A popular TikTok video promises your bathroom will smell like clean laundry every time you flush the toilet if you pour a cup of fabric softener into the toilet tank. However, like many social media hacks, this one is too good to be true, and plumbing experts warn that you'll actually be ruining your septic system.
You might be wondering why anyone would put fabric softener in the toilet tank. Well, there is a good reason behind it. Downy not only softens your clothes but also works wonders when it comes to keeping your toilet smelling fresh.
First and foremost, fabric softeners are not designed for use in toilet tanks. These products contain chemicals and surfactants specifically formulated for laundry purposes, which means they may not be safe or suitable for your plumbing system.
What I recommend, that works well is distilled white vinegar. As far as your toilet to keep it clean inside the bowl. Use 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and poor inside your toilet tank, also pour half of that cup in to the overflow, which is the small, round pipe that stands up in the middle of the tank .
According to Abrams, an ordinary bar of soap placed inside a mask, a net, or any other porous material should be a perfectly safe way to keep a toilet bowl clean when you flush it. But there are a few caveats to consider.
You can add some freshness to your toilet tank by pouring half a cup of detergent or fabric softener. Whenever the toilet is flushed, the scented water will be released into the bowl and provide a touch of fragrance. There are also specific toilet bowl disks and cleaners you can add if you want an alternative.
The quats in fabric softener are particularly troublesome for your septic system. They are not only antibacterial, enabling them to kill off the good bacteria in your system's tank, but they also contain nitrogen.
'While I'd advise not to put fabric softener on towels regularly because it can decrease the absorbency, I wouldn't rule it out completely,' says Lucy Ackroyd. 'Once in a while – maybe every four or five washes – add a small amount of fabric softener in with the towels. '
One of the main problems with fabric softeners is that they can easily clog drains. The chemicals in fabric softeners coat the inside of your pipes, which eventually leads to a build-up of gunk and grime. Over time, this build-up will get so bad that it will completely block your drain, causing severe plumbing issues.
OxiClean™ Bathroom Cleaner can help you thoroughly clean both the toilet bowl and around the base in an effort to keep scum buildup at bay.
Sally Phillips explained: “My son and daughter-in-law both get the same in their houses and they both use dishwasher tablets down the toilet overnight and they say it works so well.” Diane Marsh suggested: “Dishwasher tablets are the best thing you can use to remove limescale from toilets as it dissolves it all.”
Baking soda is an extremely versatile, everyday ingredient
If you place a cup of baking soda on a shelf or on top of the flush tank, you will slowly notice how it neutralises the bathroom smell. This lasts for a month, post which you will have to refill it.
Instead of vehicle air fresheners — which might irritate your allergies — store an open bar of soap in the car. Choose a soap with a mild fragrance from essential oils, such as lavender. If the fresh soap smell fades, grate the side of the soap with your keys.
It's pretty simple — just like they do on food particles that are stuck to your dishes in the sink, the combination of hot water and dish soap help to dissolve and break up whatever it may be that is lodged in the toilet, causing a clog. This handy tip is great should you find yourself in a pinch.
It won't damage your toilet or the septic system. Fans have praised the idea and have used the hack on their own toilets, while critics argue that the detergent will clog, and even damage pipes before long.
Then, turn the bottle on its back and make two small punctures on the bottom-front portion. Then, remove the top of the toilet tank, and place the bottle in its upright corner. Put the lid on the tank and voila! You're done! The way it works is that the Fabuloso slowly seeps into the toilet's water.
In general, plumbers caution against the use of any chemicals inside a toilet tank and suggest instead using bowl-based toilet cleaners. Adding anything but water to a toilet tank could result in potentially costly repairs, Abrams says.