A Natural Clean

I was not a believer in natural cleaners. In all honesty, I was resistant of the change. It just didn’t seem possible to me to get the sparkly clean that I wanted from only natural ingredients. 

I like cleaning. I love the way you feel in a spotless, fresh home. And my house being dirty is definitely one of my anxiety triggers. So, the first time I cleaned my bathroom this way, I won’t lie, I had my normal cleaning products handy just in case. But, I no longer need to buy a different product for every surface of my house, all in a plastic container with ingredients I can’t read. 

To get a sparkly clean bathroom, I used just four ingredients and a couple reusable cloths. And, all the items last for a very long time, and are cheap. Here is how you can do it too!

The only ingredients that I used are WATER, BAKING SODA, VINEGAR, and LIME OR LEMON.

To make it even better, I used reusable cleaning cloths and scrubbers. I used the kitchen scrubber and the streak-free glass duo cloths from the brand E-Cloth. I know there are other brands that also work, but I got these for Christmas from my mom. They work well, and did not come in any plastic packaging. I also have a bamboo toilet brush, but I recommend using whatever toilet brush you have already. If you currently use a plastic toilet brush, don’t stress yourself to throw it out and get something new. At some point, you will get rid of that item. When that time comes, then replace it with a plastic-free option. However, if you are able and want to buy a bamboo brush, go for it! For example, I wipe my glass shower doors with a plastic squeegee when cleaning and after showers. It keeps them spotless and allows me to clean much less often. I have had it for a long time and don’t plan on getting rid of it. I would love to have a plastic free squeegee, but I don’t believe in throwing away something that works well simply for a perfect image. This is a point I will be iterating more. Not everyone’s waste journey is the same. I’m so happy that you want to make changes, that is what is important.

Easy steps to a SPARKLY CLEAN bathroom:

Step One:  Wet the surface (tub, sink, toilet) with some warm water.

Step Two:  Cover the surface with baking soda.

Step Three:  Scrub the baking soda into the surface with a cloth or scrubbing brush. Sprinkle the surface with lemon or lime juice prior to scrubbing. This is optional, but I think it adds extra fresh scent and shine.

Step Four:  Wet your cleaning cloth with vinegar and scrub into the baking soda, giving extra scrubbing attention to scum or mildew areas. Enjoy the fizzy action of Science.

Step Five: Rinse the surface with warm water.

Step Six:  Repeat for all the bathroom surfaces, drying them if needed with a towel. I have glass shower doors, and this process also works great on them. 

Mirrors/Glass:  Wet the streak-free window cloth (blue) with water and wipe your mirror. Dry the mirror with the second streak-free cloth (green).

And that’s it. A beautiful, clean bathroom achieved with all-natural ingredients. And with some extra preparation, this can even be zero waste! Along with the reusable cleaning cloths, find a co-op to refill your vinegar and baking soda. In LA, I go to Sustain LA for refills of these products.

I would love to hear about your own natural cleaning processes! And comment if you have questions or difficulty. We are all in this together. Enjoy!