Bathroom Cleaning Essentials, DIY

Hi again! It's a rainy day outside today and I have no excuses not to deep clean my bathrooms. I have many tips on bathroom cleaning, but for starters I would like to introduce you to three of my favorite DIY Bathroom Cleaners. 

 

Glass Cleaner

This is by far the BEST DIY Glass Cleaner. Forget the Vinegar. Use Alcohol! For this cleaner you will need:

32 Ounce Spray Bottle

4 Ounces Rubbing Alcohol

1 Ounce Lemon Ammonia

1 Drop Clothing Detergent

2-4 Drops Lemongrass Essential Oil

Water

Measure all ingredients except water and add to a clean, empty 32 Ounce Spray Bottle. Some DIYers have beautiful bottles and labels. Feel free to make those if that makes you happy. Clean makes me happy and I'm not fussy about the bottles so forgive me if mine are not pretty! 

Add Water to the Bottle to the 32 Ounce Fill Line. I should add here that the lemon scents are not necessary. If you prefer a different scent use regular ammonia and the essential oil of your choice. I do recommend scenting most of your cleaners with the same scent so your house has one over-all 'clean' smell. Having said that, I plan to break those rules with the next two cleaners. 

Cap it, give it a gentle shake and you are done! This cleaner takes a tad bit longer to dry than store bought but it is streak free, fabulous and frugal! I keep the ingredients on hand for re-fills when needed. 

Anti-Mold Spray

Ah, the shower. My favorite place to be in the bathroom and the hardest to keep clean. First and foremost, I recommend buying a squeegee and using it on the walls and floor every time you shower. Trust me, those few moments spent before you step out to dry off will save you loads of elbow grease in the future. If your shower is like mine, no matter how often you clean it may be prone to mold/mildew in the grout where the walls meet the floor. Enter the Anti-Mold cleaner. This can be used anywhere in the home, but I like to use it a couple of times a week in my shower to prevent any grossness. To DIY this cleaner you will need:

32 Ounce Spray Bottle

16 Ounces Cleaning Vinegar

100 Drops Tea Tree Oil

Water

 

Combine the first two ingredients in the bottle or in a measuring cup. I'm using my handy-dandy funnel from The Pampered Chef for this task. You can get your own set from my friend Melissa - you'll use them for everything! 

http://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/melissawedman/shop/Cook%27s+Tools/Flexible+Funnels/1746

Add water to the 32 Ounce Fill Line, cap it and shake gently before each use. Spray directly on the areas effected and leave it. The scent is strong, but it will dissipate after a few hours. Personally, I think Tea Tree oil smells like a spa, so the scent doesn't bother me. On that note - this is not a recipe that you can substitute the oil for another scent. The Tea Tree Oil is an active ingredient that works with the vinegar to clean and sanitize.

Before-You-Go Spray

We all go, we might as well make the bathroom smell better when we do! Spray this directly into the bowl before you go to the bathroom to eliminate bathroom odors before they start. If you have a guest bath this might be the time to splurge on a pretty glass bottle and print a label with instructions. This bottle is for my personal bathroom so it's a simple plastic 3 ounce bottle that I found in the travel toiletries section of my local big box store. To make this spray you will need:

1 Teaspoon Rubbing Alcohol

40 Drops of Essential or Soapmaking Oil

Water

Combine all ingredients into the bottle. You will need to shake this before every use. I used a cinnamon Soapmaking oil but you can use anything you like. I've thought about getting creative and combining oils for a blended scent. I love this one because it is so affordable and I don't have to find the leading brand somewhere in a boutique. 

So here they are - all together and ready to conquer my bathroom alongside my DIY Multi-Purpose Cleaner (see my previous posts) and Carpet Cleaner turned tile brightener (to be featured in a future post!). Happy Cleaning!