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Toilet Duck Cleaner
by paulshorse
Cleaning the toilet is one of those household tasks which is not particularly pleasant but is a necessity. Gone are the days when you had to pull on a pair of 'Marigolds' and get stuck in with a sponge and scrubbing brush. Now there are all kinds of blocks and gels to keep the bowl sparkling clean (or so they claim). Under the rim, ... though, can still be a harbinger of germs and other things of an unpleasant nature, and getting that part of the bowl clean can still require some dexterity. This is where Toilet Duck is so useful.
Containers of bleach come in all shapes and sizes, the majority of which need to be tipped upside down to get the bleach out. This, as I'm sure you are aware, makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to use it to clean under the toilet rim. Toilet Duck, however, has an ingeniously-shaped neck to the container which deposits the bleach exactly where you want it, making cleaning the toilet both easy and effective.
Toilet Duck is made by the SC Johnson company who have been in business since 1886. It was originally a parquet flooring company and the owners soon realized that they needed to manufacture a wax for the flooring, and so started the process of producing cleaning products. The reason that Toilet Duck is so-called is because of the neck of the container which does bear a remarkable, if simplified, resemblance to the neck and head of a duck.
It comes in just one size ( 750ml) but there are three 'fragrances' to choose from - Marine, Citrus and Pine Fresh. We only have Marine in the house at the moment, so this is the one that I'm reviewing. The container is mainly blue and white with a yellow 'beak' - the latest design shows a picture of blue swirling and bubbling water upon which is superimposed an image of a white duck with its head at a very unusual angle.
The label tells you that it kills 99.99% of germs, removes limescale, freshens and also cleans above and below the waterline. On the back it explains that the neck of the container is unique and that 'better reach = better cleaning' (a rather obvious statement).
It's quite easy to use the toilet cleaner:-
Lift the toilet seat
Squeeze both pads on the bottle cap and unscrew
Tip the bottle to fill the neck with liquid
Direct the Duck liquid under the rim and squeeze evenly around the bowl
Brush above and below the waterline and flush
It does recommend that you leave it for 60 minutes before flushing - we do this and no harm has come to the toilet. Also you are advised to use it at least 3 times a week to keep the toilet clean, fresh and free from limescale.
Toilet Duck contains lactic acid (2.02g/100g) as well as anionic and non-anionic surfactants, disinfectant and perfume, so it does need to be used with care (wash hands after use, don't let it get in contact with your eyes and don't swallow the liquid).
I find that it's very simple to use - you just squeeze the container and 'swoosh' it round under the toilet rim and the toilet bowl. The liquid's quite thick and covers the porcelain well. I leave it an hour (sometimes longer) - the bowl's still covered with the Toilet Duck even after that length of time - and then a quick brush and flush and the job's done. We do get a lot of limescale because of our water, and I find that Toilet Duck doesn't prevent it all building up (I still have to use a proprietary limescale remover) but it does cut it down a lot.
The downside is the smell. I would advise you to leave a window open because it can be very overpowering. Even with the so-called perfume there is a very strong smell of bleach/ammonia - I have to close the toilet doors otherwise the smell gives me a headache (I must admit, though, that the citrus Toilet Duck is not quite as unpleasant as the marine one). However, it does leave the bowl and under the rim very clean, so there's no doubt about its effectiveness.
A bottle of Toilet Duck usually costs around £1.40 but Tescos have it on offer at the moment for £1.00, so it's worth stocking up at that price.
I'd definitely recommend using Toilet Duck because of the ease of use and its effectiveness in cleaning the toilet (and you save on Marigolds)
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Mr Muscle Dual Force Foamer
by Larrabee
My bathroom sink had been getting slower and slower to drain over the last few weeks, and like most people I just ignored it at first. However by chance I spotted a bottle of this Mr Muscles foaming product in my corner shop and grabbed it on impulse.
Its quite expensive, I paid over £3, especially considering that each ... bottle can only be used once, however I did buy it at a convenience store so I imagine its possible to get it much cheaper at other places, maybe even Wilkinsons or Pound Stretcher type places. Even at the higher price though its reasonably good value for money thanks to how effective a job it does.
The bottle has two 'compartments', with two separate ingredients. One side has a liquid and one side a gel and the idea is that they mix together as they are being poured down the plug or drain and react with each other to create a foam. This sort of happens, but due to the different consistency of the two parts the mixing actually happens in the pipe rather than as they are poured. The liquid bit is empty before the gel has even started to make its way slowly out!
Once the whole bottle has been emptied down the drain and its turned to foam, you leave it for an hour or so then run hot water down the plug to clear it out. I wasn't expecting miracles, but was pleasantly surprised. The plug and the drain actually looked visibly cleaner and shinier, and the problem was completely solved. As soon as I started running the hot water it was draining perfectly and quickly. Mr Muscle did what he promised! Its probably been about a week since I used the product and the sink is still draining like a dream.
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Ambi Pur 3volution
by Chippytarka
Loved the idea when I first saw this product of the triple fragrance idea. I used to buy plug ins over the years but stopped, because after the first inital hit, I never thought the fragrance was strong enough for me. This idea I thought might hit the spot.
This refill comes in many different fragrance. So far I have ... used the vanilla bouquet and also exotic fruity fusion. So regardless of what your own taste of smell is, there should be something for everyone.
Its easy to use, as long as you have the unit, you take the refill and unscrew the three tops on it and push it in. Yo have a sliding switch on the slide that allows you to adjust the strength of the fragrance.
My experince of the fragrances are they are lovely. The first time I used it I felt the fragrance was quite strong and circled through my hallway beautifully. The second refill I bought it was no where near as strong and too sutle, despite it being placed in the same unit, adjusted to the same strength, was placed in the same area of the house ( a small narrow and short hallway ) and was the same fragrance.I found this very disappointing. I thought maybe this was a bad refill so I contacted the company and they were lovely, as they sent me vouchers to buy replacements. So very good customer services. The fruity fusion isthe next one Iused and found the smell to be quite soft despite being on full strength, but was still very pleasant.
On the plus side the fragrances that I have used have smelt exactly as their title would suggest, so not much thought needed for that. On the negative side, it seems crazy that sometimes its more cost effective to buy a new plug in with refill than just the refill itself ( depends on what offeres are on at the time ). The refills for what they are are far too expensive, and because they need to be plugged in, I think the makers should clearly state how much electricity to requires to run it, as electricity these days is so expensive. Also find it concerning all the warnings on the back of the product eg avoid contact with skin, avoid contact with eyes. So thinking aloud how good is this stuff to breathe in?
I will use the last few refills I have so not to waste, but will be finding alternative.
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