We're Plumbers. Here's What We Would Never Do In A Home Bathroom.

A toilet brush and a spray cleaner may take more hands-on effort than dropping a cleaning tablet into your toilet tank, but at least the former is less likely to destroy your toilet. 

“Those blue tablets and bleach tablets people keep in their tank are horrible for the toilet. They break down the tank parts and constantly need replacing,” Ireland said. 

The longer that a cleaning tablet sits in your toilet, the more likely that it will dissolve the plastic and rubber gaskets, washers and pipes around it. 

“The longer the tablet sits, the longer its chemicals chip away at your toilet’s materials. Your toilet pipes will eventually begin to leak often, and your toilet won’t flush properly,” explains a blog post for Mr. Rooter Plumbing company of Columbia, Missouri. “Instead of dropping a couple of tablets in your toilet and letting them sit for months, use distilled white vinegar and get rid of stains in an effective, yet valuable way.“

Ultimately, everyone wants to keep their toilets, tubs and sinks fresh and clean. When in doubt, double-check what kind of bathroom materials you have to see which cleaning products you should use. And know when to call in professionals for help.   

“If all else fails, that’s why we have professional plumbers!” Jenkins said.

This post originally appeared on HuffPost.