If you’ve ever considered pouring Fabuloso into your toilet tank to keep things smelling fresh, you’ve likely heard warnings that it will destroy your flapper or degrade the rubber over time. To see if those fears held water, I ran an experiment over two months by soaking identical flappers in jars of water, 50/50 Fabuloso and water, and 100% Fabuloso (in different scents). After extended testing, none of the flappers showed signs of deterioration, curling edges, or weakened material. Here’s a recap of what I did, and what I discovered:
Experiment Setup
• Flappers: All from the same brand designed to resist chlorine (Korky).
• Soaking Solutions: – Plain water
– 50% water / 50% Fabuloso (various scents)
– 100% Fabuloso (various scents)
• Duration: 2 months total, checking at the 1-month mark and again at 2 months.
Key Observations
• No Damage: Even in 100% Fabuloso, the rubber remained flexible and intact. No discoloration or leached dye that would indicate chemical breakdown.
• No Deformation: Edges didn’t curl up, and the flapper’s shape stayed consistent with the control sample in plain water.
• Slight Slipperiness: Fabuloso’s soapiness made the flappers feel a bit slick, but that’s a surface effect – not a sign of deterioration.
• Chains Unaffected: Metal chains attached to the flappers didn’t corrode or weaken.
Possible Explanations
• Flapper Material: Modern flappers often resist harsh chemicals, and these were specifically labeled “chlorine-resistant.” Fabuloso, being more of a mild detergent than bleach or acid, may not have the potency to harm such rubber.
• Shorter Contact in a Toilet Tank: In a real-world situation, Fabuloso would be diluted with the standing water in the tank, not used at 100%.
• Longer Soaks Potentially: Even at two months, there were no noticeable effects. Beyond that timeframe, it’s likely you’d have flushed and refilled your tank many times in normal usage.
What This Means for Your Toilet
• Safe in Moderation: Based on this limited test, adding a small amount of Fabuloso to your tank likely won’t shred your flapper or cause leaks.
• Always Test & Observe: If you want to try Fabuloso or other scented cleaners in your tank, do so in small amounts and periodically inspect your flapper for wear.
• Keep an Eye on Warranties: Some toilet manufacturers warn against introducing foreign chemicals into the tank. If your toilet is under warranty, check for any disclaimers.
