How to Make Your Own DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner

 

When it comes to something as icky and grimy as your toilet, reaching for the strongest cleaning product you have seems to make the most sense. Most people assume that the best way to completely clean a toilet bowl is with a chemical cleaning product.

 

After all, these products smell clean and leave the bowl sparkling. However, after you learn how to make your own DIY toilet bowl cleaner, you’ll see that there are equally effective and safer options available.

Why Use a DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner?

 

To understand why chemical toilet bowl cleaners aren’t the best options for your home, you simply need to read the product labels. By doing so, you’ll see a laundry list of warnings and hazards. These products shouldn’t come in contact with your skin, eyes, respiratory tract or other areas. They aren’t safe around kids or pets.

 

 

While you won’t see an environmental warning on the products, the chemicals that you flush down the toilet are also bad for the world we live in. There are several DIY cleaner recipes available that will do a great job eliminating germs, stains and odors, and they don’t come with the same risks as most store-bought cleaning products.

 

DIY Toilet Cleaner Recipes

 

DIY toilet cleaners are made using staples that you may already have in your home. The ingredients include baking soda, vinegar, lemon, borax, hydrogen peroxide and essential oils. These are the same staples that can be used to clean other areas of your home.

 

Baking Soda & Vinegar Method: Simple Fizzing Action for Cleaning

 

Baking soda is a natural whitening agent that can lift stains from your dirty toilet boil. It is also a powerful odor remover. Distilled white vinegar is an acidic agent that has disinfecting properties. When baking soda and vinegar mix, they create a chemical reaction that elevates their cleaning power.

 

 

To make baking soda and vinegar fizzing tabs, mix a quarter-cup of citric acid or lemon juice and a cup of baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl, mix a half teaspoon of white vinegar and a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

 

Very slowly, pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Pour the pasty mixture into a silicone ice cube tray. After several hours, the blocks will be hard and dry. You can then wrap them in an airtight container and use as needed.

 

Lemon & Baking Soda Paste: Natural Stain Remover

 

Both baking soda and lemon juice have whitening properties, so they work perfectly together to remove tough stains. Plus, this powerful, natural paste fights odors and leaves a fresh, citrusy scent.

 

 

Combine enough lemon juice and baking soda to make a thick paste. Using rubber gloves and a toilet scrubber, scrub the inside of the toilet bowl with the paste. Don’t forget to tackle the lip underneath the rim of the bowl.

 

Borax and Vinegar Cleaner: For Tougher Stains & Hard Water

 

Borax is commonly used to clean tough stains, and it also has deodorizing and whitening properties. Vinegar’s acidic properties are effective at breaking down and removing hard water stains. Together, borax and vinegar make a powerful toilet bowl cleaner.

 

 

To clean with borax and vinegar, start by pouring a quarter-cup of borax directly into the toilet bowl. Then, add two cups of vinegar. Scrub the bowl using your toilet scrubber. Then, wait for roughly 30 minutes. Scrub again, and then flush the toilet to clear out the bowl.

 

Essential Oil Boost: Adding Fragrance & Antibacterial Properties

 

Essential oils are often added to homemade cleaning products for their fragrant properties. However, some essential oils also have additional benefits that give you a deeper clean.

 

For example, tea tree oil has disinfectant properties. Lemon oil, peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil offer antiviral and antibacterial benefits. These essential oils have fragrances that many people find pleasant, and you can also combine them with other scents for a bouquet effect. Other popular essential oils are lavender, orange and lime.

 

Storage and Shelf Life of Your DIY Cleaner

 

It’s best to make smaller batches of the toilet cleaning tablets. These generally should be used within three months of making them for maximum cleaning power. If you’re using a baking soda paste, prepare the mixture immediately before cleaning with it.

 

This only takes a few minutes today, and you can use the same paste to clean the sinks, tubs and some types of counters. Essential oils continue to be potent for one to three years, depending on the oil type.

 

Tips to Keep Your Toilet Sparkling Naturally

 

Nobody wants to see or smell a filthy toilet, but cleaning it probably isn’t your favorite chore either.

 

 

Use these tips to keep your toilet clean for longer periods of time:

• Shut the lid before flushing the toilet. This keeps toilet germs from becoming airborne.
• Wipe down the exterior of the toilet daily with a cleaning wipe.
• Flush after each use. The toilet turns into a breeding ground for germs when waste sits, and stains are more problematic as well.
• Give your toilet a quick clean every week. This allows you to go longer between deep cleanings.
• When deep cleaning, remember to clean the tank as well.

 

You don’t have to make your own cleaning products from scratch to enjoy the full benefits of a healthy, green clean. At Cleanzen, every service completed by our experienced house cleaners Boston is done with green cleaning products. While we never use chemical-based cleaners, we always leave our customers’ homes spotless. Learn more about our green cleaning services today.

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