In addition to using Fabuloso to clean hard non-porous surfaces such as toilets, putting it inside toilet tanks has now become a trend due to viral videos showing this hack because everyone likes to use a clean toilet that smells good for hours. We’ll be examining if you should do it, how to do it, and the effects.
Can You Put Fabuloso in Your Toilet Tank?
Fabuloso is a multi-purpose cleaner and good for cleaning your toilet bowl and toilet tanks as it can remove hard water stains and build-up of limescale from inside the tank.
Using it to clean your toilet tank once in a while will remove stains and eliminate any odors originating from the toilet tank, but letting Fabuloso sit in there for an extended period may cause damage.
This popular multi-purpose cleaner is perfect for cleaning your toilets and leaving behind a wonderful fragrance that will definitely mask any nasty smells.
Fabuloso in Your Toilet Tank (4 Reasons Why it’s a Bad Idea!)
1- Water Displacement
Depending on the size of the Fabuloso bottle you put into the tank, the water there will be greatly displaced. This means you will have less water to flush.
Federal law states that toilets manufactured in the US should not use more than 1.6 gallons per flush. Depending on the size of the Fabuloso bottle you use, it may be reduced to 1.3 or less.
If you use one of the newer models of toilets that only use 1.28 gallons per flush, you will end up with lesser water. This means the toilet flush will be too weak and won’t move the waste well. You may then need to flush a few times to get rid of any mess in the toilet bowl or use a bucket to flush.
2- Damage
Fabuloso contains chemicals that may be harmful to your toilet tank in the long run. Toilet tanks contain rubber and plastic parts like gaskets and seals that can weaken or corrode over time if exposed to harsh chemicals. (Source)
This may not happen immediately but the longer these parts are exposed to Fabuloso or other cleaners, the weaker they become. You may not notice any damage until months or a year later. So the toilet tank’s life expectancy is greatly reduced even if you don’t notice instant damages.
3- Costly Repairs
Buying the necessary parts after getting damaged by the use of Fabuloso will cost you money and a great deal of time trying to fix them. Also, It’s not a simple task, because when these parts get damaged, leaks are likely to occur.
If you’ll be employing a plumber, it will cost you more.
4- Not Pet-friendly
If you don’t close your toilet lids, and you have pets, some of them may drink from the bowl once in a while. Nasty, but it’s not unheard of.
Ingesting Fabuloso can harm your pet because it contains chemicals and if not treated immediately, it can lead to severe injuries. Although Fabuloso is safe to use around dogs and cats, if they drink it, you might need to take your pet to a vet.
2 Reasons Why People Still Put Fabuloso in Toilet Tanks!
1- It Eradicates Odor
Putting Fabuloso in your toilet tank means your bathroom will always have a nice smell especially if choose Fabuloso with a strong scent like lavender. The scent intensifies every time you flush so you don’t have to deal with odors. This means you no longer need air fresheners in the toilet, which is cost-effective.
You may choose to change the fragrances every time your bottle gets finished.
2- Less Time Cleaning
Putting Fabuloso in your toilet tank means your toilet bowl gets cleaned every time you flush. There’s less chance of grime buildup or hard water deposits in your bowl if you use this hack. This reduces how often you need to clean your toilet and also means you spend less time cleaning.
How to Use Fabuloso in Your Toilet Tank?
YOU’LL NEED
Fabuloso
Gloves
New toilet brush
Old toothbrush
Goggles – cleaning the tank can cause some water to splash around therefore it is better to wear protective goggles.
Before putting Fabuloso in your toilet tank, you first need to clean it.
STEPS
STEP 1- Turn off the water by turning the valve near the toilet. . You will need to drain the water before cleaning and if you don’t turn off the water first, it will start refilling once you drain, and this will disturb your cleaning.
Then remove the lid. The toilet tank lid is fragile and can break or have cracks when it falls so you should be careful with it. Place it somewhere safe until you are done with the tank.
STEP 2- Flush the toilet. You don’t need a great deal of water to clean your tank. The filled tank is just going to make cleaning a mess. It’s not going to drain completely, but it’s alright since you need some water anyways to clean it.
STEP 3- Pour about 1/4 cup of Fabuloso or less into the toilet tank. Use a brush to scrub the bottom of the tank. You can remove the flapper if it’s not allowing you much room in the tank.
Use an old toothbrush to scrub hard-to-reach places at the bottom of your tank. You can also poke holes in your Fabuloso lid and spray hard-to-reach places around the top of your toilet tank and scrub with a brush.
STEP 4- Replace the flapper, turn the water on, and flush the toilet. The grime and all the dirt you have washed will flush down the toilet. You may flush two or three times before all the gunk is completely flushed and the toilet tank is thoroughly rinsed.
You can clean your toilet tank once a month to prevent excessive build-up of limescale, minerals, and grime.
STEP 5- Now that you are done cleaning, you can put your Fabuloso into the toilet tank. Get a small bottle of Fabuloso and drill a very tiny hole at the side of the bottle, close to the bottom. A big bottle will take up too much space and affect the water per flush.
If you do not have a small bottle of your preferred Fabuloso, take a small empty mineral water bottle and fill it with Fabuloso.
STEP 6- Place the Fabuloso bottle into the tank and just leave it there. The solution will drip slowly into the tank and this will clean your toilet bowl every time you flush. Many people prefer the antibacterial variant of the Fabuloso cleaner because it will kill germs and bacteria in the toilet. Your toilet will also smell good always, especially when you flush.
If you do not want to leave a bottle of Fabuloso in the tank, do the following:
1- Measure about 8oz of Fabuloso and pour it into the tank.
2- This will slowly dilute in the water and every time you flush, it will end up cleaning your toilet bowl as well.
This is a better alternative than leaving a bottle of Fabuloso in your tank, as it will affect the flushing power.
How Long Does the Smell Last?
If you cleaned your toilet tank with Fabuloso only, without placing the bottle in the tank, the fragrance can last anywhere between 8-12 hours. It may in some cases last up to 24 hours but it depends on the ventilation in your toilet and how big the place is.
If you put Fabuloso in your toilet tank after washing, the smell will last until the Fabuloso finishes. But it may not be very strong until you flush. After the Fabuloso finishes, your toilet may still smell Fabulous for a whole day.
Fabuloso’s manufacturers state that the areas you clean with Fabuloso smell fresh for up to 24 hours. This is if it is used and diluted as per instructions. If you use it as a concentrate, the smell is expected to last longer than 24 hours.
If you use it to clean the floors and rinse it off with water, the smell is not expected to last as long as 24 hours.
Alternatives to Make Your Toilet Smell Better
- Toilet paper diffuser
A few drops of your favorite essential oil on the inside of the toilet rolls will keep your toilet smelling fresh. - Add cleaner to the toilet brush holder
This will also keep it from smelling and will keep your bathroom smelling fresh. - Ventilate
Ensure to ventilate your bathroom every day.
Final Thoughts!
Putting Fabuloso in your toilet tank has some benefits but the cons outweigh the pros. But, do not leave it in the tank regularly if you want to avoid the parts in your tank from wearing out. There are better ways to keep your toilet smelling nice and lovely that won’t cause damage.
