When it’s time for a house deep clean, the bathroom is usually the toughest room to tackle. With so much moisture in such a small place, your bathroom may be prone to mold, soap scum and other unsightly stains. 

If you’re sick of inhaling chemical fumes every time you clean your bathroom, there’s another way.

Did you know essential oils’ unique antibacterial and antiviral properties also make them potent household cleaners? As researchers investigate essential oils, they’ve found that some are just as effective as chemical-based cleaning solutions when it comes to banishing pesky microbes. 

Whether you’re sensitive to chemicals or simply hoping to live a greener lifestyle, homemade cleaning solutions can cut down on your plastic use and keep your home clean. Not only can you learn how to use essential oils in the shower, but you can also learn how to use them to clean. In this short guide, we’ll go over 6 DIY bathroom cleaner recipes that leave your bathroom looking squeaky clean and smelling like a breath of fresh air. You can also make a homemade floor cleaner!

1. Heavy-Duty Scrub

When you tackle your bathroom, the first step is often scrubbing the tub to remove any rust stains and chase away every glimpse of mold and mildew.

Ajax and other bleach-based scrubs are popular choices for tackling grimy showers and tubs. However, bleach is hard on surfaces—and on your body. Inhaling bleach can be dangerous for the lungs, and our hands and tissues are sensitive to this substance, too. With such strong effects, it can also linger in waterways and the environment for years to come.

Luckily, essential oils can provide a natural alternative.

Bitter Orange is one of our favorite allies for tackling tough cleaning jobs. Why is Orange so effective in a natural and homemade bathroom cleaner recipe?

• Citrus essential oils are rich in an antibacterial compound called limonene. Some studies demonstrate that limonene is even effective against common bacteria.

• Bitter Orange essential oil also has antifungal properties. These have made it the subject of a clinical study for use as a food preservative. 

It’s easy to blend Orange with powerfully antibacterial lemon and abrasive Borax to create an effective scrub.

Combine the following in a glass container:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/4 cup Borax powder

• 30 drops Orange- Bitter 

Apply the mixture to a tub or shower and let sit for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing with a scouring pad.

2. Tile & Grout Cleaner

When cleaning your bathroom, grout is one of the trickiest materials to tackle. There’s nothing that can mar a tile floor more than gray or brown grout, yet you don’t want to damage or scratch the surrounding tile with an overly abrasive shower cleaner.

To get your grout gleaming white, create a mild abrasive with antibacterial Tea Tree and Lavender essential oil. 

Lavender is one of our favorite do-it-all oils, while Tea Tree is well known for its array of antiviral and antifungal properties, ensuring your floors get and stay squeaky-clean.

Try out the following essential oil bathroom cleaner recipe for grout:

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp salt

• 2 tbsp castile soap

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 25 drops Lavender

• 25 drops Tea Tree

Keep in mind that baking soda will produce a chemical reaction when mixed with vinegar. Be sure to put this in a glass container with extra headroom—a pint-sized mason jar provides just enough space.

If you don’t use all the homemade cleaner in one go, store it in the fridge to keep fresh for up to one or two weeks.

3. Glass & Mirror Spray

Can you really achieve streak-free shine with a homemade glass and mirror spray or cleaning product?

Yes! 

The key is using distilled water and distilled white vinegar, which are free from the impurities and minerals you’ll find in their conventional counterparts.

To cover up the potent smell, we suggest adding a few drops of an uplifting, antibacterial essential oil. Our choice, in this case, is Simply Citrus synergy blend which combines bright Mandarin, Grapefruit and Tangerine with refreshing Spearmint for an invigorating, crisp aroma.

To create this homemade cleaner/spray, combine the following ingredients in a glass spray bottle: 

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

• 1/4 cup 190-proof alcohol

• 1/4 cup distilled water

• 50 drops  Simply Citrus

Spritz on any glass surface and wipe off with paper towels or a microfiber cloth.

4. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

If your toilet bowl isn’t a bright, crisp white, your bathroom just won’t look clean.

While harsh chemicals bleach often plays a helping hand in disinfecting the john, natural ingredients can get the job done and leave your toilet with a pleasant aroma to boot.

Our favorite recipe is a mild abrasive that includes Peppermint essential oil. Like the other oils on this list, Peppermint is well-known for its range of antimicrobial properties. That along with its undeniably fresh aroma make it the best match for microbes and resistant stains.

Combine the following in a mason jar or glass container:

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 30 drops Peppermint 

Again, make sure your jar is large enough to make room for the chemical reaction between basic baking soda and acidic vinegar.

Once the mixture settles down, pour into your toilet and scrub with a toilet brush until it’s sparkling clean. 

5. Sink & Surface Cleaner

After you’ve done the heavy-duty bathroom cleaning, it’s time to wipe down the remaining surfaces including the sink.

For this, we recommend a gentle all-purpose cleaner that harnesses antimicrobial lemon juice and vinegar. Boost its potency even further with the added effects of our Immunity synergy blend. 

In Immunity, antibacterial Orange, Lemon and Eucalyptus combine with refreshing Rosemary and inspiring Frankincense to create an aroma that fights microbes while uplifting your mood, making it the perfect choice for the bathroom.

To make this spray, combine the following in a glass spray bottle:

• 1/4 cup distilled water

• 1/4 cup 190-proof alcohol

• 1 oz white vinegar

• 1 oz lemon juice

• 60 drops  Immunity synergy blend

Spray and wipe with paper towels or cleaning rags.

6. Shower Spray

Once you’ve crafted all the ingredients and deep-cleaned your bathroom, you’ll probably wonder what you can do to  maintain this level of freshness. After all, cleaning a little each day makes it easier to avoid intense scrubbing the next time around!

One of our favorite and unique ways to use essential oils is in the shower. Whether you’re using them in body wash or diffusing them, they can help keep your bathroom air fresh and clean.

You can also double up on their beneficial effects by creating a shower spray to spritz generously after every shower or bath.

You won’t be surprised to see some of our favorite oils in this recipe: limonene-rich Lemon and Eucalyptus, which has a similar profile to Tea Tree essential oil.

Add the following ingredients to a glass bottle:

• 1/4 cups distilled water

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 1/4 cup 190-proof alcohol

• 60 drops Lemon Eucalyptus 

Then, thoroughly spray the tub and shower curtain after each shower or bath for a homemade bathroom cleaner that only takes a few moments each day.

Diffuse To Keep The Air Fresh

Beyond cleaning, we also recommend diffusing essential oils in your bathroom to improve the air quality and keep the room feeling as bright as possible.

All the above-mentioned oils have crisp, refreshing aromas that can make your regular bathroom feel like a spa. 

Want a different aroma profile? We also recommend the following oils:

• Purify synergy blend – Lemongrass gives this citrus-forward aroma a slightly more herbaceous, balmy note

• Patchouli – If you want a break from crisp, refreshing citrus aromas, try out smoky and earthy Patchouli

Clean Essential Oils For A Clean Home

At Edens Garden, we draw on traditional aromatherapy and modern science to create beneficial essential oils blends.

Each blend’s potency depends on the component oils’ integrity. That’s why we third-party test our essential oils to make sure they’re clear of additives, pesticides and synthetics.

Are you excited to buy cleansing essential oils to incorporate into your cleaning routine? Create your own essential oil set of three, six, twelve, twenty-four or forty-eight and start experimenting with your own signature blends today.

Sources:

1. Tam, May Nar. “A comparison on the disinfecting effect of patchouli essential oil and Clorox(R) for gram positive and gram negative bacteria.” 2008. Hong Kong Polytechnic University MsC dissertation. https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/4814

2. Onyeagba, R.A. et al “Studies on the antimicrobial effects of garlic (Allium sativum Linn), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia Linn).” African Journal of Biotechnology 3.10 (2004). https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/15016

3. Viuda-Martos, M. et al. “Antifungal activity of lemon, lime, mandarin, and grapefruit essential oils.” Food Control 19.2 (2008). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713507002629

4. Carson, Christine, K. A. Hammer, and T. V. Riley. “Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil: a Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties.” Clinical Microbiology Reviews 19.1 (2006): 50-62. https://cmr.asm.org/content/19/1/50.short#sec-17

5. Siegle, Lucy. “Do I Have To Give Up Bleach to Go Green?” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/aug/12/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth