Homestar's Toilet Gel Falls Short of Expectations

Hello there!

Moving house can be a real pain, and the general cleaning that comes with it is no exception. I found myself stocking up on cleaning supplies, including a new gel cleaner from Homestar. This specialized product caught my eye because I figured it would be more effective at its specific task. And let's be honest, it's always a good idea to have a dedicated product for a dedicated job.

But, back to the product. The gel comes in a large plastic bottle with a blue label. The design is pretty standard for cleaning products, and it's not exactly eye-catching. However, the packaging does make it easy to identify the product, especially when you're rummaging through your cleaning supplies. The label features an image of a toilet, which is pretty self-explanatory, and a wave design to give it a 'fresh' vibe.

On the back of the bottle, there's another label with some information in multiple languages. The text is a bit small, but it's still readable if you take a closer look.

Here are the product details: 750g net weight, 36-month shelf life, 79 rubles price, made in Russia, and a 'fresh ocean breeze' scent.

Ingredients

≥5%, but < 15%: citric acid; < 5%: APAB, dye, fragrance.

The cap is also plastic and rotates. It's got some special fixators, but I'm not a fan of these types of caps. You have to press down on the cap before you can open the dispenser, or the cap will come off with the dispenser. It's just one of those things that always seems a bit unnecessary to me.

I've found the cap on this thing to be a real pain to open, and if a kid gets their hands on it, they'll end up opening the whole bottle, rendering the cap useless. As for the actual product, the consistency is super watery - like, almost like water. I'm not sure what they were going for with the 'gel' label, but this stuff is nothing like a gel. The watery consistency makes it hard to tell how much to use for cleaning, which is a major issue. The smell of this stuff is pretty neutral - it's not exactly fresh, but it's not bad either. However, after a while, the chemical smell starts to get to your eyes, which is a major minus, especially in a well-ventilated area. Since the label says it's not just for toilets, but also for sinks, showers, and other bathroom fixtures, I decided to follow the instructions and apply it to my toilet, sink, and shower. After waiting a few minutes, I started cleaning the bathroom, and let me tell you, the results were a major letdown. First of all, this stuff creates a ton of bright blue foam, which is a real pain to deal with. And with the consistency being so watery, I had trouble figuring out the right dosage even on the third try. Secondly, it's super hard to rinse off, and in the end, it doesn't even do a great job of cleaning the surfaces. And to make matters worse, my bathroom fixtures are brand new, and I've been using gentle soap on them.One thing that really stood out to me was the amount of grime that was left behind. Even compared to the dust that accumulates in a shower stall, this stuff was a real pain to clean.

The sink was no exception, with a stubborn stain that required a second scrubbing. The shower stall itself had been cleaned twice (the floor and walls), so the results were better there.

The toilet itself wasn't dirty, but I was trying to get rid of the musty smell that comes with renovation. The cleaning products did the trick, but not as well as I had hoped.Meanwhile, the faucet and showerhead were left with streaks that required an extra wipe down. That's just wasted time, if you ask me. I don't get why they'd add so much dye instead of actual cleaning agents! Luckily, the toilet bowl itself was clean. If I'm being honest, I'd have preferred a clear, effective gel over this stuff. All in all, I have to say that the Homestar toilet gel was a major letdown for me. I used it once, but I won't be buying it again.