Resourceful Living - Homemade "Green Cleaning" Bathroom Recipes

"GREEN CLEANING" BATHROOM RECIPES

Ask yourself these two questions and think about your answer before you commence reading my hubpage article.

Why use chemicals/poisons when there are safe alternatives?

Why buy expensive cleaners when simple budget-priced products are readily available?

Now that you have given my two questions come thought continue reading as it is my intention to help you to start using sustainable thrifty alternatives by listing DIY "green cleaning" bathroom recipes on this Hubpage.

Before I commence I assess every cleaning job that needs doing and tackle it accordingly. VINEGAR is always my first line of approach, then BICARB OF SODA. If that does not work, then I try Vinegar and Bicarb of Soda together. Salt or Borax comes next, then Borax and Lemon Juice and finally Eucalyptus Oil and Steel Wool.

It also would help with your "cleaning load" if you put into practice ways to help you reduce mold, mildew, etc in your bathroom by opening up windows or doors to increase ventilation or by leaving the exhaust fan on a little bit longer to absorb extra moisture that will be in the air after taking a shower.

The recipes listed here can be modified to best meet your needs.

Have fun giving them a go and even try mixing your own.

Antiseptic Handwashing Soap

250 ml Liquid Soap 10 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
20 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
30 drops of Lavender Oil

Combine the ingredients together in a plastic bottle or soap dispenser and mix well.

Cleaning Hair Combs and Hair Brushes

Hair Combs and Brushes can be soaked in a vinegar and warm water solution, followed by a warm soapy wash to disinfect and clean them. Use an old toothbrush to scrub extra dirty combs and brushes. Rinse well. Alternatively, dissolve 1 tablespoon of Bicarb of Soda in a basin of very hot water and soak the combs and brushes before rinsing them out.

Sink/Tub Scrub - Recipe # 1 (All-Purpose Cleaner)

A gentle polishing with Baking Soda, Borax and Liquid Soap cleans enamel, porcelain and fibreglass surfaces without damaging the finish. Lavender and Eucalyptus Oils help to disinfect and add a fresh scent.

1 tlbsp Borax
1/2 cup Liquid Castile Soap or Homemade Liquid Soap
1/2 cup White Vinegar
4 L Hot Water
20 drops of Essential Oil (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle for easy use. Works on multiple kitchen and bathroom surfaces, including shower mildew. Also you can try rubbing Salt onto surface to remove the mildew.

Sink/Tub Scrub - Recipe # 2

4 tlbsp Baking Soda
1 tlbsp Liquid Castile Soap or Homemade Liquid Soap
2 tlbsp Vinegar

Mix the ingredients together and apply to tub surface. Scrub well and wipe or rinse clean.

Mould/Mold and Mildew Spray Cleaner

This spray cleaner makes use of the antimicrobial properties of Lavender and Eucalyptus essential oils and will help you prevent mould and mildew from growing in your bathroom.

2 tlbsp Borax
500 ml Hot Water
1/2 cup White Vinegar
10 drops of Eucalyptus Oil 20 drops of Lavender Oil

Dissolve the Borax in the hot water. Let it cool to room temperature and pour into a 500ml spray bottle. Add the Vinegar and Essential Oils and shake well.

Shower Head Cleaner

When a shower nozzle becomes clogged with mineral deposits, soak the shower head in a mixture of equal parts of Vinegar and Hot Water. Leave for one hour and then scrub with a toothbrush.

Bathroom Floor Disinfectant

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of Borax in 5 litres of Hot Water. Add 5 drops of Patchouli Essential Oil (or your favourite scented oil) and stir in well.

Bathroom Air Freshener/Deodoriser

Make up a simple air freshener/room spray deodorizer by mixing together water with a few drops of Eucalyptus Oil (or any other Essential Oil). Spray the room as necessary. Use the same spray to refresh and deodorize 'smelly areas' such as in and around the toilet.

Natural Bleaching Cleanser

Hydrogen peroxide helps to bleach out stains that affect porcelain and fibreglass fixtures. Mix 2 tablespoons of Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide and 1 teaspoon of Liquid Soap together in a small plastic container. Dampen the sink or bathtub and apply the scrub solution with a sponge or rag cloth. Rinse off well with clean water.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1/2 cup Baking Soda or Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda
2 tlbsp White Vinegar

Mix Washing Soda with Baking Soda or Borax. Apply to surface, scrub, then flush. Add splash of white vinegar to deodorize.

To remove stubborn toilet rings that have been caused by mineral deposits scoop water out of the toilet to lower the water level and expose the stains. Dampen the porcelain with a Borax and Lemon Juice paste and buff gently with a pumice stick/stone or steel wool. If the stain does not shift then apply some more paste and leave overnight and rinse of the next morning.

Drain Cleaner

4 tlbsp Baking Soda
4 tlbsp Salt
1/2 cup White Vinegar

Pour Baking Soda and Salt down the drain and follow it with the Vinegar. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes and flush the drain with boiling water.

Drains become clogged when hair, grease and soap residues accumulates over a period of time. Most of the commercial drain cleaners rely on lye, a highly corrosive chemical to dissolve the clog or blockage. Instead use this formula at least once a week to keep your bathroom (and kitchen) sink drain clean and free of soap and grease residues that can accumulate and cause blockages.

Septic Tank Treatment

2 cups Brown Sugar
1 tlbsp Baker’s Yeast
5 cups Warm Water

Mix together until everything is dissolved and pour the solution into the toilet. Flush.

Grout Cleaner

4 tlbsp Baking Soda
4 tlbsp Borax
1 cupWhite Vinegar

Mix the ingredients into a smooth paste. Scrub into the grout with a toothbrush and rinse well.

Soap Nuts/Soap Berries

Another alternative to soap that I find myself using more and more is the marvelous Soap Nuts or Soap Berries.

Soap Nuts/Soap Berries are nature's own detergent as they are grown on trees.

All you need is to put a small handful of soap nuts in a small calico and/or mesh bag and place the bag straight into the washing machine.

If you wash your clothes in cold water you will get better results if you place the soap nut bag in a bucket of warm water first.

Shake it about until it froths up before putting it in and the warm water from the bucket into the washing machine

For general cleaning jobs, just boil up a cupful of soap nuts and let the liquid mixture cool down before using it as you would liquid soap - very handy versatile natural product.

I have even been trialling Soap Nut Shampoo on my family without too many complaints ... it is just a matter of changing old habits and getting used to new ones.

I will be dedicating a Hubpage to the Soap Nut so keep an eye out for it ... what could possibly be better than a detergent that grows on trees ... you cannot get more environmentally-friendly than that!!!

Click on the highlighted link below to check out UrsulaRose's blog ... you just might learn something new about Green Cleaning and Resourceful Living.

Resourceful Rosee by Homeworker Rose/Resourceful Rosee 2010

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