Learn how to make a natural DIY toilet bowl cleaner in just 10 minutes, with enough for 30 cleanings – perfect for beginners and costs only $0 to $10!
If you are tired of paying for expensive toilet bowl cleaners or concerned about the often toxic chemicals they contain, make a DIY toilet bowl cleaner at home with just a few ingredients.
This natural cleaner works well in removing stains and leaves a fresh, clean smell in the bowl. Mix baking soda, white citric acid, and essential oils and store in a glass jar until needed.
When it’s time to clean, measure out some of the powdered mixture plus white vinegar into the toilet and let the fizzing action do most of the cleaning work for you. Use a toilet brush to do a bit of scrubbing to remove any lingering stains. Learn how to make DIY toilet bowl cleaner and how to use it for a sparkling bathroom.
What You’ll Need How to Make a Natural DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Equipment / Tools
- Wooden spoon
- Medium-sized glass mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Funnel
- 2 glass jars with sealable lids
- Permanent marker
- Non-metal tablespoon measuring scoop
- Ice cube tray or silicone mold (optional)
Materials
- Baking soda
- Powdered citric acid
- Disinfecting essential oil
- Distilled white vinegar, cleaning strength (20 percent)
- Labels for jars
Instructions
Step 1. Measure Dry Ingredients
In a medium-sized glass mixing bowl, measure 2 cups of baking soda. Add 1/2 cup citric acid powder. The bowl must be glass because essential oils can corrode metal bowls and stain plastic bowls permanently.
Step 2. Add Disinfecting Essential Oil
You need about 1 teaspoon of a disinfecting essential oil. Tea tree oil, orange, and lavender provide disinfecting qualities. You can choose a single oil or create your own scented blend.
Slowly add the disinfecting essential oil just a drop or two at a time. Stir well with a wooden spoon after every addition. Do not pour in the entire teaspoon at one time because it will be too difficult to distribute it smoothly.
Step 3. Store in a Glass Jar
Once the mixture is thoroughly blended, use a funnel to pour it into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Be sure to add a label so that everyone knows what’s inside and a note on how to use the cleaner. Include a non-metallic 1-tablespoon scoop or spoon.
Step 4. Fill Distilled White Vinegar Jar
The cleaning strength (20 percent) distilled white vinegar3 must be stored in a separate jar from the powder and added directly to the toilet bowl when it is time to clean.
To make cleaning time easier, pour the vinegar into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Use a permanent marker to create hash marks at 1/2 cup intervals. Label the jar.
Remember: If you cannot find the cleaning strength distilled white vinegar, you can use regular distilled white vinegar (5 percent). However, you will need to use 2 cups of the weaker vinegar each time you clean the toilet bowl.
Making Tablets and Bombs
If you would rather make a tablet or “bomb” to be dropped into the toilet, you can alter the ingredients a bit and mix baking soda and vinegar from the start. You’ll need an ice cube tray or a silicone mold that holds about one tablespoon and will release the tablets easily.
In addition to the baking soda, citric acid, and essential oils, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar just a drop at a time. Add only enough vinegar to make the mixture damp enough to hold its shape when squeezed together in your hand.
Place the damp mixture in the ice cube tray or mold and level off. Allow the mixture to dry for at least 24 hours. Pop the tablets out of the molds and store them in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and add a label.
How to Use DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Before using the cleaner, flush the toilet to remove any tissue or waste. Add 1 tablespoon of the baking soda mixture or one baking soda cube to the water in the toilet bowl. Sprinkle some additional powder around the interior sides of the bowl.
Use a dampened toilet brush to scrub the bowl, clean under the rim, and around the water flow jets. Pour 1/2 cup of the 20 percent cleaning vinegar (or 2 cups of 5 percent distilled white vinegar) into the bowl. There will be some fizzing action as the baking soda and vinegar react.
If there is no fizzing action, your baking soda may be old or you are not using enough DIY powder for cleaning. Scrub the bowl again to remove any remaining stains. Allow the mixture to remain in the bowl for at least 15 minutes before flushing.
Tip
As a bonus, use the mixture to freshen shower and sink drains and even remove soap buildup from pipes. Add 1/2 cup of the dry baking soda mixture to the drain. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup of cleaning distilled vinegar (20 percent) or 2 cups of 5 percent regular distilled vinegar. Allow the fizzing mixture to work for at least an hour before flushing out the drain with hot water.