Cleaning the bathroom without chemicals: Tips for a clean bathroom
Which cleaning products are best for the bathroom?
Shiny tiles, a crystal-clear mirror and a fresh fragrance: A clean bathroom feels wonderfully inviting. Regular cleaning is important to ensure your bathroom feels inviting and relaxing – but what cleaning products should you use? Do you always need to buy a special cleaner – or are there other options? After all, there are some good reasons not to use chemical cleaners in the bathroom:
- Material: Sensitive surfaces are particularly vulnerable to chemical cleaning products – due to corrosive ingredients or abrasive particles which can scratch sensitive tiles or shower trays.
- Costs: Many manufactured cleaning products are relatively expensive.
- Health: Chlorine cleaning products, in particular, as well as other chemical cleaning agents, can emit harmful gases or irritate skin, eyes or airways.
- Environment: Aggressive cleaning products are harmful for groundwater. Purchasing these cleaners also often results in a lot of plastic waste.
Luckily, you don’t need to buy aggressive cleaning products to make your bathroom gleam. Natural cleaners and simple everyday products are usually just as effective, far more environmentally friendly and good news for your budget too. Read on to find out the best methods to quickly clean your bathroom – with no chemicals whatsoever!
How can I clean the tiles in my bathroom?
The toilet, washbasin and bath are part of our regular cleaning routines – but tiles can often be overlooked. A smooth tiled limescale-free surface is not just important for bathroom hygiene – it also helps to prevent the formation of mould. Damp limescale stains provide an ideal environment for mould to thrive. So it’s important to clean tiles regularly. This will keep them looking beautifully shiny and protect them from mould. Everyday products such as vinegar acid and curd soap are ideal for cleaning tiles. Follow these two steps:
- Descaling tiles: Acids are very effective for treating limescale stains – and usually readily available in the home. Vinegar or citric acid are excellent for cleaning tiles. Add a splash of vinegar to some water to make your tiles gleam again and remove any traces of limescale. For very sensitive materials, try the mixture out first in an inconspicuous place. The same applies for joints: Take care when using acids – they can attack the joint material.
- Removing dirt from tiles: Surfactants are useful for removing oily residue from tiles. Everyday washing-up liquid is all you need. If you don’t have any washing-up liquid handy, shampoo or shower gels also contain effective surfactants. Add some of the surfactant cleaner to lukewarm water to thoroughly clean your tiles. Don’t forget to rinse the tiles with clean water afterwards. After cleaning, dry the tiles to prevent any new limescale stains.
How can I make my shower tray gleam again?
If rainwater is used for sanitary water, no tap water is required to flush the toilet. As there is no limescale in rainwater, this also prevents the formation of urine scale in the toilet. You can also stop urine scale in its tracks by cleaning your toilet regularly and removing limescale.
You can also easily clean your bath and shower tray without chemicals. Many sensitive materials could even be damaged by aggressive chemical cleaners or scouring agents. For a gentler solution, use a mild all-purpose cleaner, washing-up liquid or soft soap to remove stains and soap residue from the shower tray. For limescale, use everyday acidic products, such as vinegar essence or citric acid, diluted with water.
Simply pour some vinegar, diluted vinegar essence or citric acid onto a sponge and rub carefully over stains. For stubborn limescale, leave the vinegar essence to work for a few minutes and then rinse with water. Caution: Do not use any scouring agents or metal sponges as these could scratch the material. Damaged areas on the surface of the shower tray will then make it easier for dirt and limescale to adhere more strongly.
When you clean your shower tray, make sure you clean the drain too. You don’t need chemicals for this either: Just sprinkle three spoonfuls of baking powder into the drain and then pour in around half a cup of vinegar or diluted vinegar essence. When these products come into contact in the drain, a chemical reaction occurs including lots of fizzing and hissing. Leave the vinegar and natron to work for a few minutes and then rinse with hot water. Repeat the process if required.
To prevent the formation of unsightly stains on the shower tray and blocked drains: Wipe off water droplets after showering and then dry the shower with a towel. This will prevent the formation of limescale. The best way to protect the drain is to use a drain strainer. This will collect hairs and other residue that can quickly create an obstacle in the drain.
How can I make my own cleaning products?
In general, vinegar essence, citric acid, baking powder and curd soap are practically all you need to clean your home. These are usually considerably cheaper and more economical to use than special chemical cleaners. You can use everyday products to make your own gentle but effective pleasantly scented all-purpose cleaner. For example, baking powder, curd soap and citric acid are excellent for cleaning. To give your home-made bathroom cleaner a fresh fragrance, you can add a few drops of an essential oil such as orange oil, lemon oil or fresh mint oil.
To make the cleaning product:
- Grate a little curd soap – approximately a teaspoon – into a bowl with around 250 ml of warm water.
- Whisk the mixture thoroughly using a whisk or a fork.
- Leave it to cool slightly then add a teaspoon of baking powder and a few squirts of lemon juice or citric acid.
- Mix it all together thoroughly, wait until the mixture is cold and then pour it into an empty spray bottle.
These home-made chemical-free cleaners are ideal for all-purpose use – for example, for cleaning tiles, mirrors or washbasins. What’s more, You don’t constantly need to buy cleaning cloths either! An old item of cotton clothing, for example a T-shirt or sweatshirt, is ideal. Simply cut a large piece into smaller sections and use these as cleaning cloths. For thorough cleaning while protecting the environment.