Doing The Dirty in the Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the more obvious hot-spots for germs and bacteria to hide out in your house.  Although some people believe that there is something to be said for allowing a certain amount of bacteria in your home, to help you build and maintain a healthy working immune system, it can easily get out of hand.  Your toilet and fixtures are particularly evil culprits, having several areas which can be difficult to get to, without the proper tools:  under the toilet rim, in and around the lid hinges, underneath and behind the toilet, in and around the fixtures, and in the tile grout and caulking. 

The first and most important thing in cleaning a bathroom the green way is to have the right tools.  By this, I mean:  a good sturdy toilet brush for getting under the rim, plenty of nice absorbent rags or good-quality paper towel, a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush, a good-quality scrubbing sponge or brush (for scratch-proof surfaces), and it doesn’t hurt to have one of those rubber squeegees that you often see in the stores for wiping the excess water off your bathtub and shower walls. It doesn’t need to be fancy; a plastic one will do just fine. Believe me, those nifty little squeegees really do save you using tons of rags or papertowel when you are drying up your bath.   Or, they help prevent water-spotting, if you opt not to dry your bath or shower walls. 

Sometimes, it pays off in the long run to fork over just a little bit more in the short run to get good quality tools.  The less often you have to replace your tools, the better. Although the dollar stores often have the right equipment in a pinch, it pays to make sure they will hold up under heavy use.  Remember: you don’t have to replace your tools, unless they are falling apart.  Usually, a simple disinfecting with some straight white vinegar will do.

In this section of my website, I’ve compiled a series of money-saving ways to clean your bathroom from top to bottom.  In order to get the most out of your cleaning, here are the things you will need from your cupboards:

White Vinegar

Baking Soda

Ammonia

Your Favourite Essential Oil (E.G: Tea Tree Oil)

Borax (sold as 20 Mule Team brand)

Lemon Juice

Liquid Castile Soap (such as original Murphy’s Oil Soap)

OR Clear Liquid Dish Soap

1. To remove water stains on your shower panels, chrome fixtures, windows and mirrors, mix together ½ cup of white vinegar, ¼ cup of baking soda and 2 litres (1/2 gallon) of water in a large bottle. You can pour some into a spray bottle, apply it liberally to your surface, and use a scrubbing sponge to wipe the area down. Use a clean rag to dry it or, for windows and mirrors especially, dry it with some crumpled up newspaper.

2. To get rid of a soap scum build up, you can apply baking soda dry or as a thick paste made with water to your surface, working it in briskly with a wet sponge or scratch-free scrubber.

3. To clean mineral deposits off of your showerhead, fill a small leak-proof bag with white vinegar, and secure it over your showerhead with a rubber band. Leave it for an hour or two, then remove the bag and wipe the head with a clean cloth. If you still have some mineral build-up left after this, repeat the process. The vinegar will dissolve the minerals, and leave your shower looking and working like new!

4. To make a cheap and easy scouring powder for your scratch-resistant tub and tiles, fill an empty parmesan cheese shaker container with baking soda, and then simply leave plain or add about 15 drops of your favourite essential oil for a pleasant smell. Work the baking soda into your surface with a scrubber until the dirt comes off, and then rinse several times with clean water, as the baking soda will leave residue. TIP: Adding tea tree oil or a citrus oil not only smells nice, but is also an excellent disinfectant.

5. Another simple cleaner, that requires a little elbow grease, is white vinegar. Simply apply some undiluted white vinegar to your sponge, and wipe down your area. This will leave your surface clean and sparkly, and the smell will dissipate as the vinegar dries. TIP: Using undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle is also an excellent daily spray for your shower, preventing it from getting dirty so quickly.

6. An effective cleaner, if more elaborate, is made by combining (in this order): 1 2/3 cups of baking soda, ½ cup of liquid castile soap (such as Murphy’s Oil Soap) or clear dish soap, 2 tbsp of white vinegar, ½ cups of water, and a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil. Store them in a squirt bottle, and make sure you shake the bottle well before you use this recipe, as some of the baking soda may settle. Simply squirt your surface, scrub it down, and rinse it well to avoid having residue left behind from the baking soda.

7. To make a pleasant smelling scouring paste, mix together ½ cup of baking soda with just enough liquid castile soap or dish soap to make a paste roughly the texture of cake icing. You can either leave it plain, with just the soap’s scent (or lack of), or you can add a few drops of your favourite essential oil. This is more for one-time use, as it will dry out if you store it for too long. Apply to your surface, scrub it in, and rinse it well after.

8. Once or twice a year, aside from the regular cleaning, your whirlpool tub will need to have it’s jets cleaned. You can do this by pouring a gallon (almost four litres) of white vinegar into a full tub of water, and allowing it to run for about a half hour. This will keep the jets from getting clogged up with soap and oils.

For further recipes, go to:  http://frugalfanny.ca/?page_id=170