Eco-Friendly All-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner Recipe
Homemade Toxin-Free Bathroom Cleaner You’ll Love
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Cleaning your bathrooms is bad enough as it is, getting a headache from the harsh chemical smells just makes it worse. That’s one of the reasons I love to make my own all-purpose bathroom cleaner, and I’m here to share the recipe with you. You’re going to love this Eco-Friendly All-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner! ✨
As a mom, I know how important it is to make our homes as safe as possible for our families. Especially when I was pregnant, I remember not being able to clean the bathrooms because I was overwhelmed by the strong chemical smells. I also realized that if these fumes made me feel lightheaded, what kind of impact could they have on my unborn baby? That was years ago when I didn’t know how easy it was to make these cleaners myself. But I wish I knew then, what I know now.
Whether you’re a mom-to-be, a busy parent, or just someone who wants a fresher, healthier home, this DIY bathroom cleaner will give you peace of mind while keeping your bathroom sparkling. Plus, it leaves your bathroom smelling clean and fresh (no more harsh chemical odors!).
I’ve found a perfect combo of cleaners for my bathrooms, that are super easy to make, save me tons of money, and can all be made completely chemical free. My must-have lineup is this All-Purpose Bathroom cleaner, which I use on all my sinks, toilets and floors (do not use on natural stone surfaces as it contains vinegar). Plus my powerful recipe for a No Scrub Shower Cleaner. These cleaners are all you need.
Why You’ll Love It
🌿 Eco-Friendly & All Natural – No need to worry about harsh fumes or chemical residue.
💸 Budget Friendly – Skip the pricey products and whip this up with affordable ingredients you may already have.
🧼 Multi-Purpose Power – This all-purpose bathroom cleaner is tough on soap scum, dirt and grease, water spots, and everyday messes.
✨ DIY Fun – Mixing up your own homemade cleaner is surprisingly easy and a little addictive (you’ll want to make more!).
🌸 Customizable Scents – Essential oils let you choose your favorite fragrance, from energizing citrus to calming lavender.
This recipe is more than just cleaning—it’s a simple way to bring eco-friendly, toxin-free living into your daily routine.
If you are feeling like you have no idea where to even start with making your own products, (like I was) check out my blog Ditch the Toxins: The Benefits of Making Your Own Cleaning and Skincare Products.
I think you will find my Getting Started Guide super helpful as well! I’ve created an easy to follow cheat sheet with the only ingredients you need for getting started. It also includes the first 4 recipes I started with, and that I suggest you do too. You can replace so many commercial products in your house with just these 4 recipes. And they are perfect for beginners. You can download it for free here.
Ingredient You’ll Need
Before you mix up this powerful bathroom cleaner, let’s go over the ingredients and why each one matters. Every item plays an important role in tackling soap scum, hard water stains, mildew, and everyday buildup—keeping your shower sparkling with minimal effort.
✨ Borax
Borax is a natural mineral that’s been trusted for generations in cleaning. It helps cut through tough grime, softens hard water, and boosts the cleaning power of the other ingredients. It also works as a natural deodorizer, leaving your bathroom surfaces smelling fresh and clean.
✨ Sal Suds
Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds is a plant-based powerhouse that tackles grease, soap scum, and dirt with ease. Unlike harsh chemical detergents, it’s biodegradable, safe for the environment, and gentle enough for everyday cleaning while still being incredibly effective.
- Note: Sal Suds is made by Dr. Bronner’s, the same company that makes liquid Castile soap. While Sal Suds is also a natural, plant-based soap it is much more powerful than standard castile soap. For a even more natural, but not quite as strong cleaner, you can substitute castile soap in this recipe. You could also substitute the Sal Suds with Dawn Dish Soap if you’d like.
✨ Lemon Infused Cleaning Vinegar (no link provided because you can get it cheaper in store)
A natural powerhouse, cleaning vinegar helps dissolve hard water deposits, mineral buildup, and stubborn soap residue. It leaves glass surfaces streak-free and shiny, while also acting as a natural deodorizer for your bathroom.
- Tip: I love to infuse my vinegar with fresh lemon (or any citrus fruit) for added strength. This is great way to mask the strong smell of vinegar as well. To do this, simply add lemon peels to your vinegar bottle and let sit 1 to 4 weeks to allow for proper infusion, with longer periods resulting in a more potent aroma and color. After infusing, strain the peels from the vinegar.
✨ Distilled Water
Used as the base for the recipe. Distilled water is free from minerals that could otherwise leave behind residue or reduce the effectiveness of the cleaner. It also has a lower chance of bacteria growth in it compared to tap or filtered water. You can also substitute distilled water for boiled filter water.
✨ Lemon Essential Oil
Not only does lemon essential oil leave behind a fresh, clean scent, but it also has natural antibacterial and degreasing properties. It helps lift grime, adds extra shine, and makes your shower smell citrusy fresh.
Together, these simple but powerful ingredients create an effective, eco-friendly shower spray that makes bathroom cleaning quick and easy.
All Natural DIY Cleaner for Every Bathroom Surface
Difficulty: Easy21
Ounces5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesIngredients
2 Cups (16oz) Distilled Water
2 Tablespoons (1oz) Borax powder
1/2 Cup (4oz) Lemon Infused White Cleaning Vinegar
1 Tablespoon (0.5oz) Sal Suds
20-25 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
Directions
- In a large mason jar, heat the water and add the Borax to the hot water.
- Mix the water and Borax until it is dissolved.
- Using a funnel, add all ingredients to the mason jar.
- Place lid on the jar and shake to combine the ingredients.
- Place your spray bottle on a kitchen scale. Make sure to tare the scale so the weight shows as 0.
- Fill the spray bottle until it is full.
Notes
- This recipe makes more than the standard 16oz spray bottle. Making it in a mason jar allows you to easily store the rest until you need more.
- Since this recipe contains vinegar, it should not be used on any natural stone surface. Besides that, you can use it anywhere!
- Make sure you label your bottle! To make it easy for you, I’ve put together free printable labels for this product that you can download now. I like to print mine on this Vinyl Sticker Paper. It easily sticks right on and is waterproof.
How to Use this Product
- Shake the bottle to remix ingredients before each use.
- Apply cleaner to all bathroom surfaces needing cleaned.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes for best results.
- Wipe down with a wet micro-fiber cloth.
If you loved this recipe, don’t forget to share it with a friend and save it to Pinterest so you’ll always have it handy. And if you want more simple, natural cleaning recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter — I’ve got plenty more tips to help you keep your home fresh, clean, and toxin-free!