cleaning chores? Then get this Mrs. Meyer’s toilet cleaner as it provides a lavender fragrance that will surely boost your mood while cleaning.
Key Features
- Surface Recommendation: Toilet
- Brand: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day
- Item Form: Liquid
- Smell: Lavender
PROS
- It is Leaping Bunny Certified, meaning it is cruelty-free and no animals were harm during its testing process.
- It is septic-safe and a biodegradable toilet cleaner.
- The ingredients were carefully selected with no harsh mineral acids, chlorine, or phthalates.
- It is plant-based and made with essential oils.
- It effectively removes stains and it’s a strong toilet cleaner formula that freshens.
CONS
- It is in liquid clear form, so it would be better if it has some kind of color so it is can easily be seen.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What toilet cleaner is safe for septic systems?
As long as the toilet cleaner doesn’t contain bleach or chlorine, ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and other harsh chemicals, a toilet cleaner is safe to use for a septic system. Alternatively, you can use vinegar as a toilet cleaner because it’s just mildly acidic.
Are toilet cleaning tablets safe for septic systems?
Yes, toilet cleaning tablets are safe for septic systems. But make sure that the toilet tablet cleaner you’re going to use doesn’t contain harsh chemicals or too concentrated as it can dissolve nuts, screws, plastic parts, and rubber seals in the tank.
What cleaning products are not safe for septic systems?
Cleaning products that contain bleach or chlorine, ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or other harsh chemicals are not safe for septic systems as they could kill the beneficial microorganisms necessary for the proper decomposition of waste.
Last update on 2022-10-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API