Clean Green – Easy, Quick, Effective Non-Toxic Solutions for your Bathroom (and Throughout your Home)
I hate cleaning the bathroom. But – it must be clean, and it must be clean green i.e. no toxic chemicals. Luckily, it’s easy to do, and with items that are easy to find and cheap to buy.
Of course, you can buy commercial “green” cleaning products from the supermarket. But they’re more expensive, and they often come in plastic bottles. Plus, you need to read the ingredients’ labels to make sure they’re really green.
Instead, you can make your own bathroom cleaning products – quickly, easily and cheaply. And you know they’ll be safe and non-toxic.
So, re-use old bottles and make your own green cleaning products the eco friendly way!
Here’s what to use for an all-purpose spray or scrub, and how to clean your toilet bowl, shower head and mirrors.
Clean Green All-Purpose Spray
This clean green all-purpose spray is perfect for all over the bathroom – although you can use more specialised mixtures for specific areas if you wish (see below). You can also use it in the kitchen and anywhere else you need to clean.
It’s gentle and natural – it won’t harm you, or the planet, or your home!
- 3 cups / 720ml water
- 1 teaspoon liquid castile soap1
- If you wish, add in a few drops of your favourite essential oil
Mix them all together in a spray bottle.
Spray onto surfaces (or spray onto a cloth or rag) and wipe.
Clean off if necessary with a clean, dry cloth.
Variation: Add 1 cup / 150g baking soda / sodium bicarbonate to the mixture if you wish – this is particularly good for green cleaning tiles and bathtubs. Spray onto tiles or tubs, and wipe with a sponge. Wipe away with a damp cloth.
Clean Green Scrub
For particularly messy areas which need to be scoured, or to get rid of soap scum, use this:
- 1 cup / 150g baking soda / sodium bicarbonate
- 1 cup / 150g salt
Combine the baking soda and salt. Sprinkle the mixture on the area to be cleaned.
Scrub with a wet brush, cloth, or sponge, then rinse or wipe away the mixture with a damp cloth or rag.
Clean Green Toilet Bowl
- 1 cup / 150g baking soda / sodium bicarbonate
- 1 cup / 240ml vinegar2
Sprinkle the baking soda in the bowl – try to cover as much of the surface as possible.
Pour the vinegar over the baking soda (if will fizz wonderfully!)
Allow to sit for a few minutes, then scrub the bowl with your toilet brush.
Drain Cleaner
- ½ cup / 75g baking soda
- 1 cup / 240 vinegar2
Choose a time when you won’t use the drain for some time.
Pour the baking soda into the drain. Next, pour the vinegar into the drain.
Let the mixture fizz and soak for 20-30 minutes
Rinse with boiling water.
If your drain is really messy, repeat this procedure, or allow the mixture to soak in the drain overnight.
Scale Remover
For soap scum, calcium, or lime deposits on a fixture or showerhead, simply pour vinegar into a ziplock or grocery bag and place the bag over the fixture so it’s immersed in the vinegar. Secure the bag onto the fixture with a rubber band. Leave overnight. Remove in the morning and rinse thoroughly.
Mould and Mildew Remover
Find out how I removed mould from my home after a water leak while I was away on holiday.
Mirrors and Glass
This has been used for many, many years.
Add ¼ cup / 60ml vinegar2 to 3 cups / 720ml water in a spray bottle.
Spray on the glass or mirror, and wipe clean with a dry cloth.
Cleaning Green is Safe
Yes, housework is a chore. But when you clean green your bathroom and home, you know you’re protecting your own health as well as the planet.
What else do you use to clean green your bathroom? Let me know in the Comments below. And please spread the green word – it’s better for everyone to avoid toxic chemicals in cleaning products. Sharing buttons below and right – thank you!
1 Look up castile soap in the EWG database here – some well-known supposedly safe and natural brands are not as nice as they claim. You want one that’s EWG Verified or has a 0, 1 or 2 score for nasty ingredients. Castile soap is relatively expensive, but it lasts a long time.
2 If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil. Or mask the smell by creating delicious aromas in your home
I never thought to use baking soda and salt as a scrub, don’t know why it’s what I use to brush my teeth. 🙂 These are great recipes all simple and inexpensive. One of my gripes with DIY cleaners is the time involved to make some of them, not so with your recipes.
LOL Lois, well done you, I tried that as toothpaste but haven’t continued. Yes, it works well as a scrub. And you’re right, some DIY projects require equipment and an awful lot of time, and that’s one thing I don’t have much of, so these all work well for me. Thanks for stopping by!
I buy vinegar by the gallons and use it for everything. I’ve become a little more careful about baking soda since I found out most have aluminum in them. I now buy only aluminum free baking soda. Bob’s Red Mill makes one here in the states. I don’t know any other brands. Since I drink baking soda water for an upset stomach, I want it aluminum free. I have used most of your cleaning solutions plus a few more green ideas.
Aluminium in baking soda – good grief! (I rushed through to check my baking soda after reading your comment, and I was relieved to read it does not contain aluminium). Yet another product we have to carefully read the Ingredients list. Sigh.
I’m glad you use these green cleaning solutions, they work well. Thanks for letting us all know that we need to buy the right baking soda, I appreciate it!