When shopping for toilet bowl cleaner, opt for products made with lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate, or hydrogen peroxide over those made with bleach and hydrochloric acid. Our favorite toilet bowl cleaners are certified by EWG, EPA Safer Choice, and Leaping Bunny or PETA.

Ingredients

Bleach

Bleach is the generic name of any chemical product that is used to remove color or stains. More specifically, it’s usually made up of chemicals like chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, or hydrogen peroxide. Bleach-based cleaners are super popular for their ability to disinfect and kill viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

A life-cycle assessment (LCA) assessed various cleaners, including household detergent products, to identify the most relevant environmental hotspots. When it came to bleach-based toilet cleaner, the driving factors in environmental impact were ingredient type, plastic packaging, and transportation to the retailer. This means that for these types of cleaners, we must keep in mind what they’re made of, the packaging they come in, and how they’re manufactured. 

97% of all impacts on natural land transformation could be attributed to ingredient sourcing for bleach-based cleaners, mainly due to the need to source palm or coconut resources that could be used as surfactants (aka a substance added to the liquid that increases its spreading or foaming capability). Packaging, in particular polyethylene plastics, contributed over half the impact shown on fossil fuel depletion, while transportation to the retailer was responsible for impact categories like ozone depletion, particulate matter formation, and terrestrial acidification – i.e.,  changing the chemical properties of soil.

While not part of the study, it’s worth mentioning that bleach cleaners are corrosive, meaning they can inflame parts of the body through contact or inhalation. They have a particularly irritating effect on sensitive tissue like our eyes, throat, and airways, so ventilation - and careful use - is key when using this type of product. Bleach-based cleaners are especially toxic to humans if accidentally mixed or mingled with other cleaners, like acid-based ones, since the combination of bleach and acid can release lethal gasses. No, thank you. 

Hydrochloric Acid

Most acid-based toilet cleaners contain hydrochloric acid (HCl). These types of cleaners are popular for breaking down rust and stains. HCl is super strong and concentrated, so while it’s found in common household cleaners, it’s also common in labs where scientists are using gloves and eye protection under a ventilation hood. Always proceed with caution!

In the same LCA, acid-based toilet cleaners stacked up similarly to bleach cleaners in that ingredient type, packaging, and transport were the main drivers of impact. While sourcing ingredients for acid cleaners also significantly impacted water and ozone depletion, natural land transformation made up the lion's share of impact. Polyethylene packaging for acid cleaners influenced agricultural land occupation and freshwater eutrophication - excessive growth of aquatic plants of algal blooms. Transportation to the retailer differed in impact from bleach cleaners in that the most impacted categories were photochemical oxidation (which is air pollution formed by sunlight’s interaction with fossil fuel emissions), particulate matter formation, and urban land occupation. 

Natural Lactic Acid

We love toilet bowl cleaners made with natural lactic acid, which is an organic antimicrobial that is effective against bacteria, often without the use of added surfactants.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is also a great ingredient for toilet bowl cleaners. It’s an organic compound occurring naturally in citrus fruits that can remove rust and kill bacteria and fungi.

Acetic Acid and Sodium Bicarbonate

Acetic acid can be found in distilled white vinegar. It’s more of a gentle grime lifter than a powerful disinfectant, but mix it with the sodium bicarbonate in your baking soda and you have a fizzy mixture ready for cleaning, without the harsh chemicals.

‍Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide can be diluted with water and lemon juice, or a citrus-y oil extract for a DIY disinfectant. While there’s still plastic packaging involved, they likely already exist and serve multiple purposes in your home, which means we don’t need to introduce additional packaging or trips to the store. 

Fun fact

Sales for the toilet care market are expected to grow another $1.89 billion USD by 2025, with a key driver of growth being the emergence of eco-friendly marketed options.

Certifications

Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.

‍