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Shower Door Soap Scum Remover

Lemon oil

No recipe needed here - many people use caustic cleaners or even steel wool to clean that stubborn soap scum on shower doors. But all you really need is a clean, cotton rag and a bottle of lemon oil. It cuts through that scum so easily, you don't even need to scrub - just wipe!

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Prevent Soap Scum!

Castile soap

Almost every soap, when broken down in water, will leave a scum residue as the water evaporates. But there is one soap - castile soap - that does not leave a residue. Dr. Bronner's is a good brand, but health food stores and even some grocery stores carry basic castile soap.

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Bathtub & Shower Cleaner

Baking Soda
Vinegar

Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the shower floor, or into the bathtub (you may want to close the drain). Then, pour vinegar onto the baking soda and let it bubble. Don't pour too much; you don't want to dilute the baking soda - just wet it. Let this sit for a half hour, and then lightly scrub with a cotton rag. Rinse with water. Letting this soda/vinegar mixture sit does help to remove stubborn stains from shower floors (especially those with a rough surface).

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Shiny Mirror Spray

1 cup vinegar
3 cups water
10 drops lavender oil

Keep a batch of this in a marked spray bottle - it's better than commercial window cleaners when it comes to streaking. Use a cotton rag for wiping it down (paper towels often leave tiny bits of paper and paper dust behind). And think about it - vinegar is edible, water is healthful, lavender oil promotes a sense of well-being. This stuff is actually good for you!

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Mold & Mildew Cleaner

2 cups water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/8 cup tea tree oil

Keep this mixture in a marked spray bottle - spray the shower floor with this every day to prevent mold and mildew. If it's already built up - first scrub with some baking soda/vinegar and then keep up with your Tea Tree spray daily.

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Hold on to your Cleaning Tools!

1 - 2 denture tablets

One overlooked aspect of cleaning green is holding onto your cleaning tools longer. Clean your toilet bowl brush, without getting dirty yourself, by filling its container with water and dropping in one or two denture tablets. You'll produce less "cleaning tool waste" - holding onto tools longer creates less garbage, and less consumption of natural resources.

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Bathtub/Shower Drain Deodorizer

1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon cream of tartar

Mix these dry ingredients together and sprinkle into drain. Pour a kettle-full of boiling water down the drain to activate the cleansing, removal of debris, and odor.

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Quick Toilet Fizz

1 - 2 denture tablets

Drop in an inexpensive denture tablet between cleanings to release debris and remove calcium deposits.

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