One thing that is so helpful about homemade cleaners is that many of them use the same base ingredients. This means I can purchase things like baking soda, essential oils, and vinegar and utilize them in multiple ways around my home. Plus this aids in making DIY home products extremely affordable!
I use this Natural All Purpose Cleaner for nearly every surface in my home, including the bathroom sink, outside of the toilet, and shower. I thoroughly enjoy the peace of mind that a non-toxic cleaner gives me and my family. The only area of the bathroom that I didn’t have a natural cleaning option for was the toilet bowl, so I grabbed the basic ingredients that I already had in the pantry and began testing recipes.
Interested in adding a homemade toilet bowl cleaner to your supply of natural cleaning products? Continue reading below for the non-toxic recipe that is filled with basic ingredients that you probably already own! Inexpensive, simple, and quick…what’s not to love? Oh yeah, and the cleaning results are pretty great too. You’ll find lists of needed supplies, instructions, information on each ingredient, and tips for properly using this cleaner. I’ve even listed a few other DIY cleaners at the very end of this post. Enjoy!
Why I Use Natural Cleaners in My Home
- Peace of mind. I want to know exactly what the ingredients are that I use in my home. This cleaner consists of basic items that are safe for every member of the family. Say good-bye to those long lists of ingredients that no one knows how to pronounce (much less know what they are).
- Toxicity. Conventional products contain some extremely harsh chemicals. The kinds that you don’t want your children messing with. If our children shouldn’t touch them…why is it “OK” to spray them all over the surfaces of the home?
- Cost. This cleaner costs so much less to make than purchasing a cleaner from the grocery store.
What You’ll Need
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- 25 drops of essential oils (optional)
- Toilet bowl brush
Instructions
- Sprinkle the the toilet bowl with baking soda. A thin and even layer should be enough.
- Pour about a cup of vinegar on the baking soda layer.
- Add 10-20 drops of essential oils to the bowl (optional).
- Allow the mixture to work its magic for about 5 minutes before cleaning away.
- Scrub with a toilet brush and that’s that!
The Function of Each Ingredient
Baking Soda
Baking soda works to dissolve organic compounds (aka grime). This powder also provides a gentle abrasion to the cleaner without leaving any harsh scratches behind.
Vinegar
This highly acidic liquid is fantastic for breaking down minerals that form from hard tap water. It’ll rid sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets of unsightly water lines.
Essential Oil
There are a few functions of essential oils in cleaners: fragrance, antibacterial, and cleansing properties.
As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to use tea tree and lemon essential oils for my toilet bowl cleaner because citrus oils cut through tough grime and tea tree is antibacterial!
Other options are lime, lavender, rosemary, peppermint, clove, cinnamon, and more.
Just add 20-25 total drops of essential oils to your cleaner.
Can I Make a Large Batch of This Cleaner?
Unfortunately, no. The effective relationship between the vinegar and baking soda would be lost in a large batch that sits before being used. You want the two ingredients to meet for the very first time when cleaning the bowl.
More Natural Home Products
- Stain Remover for Carpets
- DIY Non-Toxic Dusting Spray
- All Natural Linen Spray
- DIY All Purpose House Cleaner