Quick and Clean: The Rim Block

Is my toilet smelly? Is it dirty? Have I cleaned my toilet recently? Is anyone coming round later? These are all questions that a good rim block can answer for you! (Well ok, perhaps not the last one) Rim blocks are there to make sure that your toilet stays clean and fresh in between cleans, with a mini-cleansing every time you pull on the flush. So if you do have a guest coming round, you’ll unlikely to be embarrassed by the state of your toilet.

A good rim block protects us against disaster and ensures that minimum standards are always maintained. It helps you to relax and do what you really want to do with your toilet: forget all about it.

What is a rim block?

Almost as revolutionary as the flushing toilet itself, the toilet rim block has had a transformative effect on sanitation and cleanliness since its invention in the mid-1960s. Such a simple device and yet one that has kept our toilets safe, saved thousands of man-hours of toilet scrubbing, and perhaps saved a few marriages too! The most prominent advantage of the rim block is convenience. It not only saves a lot of cleaning time, it also refreshes the hygiene of your toilet bowl, and keeps the air around your toilet fresh-smelling – all in one inexpensive device.

What does a toilet block cleaner do?

A toilet rim block combines several functions in one. With the latest Bref Power Active there are four functions performed every time you flush.

  1. Fights dirt and cleans your toilet
  2. Prevents the build-up of limescale and brown stains in your toilet pan
  3. Ensures that your toilet is hygienic
  4. Releases fragrance to create a fresh smell in your toilet and bathroom.

With Bref’s pioneering Blue Active rim blocks, these functions are performed even in between flushes. Put more simply, it maintains a constant level of hygiene and  freshness in your toilet, and means less cleaning and less worry about your toilet.

What types of toilet rim cleaners are there to choose from?

Toilet blocks are solid blocks containing a cleaning formula. They are hung just under the rim of your toilet from a flexible plastic ‘arm’ that wraps around the top of the bowl, keeping the block safe and secure. These blocks dissolve over time, as the toilet is flushed, releasing active agents into the water and ensuring hygiene levels are maintained. They come in various forms, but in the case of Bref Activ, have four separate blocks housed in a plastic cage. This multifaceted device is not only a powerful cleansing agent, it also looks good and its distinctive colours are loved by consumers around the world.

Liquid WC stones are very similar and perform a near identical function. They also combine hygiene and cleansing qualities with the release of a fragrance to keep your toilet smelling fresh. In the case of Bref Active Duo, there are two separate compartments that perform these functions in tandem.

How to install your toilet rim block

The basic installation of your rim block is a cinch, just unravel the long plastic arm, position the block where you want it to be and allow the arm to snap back around the top of the toilet bowl. However, it is worth taking a few moments to work out the best positioning of your toilet block. It is important that the device is hung horizontally and that all parts are exposed to a reasonably similar flow of water when you flush. This ensures that you get the full effectiveness of all the blocks and that some blocks in the device do not wear out faster than others. The very best position for a rim block varies from toilet to toilet, but generally, most toilets flush more from the end of the bowl directly opposite the cistern. This is where you should hang your rim block to ensure it gets the most water passing over it and performs most effectively.

When is it time to replace your toilet rim block?

Bref toilet rim blocks are designed to last for up to 250 flushes which translates to about 4 weeks usage. However, you can easily monitor this yourself and see when the block has dissolved away and it’s time for a new one.

About the Bref Range

There is a large range of Bref toilet rim blocks to choose from, depending on the features that are most important for you and on which type of fragrance is to your preference. Take the worry out of your toilet care and choose the perfect toilet rim block for you and your household. Click here to see our full range.

Time pressed householders don’t want to worry about cleaning the toilet! – Find out how you can get your toilet to look after itself – with a toilet rim block.

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