Cleaning Your Bathroom: 5 Great Tips for a Non-Toxic Clean

It’s somewhat ironic that the room that’s arguably the dirtiest one in your home is the one you use to bath and cleanse yourself and your family. In fact, the dirtiest areas of a home, and the ones with the most bacteria, are in the bathroom. Many people think you can’t kill germs unless you use harsh chemical cleaners; this isn’t true. Armed with basic tools like a toilet brush and a sponge and common household products like white vinegar, baking and borax, you can clean, disinfect and deodorize your bathroom in no time. The following is a look at some non-toxic cleaning tips for your bathroom.

• Tip one: Toilet cleaning should focus on deodorizing and disinfecting. As they are magnets for bacteria, it’s critical that you clean your toilet frequently. There are two methods, one that’s quick and easy, the other for deeper cleaning, that you can use.
1. Quick cleaning: Flush your toilet to wet the sides of the bowl, then sprinkle baking soda on them. Let it sit for a few minutes, then run vinegar down the sides of the bowl and use the toilet brush to scrub it clean. This is an effective method for getting rid of odors and stains, while eliminating bacteria.
2. Long version: Wet the sides of the bowl by flushing the toilet, sprinkle them with borax or baking soda and leave on overnight. In the morning, use a toilet brush to scrub it down and flush.

• Tip two: Mirror and window cleaning. The bathroom mirror gets dirtied with toothpaste, dust and debris, so a good cleaner goes a long way. However, you don’t need a chemical cleaner, you just need to mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray it on the glass and wipe it off. If you want to eliminate streaks, use a lint free cloth.
• Tip three: Bath tub cleaning. The bath tub often has hard water stains and caked on debris. Instead of a harsh cleaner, use borax. Wet the tub down and sprinkle it on. Let it sit for a few minutes or use a damp sponge to coat the surfaces. Then use a sponge to scrub the surfaces and rinse when done.
• If you do not have borax, you can use baking soda as it’s a great stain lifter, especially for bath tubs and tiles. If your tub needs deeper disinfection, rub it down with white vinegar and then rinse.
• Tip four: Grout cleaner. Make a paste using baking soda and water then use a toothbrush to scrub away stains.
• Tip five: Mildew fighter. Bathrooms are a prime place for mildew growth. Combat it by mixing a drop of tea tree oil with a cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray it directly on any spot where mildew seems to be forming.