From all the chores around the home, cleaning the bathroom is undeniably the most daunting. Even more so when you’re constantly fighting mold and slimy orange stuff growing on your sink, tiles, and in the toilet bowl. Since toilet bowl cleaner can remove these nasty germs, you may wonder if you could use the same product on your other fixtures, too.
You should never use toilet bowl cleaner to clean the sink or any other fixture. The product is toxic and harsher than all-purpose bathroom cleaners; thus, it could damage the surface of fixtures made of acrylic, fiberglass, or materials other than porcelain.
Main Topics
What is a Toilet Bowl Cleaner?
As its name suggests, a toilet bowl cleaner is a chemical solution designed for cleaning the toilet bowl. Toilet cleaners are different from general-purpose bathroom cleaners and should only be used for their intended purpose. The harsher chemicals (including acids) can damage other surfaces – especially if they are not porcelain or ceramic. Moreover, most toilet bowl cleaners are toxic, whereas most modern general-purpose bathroom cleaners are eco-friendly.
Ingredients Used in Toilet Bowl Cleaner
We mentioned toilet cleaners are toxic and harsh, but you may not understand how aggressive they are until you know what goes into each bottle. Here are a few nasty things that should touch no other surface in your bathroom.
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
Also known as muriatic acid, HCl is added to toilet bowl cleaners to dissolve scale and scum build-ups. It works wonderfully for this purpose, but this is a very aggressive acid that can corrode human tissue and cause irreversible damage when it gets in contact with your skin or eyes.
Not only should you always wear rubber gloves when handling products containing muriatic acid, but you should also know that the fumes it produces are equally toxic and could damage your airways and lungs.
In addition to the harmful effects on your health, this substance can also corrode metals, varnishes, and acrylic or fiberglass finishes, among others. Thus, it should never go on any other surfaces in your bathroom.
Benzenesulfonic Acid
Benzenesulfonic acid sometimes replaces hydrochloric acid in liquid toilet cleaners. This compound isn’t as toxic as muriatic acid, but it can still damage surfaces that are not made of ceramic. Moreover, it can also cause respiratory problems and skin lesions. That’s why you should always wear gloves, goggles, and a face mask with a respirator when cleaning the toilet.
Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach)
A popular whitening agent, bleach is often used in those toilet cleaners that don’t contain acids and ammonia. Concentrated sodium hypochlorite is an excellent choice for disinfecting the toilet bowl. You can also use it to remove stains, especially mold and orange bacteria traces.
You may now argue that general-purpose bathroom cleaners also contain bleach, and this is true. However, the main difference between toilet gels and general-purpose cleaners is that the latter use diluted bleach rather than concentrated formulas.
At too high a concentration, bleach can stain rather than clean your surfaces. Some materials may also be sensitive to its action and turn a yellowish shade upon use. Thus, you should always use diluted bleach to clean surfaces other than your toilet and test the product on a small patch to see how the material reacts.
Like the acids above, bleach fumes can irritate your eyes and airways. Furthermore, concentrated bleach can burn your skin and eyes.
Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
NaOH is another substance commonly found in toilet cleaners. The compound can decompose proteins and lipids, killing the germs living inside the toilet bowl. Its action is mostly antibacterial, although sodium hydroxide also removes some stains.
Its fumes can irritate your eyes and throat. If inhaled for too long, it can cause respiratory problems and lung damage. When it comes in contact with the skin, the substance can also cause injuries. Sodium hydroxide also causes irreversible eye damage.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Also called sodium lauryl ether sulfate or SLES, this soap-like substance is widely used in toilet cleaners to remove stubborn stains. The acid can get rid of scum and scale, while it can also reduce the surface tension of water.
On the downside, this substance is highly irritating and can cause damage to the eyes and skin. It can also damage other surfaces, especially those that are coated with varnishes.
Can I Use Toilet Bowl Cleaner In Sink?
Using toilet bowl cleaner in your sink, shower, or tub is always a bad idea. While it may not damage the surface if you dilute it first, there are plenty of reasons to choose a different product. Check them out below.
It Can Attack the Chrome Plating
All acids in the toilet bowl cleaners can damage varnishes and finishes, including the chrome plating on the sink’s flange and faucet. Even if the flange and faucet are made of stainless steel, the corrosive agents will still leave unsightly stains behind. While you could minimize the damage by diluting the cleaner, it is safer and easier to use a general-purpose cleaner instead.
It Can Damage the Sink’s Finish
Toilet bowl cleaners generally pair well with porcelain or ceramic fixtures – the same material your toilet is made of – but they aren’t friendly with other materials. While some acids don’t corrode plastics, others do. Moreover, the chemical cocktail in the cleaner can enhance the corrosive action of the product.
Fiberglass and acrylic sinks are the most susceptible to damage, but tempered glass could also suffer the harsh action.
It Could Damage Your Drain Pipes
Nowadays, most sink drains are made of PVC or other plastic materials, and the acid in the toilet cleaner could corrode through them. If you don’t like floods, keep the toilet cleaner away from the other fixtures in your home.
It Is Harmful to Your Health
Lastly, but most importantly, toilet cleaner is very toxic. Sure, there is no issue if you don’t flush down all traces of product from your toilet bowl; after all, you’re not going to touch it with your bare hands. However, you will touch your sink, shower, or tub.
Any traces left behind on these surfaces can end on your skin. From your hands, the product could end up in your eyes, or you could ingest it – and this is true for your kids, too. Thus, you should only use the toilet cleaner to clean the toilet bowl and nothing else.
7 Alternatives to Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Toilet bowl cleaner isn’t a good solution for your bathroom sink, but there are plenty of other products you can use. Check them out below.
1. General-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner
This type of cleaner contains many chemicals, but it’s designed to clean most surfaces in your bathroom – including the delicate ones. Most general-purpose cleaners come in spray bottles and don’t require diluting. You can apply the cleaner, let it soak the sink for a few minutes, and scrub with a brush or sponge. Rinse with clean water, and you’re done.
2. Soapy Water
If you don’t have a general-purpose bathroom cleaner at hand, you can clean your porcelain or copper bathroom sink with soapy water. Use a neutral soap, as copper only handles a neutral pH. You could either dissolve soap scales in water or pour some liquid soap into a bucket. Scrub the sink with a soft brush or sponge and rinse.
3. White Vinegar
Ceramic is a durable material that isn’t susceptible to acids; thus, if you have a ceramic sink, you can clean it with white vinegar. You don’t have to dilute the product – simply soak a cloth in vinegar and wipe your sink clean.
4. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a sort of miracle cleaning agent, among others. When it comes to bathroom sinks, you can use them to remove stains from a lot of materials, including copper, ceramic, and granite. You can also use it to scrub mineral deposits off your faucets and to unclog the drain pipe when combined with a few tablespoons of white vinegar.
5. Rubbing Alcohol
Like baking soda, rubbing alcohol is a sort of miracle cleaning agent that can disinfect and make your surfaces shine. You can use it on porcelain, copper, ceramic, glass, as well as chrome plating and stainless steel fixtures.
6. Dishwashing Liquid
If you have a stone sink, clean it with dishwashing liquid – either diluted in water or poured directly onto the surface. Scrub with a soft brush and rinse with plenty of water. If you have to deal with a lot of soap scums and nasty stains, try removing them with flour mixed with a few drops of peroxide.
7. Window Cleaner
Window cleaner works wonders on glass sinks and mirrors; however, don’t use this product on fiberglass or acrylic because it could attack the finish. On a glass sink, use the cleaner as you would use it on your windows, and rinse when you’re done.
Related Questions
It should be clear by now why you should never use toilet bowl cleaner in your sink. Still, if you have further questions, check out the answers below.
Can bleach damage a sink?
It depends on the finish of your sink. Bleach will unlikely damage a ceramic or porcelain bowl, but it can stain acrylic or fiberglass. Moreover, bleach could also react with other stuff in your drain and create toxic fumes that could be life-threatening.
Can you use toilet cleaner in the shower?
No, you should never use toilet cleaner in the shower for the same reasons you shouldn’t use it in the sink. You should only use it to clean the toilet bowl.
Conclusion
Using toilet bowl cleaner in the sink is never a good idea. The harsh chemicals could react with the surface and with grime and debris in the drain. Acids in the cleaner could corrode the drain pipes, whereas bleach could create toxic fumes. Instead of using toilet cleaner, keep your bathroom clean and shiny with one of the alternative methods above.
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