# Disinfecting tolit cleansers/Flush agents **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596 "2002-04-03T16:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/1 "2002-04-03T16:01:36Z")
I have seen such products that promise to kill germs in your toilet as it flushes, such as a particular Lysol product does. But then I got wondering: Why would you care? In order to kill germs, the chemical-laden water must touch a surface that has germs on it, but in as far as I know, there are no toilets that allow the bowl water to wash over the seat, so the part you touch would still remain as germ-loaded as before you flushed. Is this just a marketing gimmic? Is there really a need to kill bowl germs to remain sanitary? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/2 "2002-04-03T16:16:24Z")
Maybe not, but it gives me a sense of false security. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/3 "2002-04-03T16:31:27Z")
Take a look at cecil’s column on Toilet Plumes. Very very interesting! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/4 "2002-04-03T16:49:59Z")
Take a look at cecil’s column on Toilet Plumes. Very very interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/5 "2002-04-03T17:19:08Z")
Toilet plumes, agreed, are icky. But the primary reason I use such products is that a germy toilet bowl is a smelly toilet bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/6 "2002-04-03T17:25:12Z")
That was interesting. It reminds me of a particular brand of bleach boasting that it “promises to kill germs right on the label” while the “store brand” bleached lament that they carry no such promise. While the average consumer could possibly be forgiven for thinking that the store brands therefore do not kill germs, all bleach kills germs. The world of “germ warefare” is certainly competitive. Thanks folks. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-tolit-cleansers-flush-agents/101596/7 "2002-04-03T23:55:46Z")
"“promises to kill germs right on the label” Well, I wouldn’t buy it then cause I don’t have germs on my label.