Safe, Green & Effective Bathroom Cleaners
I have wanted to switch out my chemical laden cleaning supplies for years and I have done pretty well changing up the day-to-day cleaners throughout the house - except the bathroom. There are still a couple of things that have been lurking in my cabinets that I was reticent to replace because let's face it; anything germy living in the bathroom I want dead. But because I didn't want to continue using harsh chemicals in my house I went on a mission to find suitable replacements for the remaining Big Three.
Kaboom has always been our go to shower cleaner. We have hard water and the glass shower door gets so thick with mineral deposits and quite frankly it works very well. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find a green cleaner compatible to the strength I needed for the heavy duty lifting required there. The truth is, we just aren’t wipe your shower down every day people. We don’t have the time (or the discipline) to do it so I need something powerful that I can use once a week that does the job.
I don’t know if it’s how I was raised or just my general germ-a-phobia but I have been unable to wipe down the toilet with anything but a chlorine based all purpose cleaner since the first time I first put on gloves and went for it. But every time I smell that chlorine I cringe because I really don’t want to be using it in my house or rinsing it into our water system.
Then there is the Tilex. We don’t have the best ventilation in our house and mold loves my shower, especially around the caulk in the corners and the base. Mold and I are NOT friendly so I feel the need to eradicate it by using something uber deadly - I just don't like slowly killing myself too when I use it. :(
So what’s a girl to do?
First I want to be honest. While I don’t mind mixing up a jar of baking powder and essential oils to wipe the kitchen sink down at night, I’m not about to scrub my shower doors with a half of a lemon and salt. No thank you. I needed to find a middle ground on this one that was as convenient as it was natural.
After some searching I settled on these Alternatives and I’m pretty pleased!
Mold and Mildew Remover
In an 8oz glass spray bottle combine the following:
3/4 c hydrogen peroxide
1/4 c water
6 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil)
*Optional essential oils combined in a scent you like. I like the following:
Any citrus oil on its own works well such as Grapefruit, Lemon, Wild Orange, Lime
Rosemary and Lemon is my favorite combination for cleaners - this is my goto
Kaboom Alternative:
In an 8oz glass spray bottle combine the following:
1 c vinegar
1 c castile soap
*Optional essential oils for smell although any citrus will also add to the potency of the mixture and Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil) will also work to combat any mold in the shower for a 1 / 2 punch . Add 6 drops of each.
Directions: Heat the vinegar in a glass microwaveable dish until hot. Pour it into the bottle and then add the soap and essential oils. Use as you would Kaboom. This one is designed to sit a while on the surface just like Kaboom. Wait at least 15 minutes before wiping down.
Chlorine Bleach Alternative:
In an 8oz glass spray bottle combine the following:
1/2 c hydrogen peroxide
1/2 c water
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops melaleuca essential oil
Everything in this mixture (except the water) has disinfectant properties. Use as you would a chlorine bleach spray. This is very much like bleach so don’t get it on any fabrics in your bathroom or it will leave bleach like stains. If you are concerned about this you could substitute the hydrogen peroxide for vinegar and skip the lemon oil. Just be prepared for a vinegar-ish smell so you may want to add essential oils that you like to the mixture.
I also suggest labeling your bottles with cute labels so everyone in the house knows what these items are for and their potency. Don’t put any mixture with citrus oil in plastic bottles as the oil will dissolve the plastic and cause the container to fail over time.
Oh and aren't these bottles the BOMB?! If you love them too you can order these custom vinyl stickers from Gray Sky Matters . She is super easy to work with, has amazingly quick turnaround and can customize your order the way you want it. Check it out!
So that's it for today. Give these recipies a try and let me know what you think! Comment below!