Homemade Bathroom Cleaner Recipes

These homemade bathroom cleaner suggestions are anecdotal in nature. Please read our disclaimer.

homemade bathroom cleaners

Cleaner #1 - Tub and Tile Scrub

  • 8 d. orange essential oil
  • 7 d. tea tree (melaleuca) essential oil
  • 5 d. peppermint essential oil
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 3 Tbsp. castile soap
  • 1/4 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • 16 oz. wide mouth jar

    • Combine all ingredients in the jar.  Add more vinegar to make it smoother.  Remember, you will have the volcano effect when you add vinegar to baking soda.  That is the reason for the large jar.

Cleaner #2 - Tub Scrub

  • 2/3 cups water
  • 1/3 cup castile soap
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 2 d. any citrus essential oil (optional)

Combine the water and castile soap in a spray bottle.  You may double or triple the recipe depending on your needs.  Sprinkle the dry baking soda all around the tub.  Spray the soap mixture over the soda. Scrub with scouring pad.

Cleaner #3 - All Purpose Bathroom Cleaner

  • 1 Tbsp. castile soap
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 3 cups warm water
  • 4 d. tea tree essential oil

Combine bathroom cleaner ingredients in a spray bottle and shake before use.

Cleaner #4 - Tub and Tile

  • 3/4 cup baking soda
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp. salt
  • 3 Tbsp. castile soap
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 10 d. favorite essential oil (optional)

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a plastic container with lid. Shake well.  To use, pour a small circle onto your rag or the cleaning surface. Scrub, rinse well.

Cleaner #5 - Grout

  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
  • 1 tsp. castile soap

Combine ingredients in a squeeze top container. Squeeze bathroom cleaner onto grout or tile and leave for five minutes. Scrub then rinse well. For deeper cleaning, leave on twice the time and/or apply twice.

Cleaner #6 - Toilet Bowl

  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 4 d. tea tree essential oil (if using the spray method)
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • Toilet brush

Directions:

Turn off the water to the toilet.  The shut off valve is behind the toilet.  Turn it clockwise until it is completely off.

Flush the toilet.  Keeping flushing until the bowl no longer holds water.

Sprinkle the baking soda all around the inside of the bowl. Pour the vinegar into the toilet, trying to coat all of the baking soda.  You might consider using a spray bottle for the vinegar as you can direct the angle and whereabouts of the vinegar. Add the essential oil to the spray bottle with the vinegar.

When the volcano effect (bubbling) has stopped, scrub the toilet with the toilet brush. Then leave the soda in the toilet for a few hours. Then scrub the toilet one more time.  

Turn the shut-off valve back on and flush the toilet.

Cleaner #7 - Soap Scum

  • 1 cup Dawn dish washing liquid
  • 2 cups white vinegar

Heat the vinegar in a microwave until hot.  Pour into a spray bottle. Add the Dawn soap. Put on the lid and GENTLY shake.  Spray all around the tub and shower enclosure.  Let it stand for about an hour.  Then rinse well.

Cleaner #8 - Soft Scrub

  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • enough dish washing soap to make a thin paste - castile soap is the natural choice
  • 2 d. of your favorite essential oil

Mix up the ingredients in a small bowl. Spread the paste onto the surface you want clean. Scrub with a sponge or rag. Rinse thoroughly.

Some Common Ingredients and Why They Work

Here is our list of natural products that can be used to substitute commercial household cleaning products.  Use them alone, or in recipes to combine their strength and cleaning power.

  1. Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes and scours.
  2. Castile Soap - unscented soap in liquid form is biodegradable. Avoid soaps with petroleum distillates.
  3. Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
  4. Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant.
  5. Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
  6. Washing Soda - or SAL soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans walls, tiles and sinks.
  7. White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.

EarthEasy.com has this to say about Borax...

Is Borax Safe? Borax is considered a mild skin irritant similar to baking soda. The MSDS lists borax as a health hazard of 1, similar to salt and baking soda. A health concern with borax is with its potential to disrupt the reproductive system. Studies have not been done in humans regarding this; however, potential reproductive issues in mice are suspected from high levels of ingested borax. Use of borax for home cleaning formulas, where no borax is ingested, has not been shown to pose health hazards. Borax is a natural substance which is non-carcinogenic, does not accumulate in the body, or absorb through the skin. It is not harmful to the environment.

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