The bathroom is one of the most frequently-used rooms in any house, and it seems that germs and grime accumulate faster here, too. The good news is, most bathroom surfaces are easily sanitized and don’t actually require heavy chemicals to keep things clean and shiny. Keep in mind that antibacterial is not always a good thing, and that your bathroom can be healthy and clean using less-toxic ingredients that still do the job. In fact, antibacterial ingredients in commercial cleaners probably do more harm than good. Some solid essential oils and the sizzling clean of baking soda and vinegar have worked for decades, and they work well for me, too.
The Process: Purge, Clean, Organize
Purging the bathroom might be an intimidating job if you have drawers, cupboards, shelves, and medicine cabinets full of outdated and rarely-used products. You can use this chapter in conjunction with the “Medicine Cabinet” chapter on page 181 for even more ideas. Once again, you’ll need to take everything out of the bathroom to sort and start fresh. Give the cabinets and shelves a good spray down and let them air out for a bit. Go through nail polishes, hair brushes and accessories, old contact cases and crusted cans of mousse and spray gel. Get rid of anything that has rusted, separated, discolored, faded, or otherwise aged. If you have a favorite product but it’s outdated or you haven’t been able to find it on store shelves for a while, snap a pic so you can find another bottle of it, but throw the original away.
Check out all of your soft goods in the bathroom, too, from rugs to window curtains and washcloths to beach towels. Now is a great time to upgrade if you can afford it. Donate spotted, faded, or frayed towels to a local animal shelter, and replace them with fluffy, organic cotton towels that are sure to make you feel like a million bucks. Consider tossing anything else that has collected in the bathroom, too … slippers that are just dust bunny collectors, that extra bathroom scale, a broken laundry basket. Corral the kids’ bath toys if you have them, and give them a good wash by themselves in a bath of hot water and vinegar. Let them dry thoroughly. Remove and thoroughly clean any pet litter boxes that might also live in the bathroom.
Cleaning the bathroom will be time-consuming the first time, since you’ll want to do a hands-and-knees, every-nook-and-cranny clean, and you’ll probably also want to get on the stepladder and clean ceilings, vent fans, and light fixtures. Work top to bottom, so any dust from the ceiling fixtures can later be swept up. Once you’ve finished cleaning, open any windows, turn on the fans, and let the room air out for a few hours if you can.
Organizing the bathroom requires plenty of small organizers. I like to keep a usable amount of each item in my go-to place (such as the medicine cabinet), and store the rest of bulk packages in a less conspicuous place, such as in a basket on a shelf or in a cupboard. Glass and enamel containers create my personal favorite natural look in a bathroom, and are easy to clean and sanitize as opposed to fabric or woven bins. If you have kids, though, softer goods or painted and sealed wood make sense.
Votive candleholders are the perfect size to fit on the small shelves of a medicine cabinet to hold toothpicks, tweezers, cotton swabs, cotton balls, and more. Powder-coated metal bins are a good choice for items that will remain a bit wet, such as sponges, bottles, and bath toys. Fold a colorful towel in the bottom to soak up moisture, and change it out regularly.
This is another area of the house where grouping like with like makes sense. Put each family member’s essentials in one bin or area for easy access. Place all dental care items together, all first-aid items together, and all nail care items together. Give every item a place to avoid the bathroom junk drawer that so easily accumulates homeless items.
A SHOWER FOR YOUR SHOWER CURTAINS AND LINERS
Well, technically a bath. Most shower curtains and liners can be thrown in the washing machine every so often to get them nice and fresh. But a bath specifically made for them, with antimildew properties, will do an even better job. Give them a nice soak in the bathtub and let air dry if possible. A strong mixture of hydrogen peroxide and naturally antibacterial tea tree oil will cut through soap scum and mildew like a champ, and keep your shower curtain liner fresh in between washes.
• 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
• ½ cup baking soda
• ½ cup salt (any kind will do)
• 10–12 drops tea tree oil
To keep your shower curtain and liner in tip-top shape, give them a refreshing bath now and again. Fill the bathtub with a few inches of lukewarm water, then add all of the above ingredients. Agitate well for a few minutes, then leave to soak for half an hour. Rinse thoroughly. Air dry or throw in the dryer (bonus points if you use a linen spray or wool dryer ball to add scent).
RUST ARREST:
SPOTS ON SHOWER CURTAIN AROUND METAL RINGS
Metal shower curtain rings look modern and sleek, and come in many different finishes and styles. But they have a dirty secret: when exposed to the moisture of the shower over a long period of time, they begin to rust. And that rust transfers to the beautiful shower curtain they are holding up. Getting rust out of fabric isn’t the easiest task, but if you keep on top of it, you’ll be able to stop those rusty rings in their tracks. See page 71 for how to get rust off the rings themselves and the shower bar if that’s becoming rusty, too. This process works for rust spots on any piece of fabric.
• Lemon
• Salt
• Lemon essential oil
To Use: Lay the curtain on top of a towel and use half the lemon, dipped in salt, to rub the rust stains. Top with a drop of lemon essential oil over the stain. Wash or soak as usual, using the stain remover spray on page 131 as extra assurance if you wish.
RUST RELEASERS: GETTING RUST AND HARD WATER DEPOSITS OFF CHROME IN THE BATHROOM
Chrome is a popular choice for bathroom fixtures, particularly for shower-heads, medicine cabinets, and shower bars. But rust, calcium, and hard water will build up and create a nasty rust that can be hard to release.
Shower Bars and Fixtures:
• Warm water
• Aluminum foil, cut into 3-inch x 3-inch squares
• Gloves (I like to use gloves when cleaning chrome just because I don’t like the feeling of aluminum foil in my hands and don’t like the idea of getting rust into a cut or scrape.)
Simply dip the aluminum foil in water and use it to rub the rust spots away. The chemical reaction between the two metals removes the rust. Don’t worry, the aluminum foil shouldn’t scratch your nice chrome fixtures because it is softer than the chrome finish. For any particularly pitted or rusted areas, crunch the aluminum foil into a ball. The extra-rough surfaces of the foil will help smooth out the pitted chrome. Then rinse completely. Use a dry cloth with a slight texture to buff the chrome using pressure and a circular motion to restore shine.
Showerhead:
• ¼ cup citrus vinegar
• 4 drops clove essential oil
Mix the two ingredients together in a plastic bag. Place over the shower-head and tie in place with a rubber band or hair band. Let sit for 20–30 minutes (but not longer). Remove the bag and solution. Use a clean toothbrush to scrub the area well and get all of the buildup out.
SHOWER CURTAIN LINER ANTIMILDEW SPRAY
This spray works for plastic shower curtains liners only. If you have a washable cotton liner with a water-resistant weave, be sure to wash it frequently to prevent mold and mildew spores from building up in the fabric. The soak above is perfect for those cloth liners, too. But if you still prefer to use plastic, this spray cuts down drastically on the number of times you’ll need to actually take the curtain down and give it a soak and scrub.
• 8 ounces hydrogen peroxide
• 15 drops tea tree oil
Fill a glass spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and add 15 drops tea tree oil. Shake well before using.
To Use: Spray shower curtain liberally and frequently, whether dry or wet.
Extra Tip: Keep the shower curtain pulled fully taut/closed when not in use. This helps prevent water from getting trapped in the folds of the curtain, a breeding ground for mold and mildew.
POLISHED PORCELAIN POWDER FOR BATHTUBS AND SINKS
If you’re lucky enough to have a porcelain bathtub or sink, you’ll want to take good care of it to avoid pitting and staining. Once the porcelain is compromised, which happens both through daily use and toxic chemical abuse, it gets stained much more quickly and is harder to keep clean. Take good care of the parts that are still well-glazed, and reglaze if the staining and pitting become too heavy. And most of all, avoid bleach and toxic chemicals or anything heavily abrasive. Yes, pouring bleach onto the stained parts will help momentarily. But it only lasts for a little while and causes more damage. Vinegar and baking soda, along with some essential oils and a little scrubbing, will get even stained spots brighter. The addition of geranium and sweet orange creates one of my favorite bathroom scents, but feel free to choose your own blend.
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Warm water
• Geranium essential oil
• Sweet orange essential oil
Mix together 2 cups baking soda and ½ cup salt. Wipe the sink or bathtub completely clean with a sponge and warm water. Spray the entire basin well with warm water so the baking soda will adhere. Sprinkle liberally with baking soda and salt mixture. Give it a nice thick layer. If your bathtub is extra-large or deep you may need to mix up more baking soda and salt.
In a small spray bottle, mix together half vinegar and half warm water, with a few drops of each essential oil. Spray the baking soda mixture well with vinegar to get it thoroughly soaked. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, if not longer. You should see the baking soda start to take on a brownish tint from absorbing grime. Spray more vinegar if necessary, but it’s ok if the paste dries out a little. Then, use a stiff brush (do not use stainless steel bristles or pads) to scour the baking soda/salt mixture well and really get some muscle behind it to get that porcelain gleaming. Rinse thoroughly. If there are still any trouble spots, repeat the process. Then give it one last shine with the vinegar and essential oil spray. It should be shiny and glowing.
SO-LONG SOAP SCUM SPRAY AND SCRUB: CLEANING ACRYLIC, PLASTIC, AND GLASS WITH SOAP SCUM
Many insert showers and bathtubs are made from molded acrylic. These are easy to clean when they are brand new and have their coating still in place, and before they collect any soap scum. But eventually the wipe-clean properties deteriorate and soap scum builds up, making acrylic showers a pain to get completely clean. Preventative care is ideal, with a vinegar and essential oil post-shower/bath spray that prevents soap buildup. But once the soap scum is there, you’ll need something a bit stronger to cut through it. Since we’re not using toxic chemicals, that something stronger means you—you’ll have to use some muscles to scrub, but you won’t be going it alone. The foaming action of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda will release most of the grime.
Mildew and Soap Scum Prevention Spray
Combine ingredients in a 16-ounce spray bottle. Shake well. Spray shower and bathtub liberally with this mixture after each use.
Soap Scum Scrub
• ½ cup baking soda
• ½ cup table salt
• Warm water
• Hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle
Mix the salt and baking soda together in a small bowl. Spray the surface well with warm water. Sprinkle liberally with the baking soda mix. For vertical surfaces, add the water to the baking soda and salt to make a paste, and rub the paste on the area. Spray to saturate with hydrogen peroxide. Let sit for 15 minutes. Scrub well using a soft scrub brush or sponge. Use a toothbrush to get into tricky areas, such as shower doors and around drains. Rinse well.
GLEAMING GLOWING GLASS AND MIRROR SPRAY
Bathroom mirrors become so quickly streaked with flying toothpaste, lotion, face wash, and the detritus of flossing. You might want to clean the mirror daily, or even twice daily, depending on how shiny you like it to remain. A lot of commercial “green” glass cleaners contain soap, which leaves a residue. There’s no need to add soap to glass cleaner unless the glass actually has dirt on it, as might be the case with outdoor windows. The addition of rubbing alcohol in this recipe cuts drying time down and prevents water spots.
• 2 cups distilled or boiled and cooled water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
• 6 drops lemon essential oil
• 12 drops lime essential oil
Add all ingredients to a 20-ounce spray bottle. Shake well before each use.
To Use: Spray on and wipe off with a soft cloth, using circular motions top-to-bottom.
SHINY FAUCETS IN A FLASH:
FAUCET & DRAIN CLEANING PASTE
Faucet spouts and handles can get some major soap scum and mineral deposits from hard water, too. This recipe foams up to get into all of the small areas that are tough to clean with just a rag. Use a cotton swab, too, for seams and under faucet handles, and don’t forget to get the solution up into the faucet itself. You can also add the hydrogen peroxide and peppermint essential oil to a small baggie and do the same faucet cleaning method as the shower head cleaner recipe on page 71.
• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Peppermint essential oil
• Rubbing alcohol
Wipe the faucet and drain with warm water. Sprinkle liberally with baking soda. Spray hydrogen peroxide onto all of the baking soda, and add a few drops peppermint oil on top. Let foam for 15–20 minutes. Wipe clean with warm water and a rag, scrubbing a bit if necessary. Saturate a corner of a new rag with rubbing alcohol and give the entire surface a wipe. Let air dry.
TOUGH ON TEXTURE: TEXTURED VINYL FLOORS SPRAY
Vinyl floors have a habit of getting sticky with the combination of moisture and grime that accumulates in bathrooms. If they are a textured vinyl, that grime gets caught in the little valleys and can seem impossible to clean with a surface wipe. Avoid using vinegar on vinyl floors, since the acid will eat away at the protective coating on the floor, making it even tougher to clean in the future. It’s tempting to use a scrub brush to really get into the grime here, but a scrub brush will do the same thing as vinegar—damage the protective coating of the vinyl and make the surface harder to clean in the long run.
• 16 ounces warm water
• 2 teaspoons castile soap
• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Hot water
• Dish soap of your choice
• Terry cloth washcloth or textured rag
Mix the warm water and castile soap in a 16-ounce spray bottle. Spray the floor in small sections with warm water mixture. Sprinkle liberally with baking soda. Spray with hydrogen peroxide. Let sit for 20–30 minutes. Use the texture of the washcloth to really work the mixture into the crevices in the floor. Then you’ll want to use a clean rag to mop up the mixture and wipe the surface clean. Use a mixture of hot water and dish soap to do one final scrub, then wipe with a rag dipped in hot water. Let dry thoroughly.
Extra Tip: Try this on textured shower stall floors with stubborn grime, too. Since those are likely vinyl or acrylic, go ahead and use a stiff scrub brush to work into the grooves and texture.
SHINY TILE FLOORS SOLUTION
Ceramic tile floors get just as much dirt and grime buildup and usually have at least a slight texture to them from the natural variations in stone and glazes. This spray cuts through stuck-on grime and the rubbing alcohol helps it dry spot-free on darker-colored tiles. Cypress and lime essential oils feel very grounding for this spray, but you can use another blend if you prefer. You can also use this mixture in a steam mop if you have one for even better results.
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups hot water
• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
• 20 drops cypress essential oil
• 10 drops lime essential oil
Mix well in a bucket. Use a lamb’s wool mop (or any other mop you have on hand) and mop the floor well. If any trouble spots remain, dip a textured washcloth in the cleaning solution and rub gently.
Extra Tip: If the idea of mopping makes you want to run and hide, you can also add this solution to a spray bottle and clean the floors with a textured washcloth. A reusable mophead with great natural cleaning power (like lamb’s wool) is my favorite, but you can also cut a thin cloth to the size of a standard stick cleaning mop (like Swiffer), saturate it in the cleaning solution, and sweep-mop away.
TOUGH-ON-TILE GROUT CLEANING PASTE
It’s easy enough to wipe down tiles, but when it comes to grout … well, it’s porous, which makes it a bit more challenging. Bleach is a common ingredient in store-bought grout cleaners, because white grout tends to be a breeding ground for mold and bleach instantly whitens grout. But bleach is harsh, actually weakens the grout, and the fumes are toxic and suffocating when you’re working in a small space like a shower stall. Oxygen bleach, however, is something totally different (see pg. 18) and is safe and environmentally-friendly. It will do the job well here. If you don’t keep oxygen bleach powder on hand, our trusty friend baking soda makes an admirable stand-in.
If Using Oxygen Bleach Powder:
• Oxygen bleach powder, made into paste according to package directions
• Warm water
Make sure your tiles are completely dry. I mean, completely. Dry. Don’t use the shower for at least 48 hours before attempting this or place a fan directly at the tiles for 12 hours, to be sure the grout is dry. Because grout is porous, it’s like a sponge, and if it is full of shower water, it can’t absorb the cleaning mixture. When it’s dry, the cleaning mixture will absorb nicely into all of the grout “pores.” When the grout is thoroughly dry, mix up an oxygen bleach paste and use a grout brush or toothbrush to apply it to the grout. Let sit for at least an hour, making sure the mixture stays wet the entire time. Dab on more or spray with water if necessary to keep the mixture wet and activated. Then use the brush to thoroughly scrub the grout. Rinse well.
• Baking soda
• Hot water
• 8 ounces hydrogen peroxide
• 10 drops tea tree oil
If using baking soda, make a paste of baking soda and hot water, and apply to the grout with your fingers or a clean toothbrush. Let sit for 30 minutes. In an 8-ounce spray bottle, mix the hydrogen peroxide and tea tree oil. Shake well. Spray the grout with the hydrogen peroxide mixture and scrub well, section by section, using a grout brush or the toothbrush you used to apply the paste. Rinse well.
TEA TREE TOILET CLEANING POWDER AND GEL
A sparkling-white toilet is something we all strive for, but chemical cleaners with their garish blue coloring seem a toxic way to clean something as simple as porcelain. Remember here that antibacterial is not necessary most times, and a sparkling-clean toilet can be achieved with simple ingredients. Here are two options: a fuss-free powder and a quick clinging gel. If you have an old bottle from a past commercial toilet cleaning product, refill it with the gel to get under the rim. Otherwise, a regular squeeze bottle will do just fine.
Powder:
• 1 cup baking soda
• 10 drops tea tree essential oil
• Vinegar
Mix the baking soda and the tea tree oil until well mixed.
To Use: Turn off the water to the toilet at the base. Flush to empty the toilet bowl of water. Sprinkle liberally in the toilet bowl. Spray the baking soda mixture with vinegar to fully activate and saturate it. Let sit for 15 minutes. Scrub well with a toilet brush. Turn the water back on and flush. It’s as easy as that!
This isn’t a pure gel, but it does cling to the sides of the bowl to give you that extra cleaning power. Tea tree essential oil adds some extra germ-killing power.
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 2 teaspoons glycerin
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 15 drops tea tree essential oil
Mix well and pour into a squeeze bottle.
To Use: Squeeze under the rim and around the bowl of the toilet. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub with a brush and flush.
RELATIONSHIP-SAVER TOILET SPRAY
This spray helps eliminate bathroom odors that happen during use, and therefore I call it the relationship-saver spray. From roommates to significant others, guests, and siblings sharing a bathroom, the idea of stopping odors from spreading is one that will buoy any relationship. That’s the best part … this isn’t a spray that covers up odors after the fact, it works to trap them right in the toilet, immediately. The only catch is you have to spray this on the surface of the toilet bowl water before you use the toilet. Train your family to shake this bottle and then spray the toilet water every single time they use the toilet, and your bathroom will smell like essential oils instead of … well, a bathroom.
• 8 ounces distilled water
• 2 tablespoons witch hazel
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 10 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
Mix well in an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake before each use and spray a few times on the surface of toilet water before you use the bathroom.
DIRTY DRAIN CLEANER & REFRESHER
The shower drain gets abused pretty regularly, with dirt, hair, and any number of beauty products going down it daily. It’s no wonder it gets buildup that can cause odors and clogs. Cleaning it is not a fun job, to be sure, but it must be done. I recommend wearing gloves for this job to reduce the ick factor. You’ll want to clear it out by hand first before pouring anything down it, because pushing it down the drain will just cause problems farther down your plumbing. Of course, cleaning the drain regularly drastically reduces the ick factor when you do clean it out, so get in the habit to make this job less disgusting.
Take the cap off the shower drain (you may need to use a sharp metal edge to pop it up). You’ll probably be greeted by a nice nest of tangled hair. Remove this immediately. Use the metal end of a bottle brush to feel around in the drain and grab any other clumps of hair. Then take a look down the drain. Does it need a scrubbing, or is it fairly clear? Chances are a biofilm (black slime) has accumulated on the edges. If it has, opt for the heavy-duty drain cleaner. If not, you can use the drain refresher recipe.
Heavy-Duty Drain Cleaner:
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup vinegar
• 30 drops tea tree oil
• 2 cups boiling water
Pour the baking soda down the drain, followed by the vinegar and tea tree oil. Cover the drain and let this mixture foam for 30 minutes. Use a bottle brush (one kept specifically for this purpose) to scrub the sides of the drain. Then pour 2 cups of boiling water down the drain. Follow with 15 more drops tea tree oil.
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 15 drops lemon essential oil
Pour the vinegar down the drain and chase it immediately with the boiling water. Follow with 15 drops lemon essential oil.
FRESH FUN FOAMING HAND SOAP
Foaming soap is one of my favorite things. You get all of the cleaning power while using ⅓ of the soap. Kids love it, too. You don’t need to purchase a plastic foaming container of soap to refill; you can find glass reusable ones at most major stores now. This works for a 16-ounce container of soap; adjust the recipe up or down for different soap containers. I love the fresh, fun scent of sweet orange and mandarin essential oils. This recipe is safe for your whole family, so don’t hesitate to get the kids soaping up! Feel free to add some natural food coloring if you’d like to pump up the fun factor for kids.
• ⅔ cup castile soap
• 25 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 20 drops mandarin essential oil
• Warm distilled or boiled and still slightly warm water to fill your container
In a small bowl, mix the castile soap and essential oils well. This helps them stay distributed in the soap mixture. But don’t add them to your soap container yet. Fill the soap container ½ full with water. Then add the castile soap mix. There should be about 1 inch of space left for the bulky foaming pump to be inserted. If not, simply add more warm water. If you’ve made too much, no worries, just dump a little out or into another container. Then add the foaming pump. Do not shake this. Give this a few upside-down movements, though, to evenly distribute the soap. Let sit for 10 minutes before use.
