It’s probably one of the most loathed chores of all time — cleaning the toilet. But one manufacturer is attempting to make it an easier, practically hands-off process that activates at the touch of a button. Launched by American Standard this month, the ActiClean offers both quick and extensive self-cleaning yet looks just like any other classic white toilet for residential bathrooms.
Its rear tank sports a discreet flip-up door in the lid that reveals a control panel with touch buttons for two options: Quick Clean (one-minute wash) and Deep Clean (an extended 10-minute wash). After a selection is made, the cleaning solution travels through its own channel within the tank, is mixed with water and then released into the bowl using ActiClean’s powerful VorMax jets, which help scour the bowl from top to bottom. The cleaner remains in the bowl for the one- or 10-minute soaking period, after which the toilet siphons the cleaner and rinses the bowl with clean water once more. This operation runs on AA alkaline batteries and independently of the toilet flush itself so that battery or solution outage has no effect on flushing.
If ActiClean works as intended, will you be able to get rid of the unsightly toilet brush and separate or add-on cleaning products? Perhaps. In addition to the cleaning cycle, American Standard has also taken other measures to help the unit be a true self-cleaning machine. For one, the design omits a rim cavity and its holes, where dirt can build up and get trapped. The sanitaryware is permanently finished with EverClean, which — since it inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew — repels dirt and reduces odors.
Good to Know
– Based on one Quick and one Deep Clean per week, the cleaning solution cartridge can last up to nine weeks, while the four AA batteries can last up to a full year.
– A second, larger flip-up door in the tank lid conceals both the battery compartment and cleaning solution cartridge holder, making replacements quick and simple.
– VorMax flushing technology uses a single jet of only 1.28 gallons of water to scrub the entire bowl — a 20-percent reduction compared to traditional toilets (1.6 gpf) — which enabled ActiClean to earn WaterSense certification from the EPA.
– The toilet is ADA-compliant.