CHOICE reveals the best and worst toilet cleaners with the winner costing just $2.19

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The best and worst supermarket toilet cleaners – as plumber warns why you should NEVER use plain bleach

  • Australian consumer experts from CHOICE reveal best and worst toilet cleaners 
  • A $2.19 toilet cleaner from Aldi has been named the best on the market 
  • Judges rated the 21 toilet cleaners based on effectiveness and value for money
  • Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner ($2) performed no better than water 

By Cindy Tran for Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:


A $2.19 toilet cleaner has been named the best on the market after consumer experts put popular supermarket brands to the test.

Aldi Power Force Bright & Clean Oxy Thick Toilet Gel beat out stiff competition from big-name brands likes White King, Duck, Harpic and Bref to take out the top spot in the 2021 Choice’s toilet cleaner review.

The judges rated the 21 toilet cleaners based on effectiveness and value for money.

Aldi topped the ratings once again with 75 per cent while Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner ($2) and Harpic Platinum Pro-Shield ($2.50) languished at the bottom of the scale after experts found the two products performed no better than water.

Australian consumer experts from CHOICE have revealed the best and worst toilet cleaners

Choice’s toilet cleaner review 

1. Aldi Power Force Bright & Clean Oxy Thick Toilet Gel ($2.19): 75%

2. White King Toilet Gel with Added Stain Remover ($5): 75% 

3. Harpic Eco Fresh Biodegradable with Plant Based Vinegar ($5): 70%

4. Bref Active Gel De Luxe ($5): 65%

5. Bref Power Active Gel ($5): 65%

6. Bref Ultimate Gel White Active ($5): 65%

7. Aldi Power Force Bright & Clean Thick Bleach Toilet Gel ($2.19): 60%

8. Coles Ultra Bleach Toilet Gel ($2.30): 60%

9. Duck Foaming Bleach Gel ($5): 60%

10. Strike Bleach Toilet Gel ($2.30): 60%

11. Aldi Green Action Toilet Cleaner ($2.19): 55%

12. Aldi Power Force Power Gel Toilet Cleaner ($2.19): 55%

13. Coles Ultra Toilet Gel ($2.30): 55%

14. Duck Extra Power Toilet Shield ($3.20): 55%

15. Earth Choice Toilet Power Gel ($3.20): 55%

16. Ecostore Antibacterial toilet cleaner ($8.40): 55%

17. Harpic White & Shine 10x Actions ($3): 55%

18. Strike Toilet Cleaner Gel ($2.30): 55%

19. Harpic Platinum Pro-Shield ($2.30): 50%

20. Water Only: 50%

21. Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner ($2): 50%

Credit: Choice Australia 

Aldi topped the ratings once again with 75 per cent

White King Toilet Gel with Added Stain Remover ($5) also earned a creditable 75 per cent

Aldi topped the ratings once again with 75 per cent. White King Toilet Gel with Added Stain Remover ($5) also earned a creditable 75 per cent

Harpic Eco Fresh Biodegradable with Plant Based Vinegar ($5) came third with 70 per cent

Harpic Eco Fresh Biodegradable with Plant Based Vinegar ($5) came third with 70 per cent

White King Toilet Gel with Added Stain Remover ($5) also earned a creditable 75 per cent, followed by Harpic Eco Fresh Biodegradable with Plant Based Vinegar ($5) with 70 per cent.

The experts only recommended the top three out of the 21 products tested.

‘Anything that makes cleaning your toilet quicker and easier will be a welcome addition to any bathroom,’ the experts said. 

‘But toilet cleaners aren’t all created equal – the best ones can remove stubborn stains as well as particle matter, but the bad ones are no better than cleaning with plain water.’

At the bottom of the rankings, Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner ($2), Harpic Platinum Pro-Shield ($2.50) and plain water received the lowest score of 50 per cent.

The experts said there were 10 toilet cleaners that missed the mark, with products like Duck Extra Power Toilet Shield ($3.20), Harpic White & Shine 10x Actions ($3) and Ecostore Antibacterial toilet cleaner ($8.40) scoring just 55 per cent.

Harpic Platinum Pro-Shield ($2.30) and Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner ($2) received the same score as plain water with just 50 per cent.

The experts said there were up to 10 toilet cleaners that missed the mark during the test

The experts said there were up to 10 toilet cleaners that missed the mark during the test

Why you should never use plain bleach to clean your toilet 

An Australian plumber said plain bleach can damage the glazed finish if used over a long period of time.

‘We only recommend that the toilet is cleaned with a non chemical cleaner that will not damage the glazing on the porcelain like soapy water or a chemical-free cleaner,’ Brad from Mr Plumber told FEMAIL.

‘The same goes for plastic cisterns.’

Consumer expert Ashley Iredale said the experts put each toilet cleaner to the test by soiling white ceramic tiles with a NASA specification faecal test soil.

‘The tiles are allowed to dry, squirted with a measured dose of toilet cleaner and then scrubbed using a sponge mounted to a mechanical scrubbing apparatus, ensuring each tile receives exactly the same number of scrubs, at the same speed and pressure,’ he explained.

‘The reflectance of the tiles are measured before and after cleaning using a sensitive photospectrometer to determine how much soil is removed, informing our overall score.’

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