10 Best Toilet Bowl Cleaners, Ranked by Category
If you’re dealing with hard water, toilet bowl rings, or want to cut cleaning time, you need a good toilet bowl cleaner.
Cleaning a toilet is one of the least enjoyable household chores. By choosing a product that’s proven to work, you can make the process quick and efficient.
Here are the best toilet bowl cleaners ranked by category.
Best Toilet Bowl Cleaners
- Highest-Rated: Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
- Best Natural: Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
- Best Toilet Cleaning Stamp: Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel – Amazon and Homedepot
- Best Wand System: Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System – Amazon and Walmart
- Best Automatic: VacPlus Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tablets – Amazon, Walmart and Vacpluslab
- Best for Hard Water: Iron Out Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
- Best for Rings: Pumice Stone Toilet Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
- Best Foaming: Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel – Amazon and Target
Tips for Choosing the Best Toilet Bowl Cleaner for You
The type of toilet bowl cleaner best suited for you depends on the stains you deal with and how often you clean.
If you have hard water and your toilet’s prone to rings or rust, look for a product with a hard water formulation. On the other hand, if you don’t clean often, an automatic tablet is a better choice.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner Reviews
We’ve broken down the highest-rated toilet bowl cleaners by category so you can choose the best solution for your household.
Highest-Rated: Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner features a cling gel that makes coating the toilet easy. It’s gone viral on social media multiple times for how well it breaks down stubborn stains.
To use Lysol Power Bowl Cleaner, coat under the rim and water line, allowing the cling gel to sit for at least 30 seconds before scrubbing with your toilet bowl brush. If you want to disinfect, let the cleaner sit for 10 minutes before rinsing away.
You can use this toilet bowl cleaner to break down rust stains by applying the cling gel and allowing it to sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing.
Lysol Power Bowl Cleaner has a 5/5 star rating from over 52,000 reviewers. Many reviewers praise it for leaving the toilet sparkling clean.
Pros:
- Kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria
- Thick cling gel adheres to the toilet bowl
- Breaks down stubborn stains without much scrubbing
Cons:
- Slight chemical smell
Best Natural: Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner- Amazon and Walmart
Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner uses plant-derived ingredients for eco-friendly cleaning. It has a tea tree and peppermint scent that smells light and minty.
To use Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, coat underneath the rim and scrub with a toilet bowl brush. Allow the cleaner to sit for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing to break down stains.
The Better Life Toilet Bowl Cleaner has 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 7,500 users. While most reviewers claim this product works great on stains, others give it an “okay” rating.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly
- No harsh chemicals
- Capable of breaking down stains
Cons:
- It doesn’t kill germs or disinfect
Best Toilet Cleaning Stamp: Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel – Amazon and Homedepot
The Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel is a toilet cleaning stamp, ideal for keeping things fresh without frequent scrubbing. Each package comes with one stamper and 24 gel stamps for up to 40 weeks of cleaning.
To use Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel Stamp, load a gel cleaner into the stamper. Then, stamp the product underneath the toilet’s rim. Each time the toilet is flushed, the cleanser will activate, coating the toilet bowl.
Gel stamps are ideal for continuous cleaning without scrubbing. They’ll help repel limescale and toilet rings.
Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel Stamp is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by over 3,800 customers. Top reviewers rave about how fresh the stamp keeps their bathroom smelling. The few negative reviews state the stamp plunger doesn’t work well.
Pros:
- Prevent toilet rings and limescale buildup
- Cleans with every flush
- One stamp can last 12 days
Cons:
- The smell may be too intense for sensitive noses
Best Wand System: Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System – Amazon and Walmart
If you want to avoid a dripping toilet bowl brush, try the Clorox Toilet Wand Disposable Cleaning System. The wand comes with disposable pads that you can drop in the trash after each use.
Using the Clorox Toilet Wand is simple – click a cleaning sponge into place, wipe your toilet bowl, and then pop the sponge off to discard. Each cleaning sponge comes preloaded with Clorox cleaner to break down stains and disinfect.
The Clorox Toilet Wand system is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by over 46,000 reviewers. Top reviewers love that this system is more hygienic than a standard toilet brush. Most negative reviewers have had bad experiences with the wand breaking.
Pros:
- More sanitary than a typical toilet bowl brush
- Cleans and disinfects a toilet
- Disposable sponges have preloaded Clorox cleaner
Cons:
- Must keep a stock of disposable sponges
- Some complaints of the sponges snapping off the wand
Best Automatic: Clorox Ultra Clean Bleach and Blue Tablets – Amazon, Walmart and Vacpluslab
Clorox Ultra Clean Bleach and Blue Tablets are ideal for anyone wanting to repel toilet stains and prolong the time between cleanings.
To use these tabs, drop one in your toilet tank. The cleaner will release with every flush. One tablet lasts four months, depending on how often you use the toilet. When the toilet water no longer looks blue, it’s time to add a new tab.
While these tablets will help prevent stains from forming, you’ll still need to scrub with your toilet bowl brush at least once per week.
The Clorox Ultra Clean Bleach and Blue Tablets have 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 36,000 reviewers. Top reviews claim these tablets help reduce scrubbing and keep the bathroom smelling clean. Some complain that these tabs leave a thin residue on the toilet that you must scrub off.
Pros:
- Reduces stain buildup and water rings
- One tablet last for four months
- It kills 99.9% of bacteria
Cons:
- It may leave a blue residue on the toilet bowl
Best for Hard Water: Iron Out Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
If you have hard water and experience rust in your toilet, Iron Out Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner is a good choice.
Before using the automatic tablets, you’ll need to use Iron Out toilet bowl powder or spray to clean the rust from your toilet. Then, place one of the tablets in your toilet’s tank. With each flush, some of the solution will release into your toilet bowl, repelling rust and hard water buildup.
Each tablet lasts up to 45 days.
Iron Out Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner is rated 4 out of 5 stars by over 12,000 users. Top reviews state that these tablets have eliminated rust and iron in their toilets. But, many negative reviewers complained of no effect.
Pros:
- Eliminate stains caused by hard water
- Long-lasting automatic tablets
- It helps prevent toilet rings
Cons:
- Must use Iron Out spray or powder first
Best for Rings: Pumice Stone Toilet Cleaner – Amazon and Walmart
For stubborn toilet rings, try the Pumice Stone Toilet Cleaner. You can use this product to scrub off stains and rings before selecting a cleaning solution.
If you have a stubborn ring and other products didn’t work to eliminate it, a pumice stone is your best. To use this, wipe it on stains and toilet rings. Then, rinse the stone and toilet afterward.
The long wand on this toilet pumice stone makes for easy reaching, and it won’t scratch your toilet bowl.
The Pumice Stone Toilet Cleaner is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 2,000 past customers. Top reviewers are amazed that this product got rid of their toilet ring. There are some complaints about the handle breaking, though.
Pros:
- Eliminate toilet bowl rings
- Cleans without harsh chemicals
- It comes in a two pack
Cons:
- The handle may break if you push too hard
Best Foaming: Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel – Amazon and Target
Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a foamy clean. It goes on as a gel and begins to foam as you scrub.
The Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel has a long neck, making it easy to squirt underneath the toilet rim. To use it, squirt gel underneath the edge, coating the toilet bowl. Then scrub with your toilet bowl brush and flush to rinse.
Leave the product on stains for several minutes before scrubbing it off.
Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel has a 4.5 out of 5-star rating from more than 100 reviewers. A top review states that this product leaves the toilet cleaner than other products. One negative reviewer believes the smell is too strong.
Pros:
- Foams while it cleans
- The long neck makes it easy to reach under the rim
- Works well as a cleaner before using the Scrubbing Bubbles stamp
Cons:
- The smell may be overwhelming to some
Top Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaners
If you’re looking for the best homemade toilet bowl cleaner, try one of these.
Natural Vinegar and Baking Soda Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Combine baking soda and vinegar for an all-natural clean that will break down tough stains. Here’s how:
- Add 1 TBS of baking soda to the toilet bowl spreading it around the walls and bottom of the bowl
- Dump 2 cups of white distilled vinegar in the toilet
- Allow the mixture to fizz, and then use your toilet bowl brush to scrub
- Rinse afterward
Important tip: Never use vinegar-based toilet bowl cleaners with bleach products. When combined, vinegar and bleach create toxic chlorine gas. If you have an automatic bleach tablet in your toilet tank, using vinegar is a big no.
Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach
Bleach is a good toilet bowl cleaner because of its ability to kill germs. It’s a go-to if there’s an illness like the stomach flu going around the home. If you have a gallon of bleach on hand, you can use it instead of a store-bought toilet bowl cleaner.
- Pour ½ cup of bleach into the toilet bowl, coating the bottom and sides
- Allow it to sit for ten minutes
- Scrub with a brush
- Flush the toilet to rinse
Tips for Keeping Your Toilet Cleaner
The best toilet bowl cleaner depends upon your household and the type of water you have. Here are some tips for keeping the toilet clean:
- Scrub the bowl with your toilet bowl brush at least once per week and wipe down the seat, rim, lid, and base.
- Use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner to cut down on scrubbing.
- Get rid of stubborn water rings with a pumice stone and clean the toilet on a regular basis to prevent reformation.
- If you feel like your toilet brush is unsanitary, try a product with a disposable wand.