Looking to make an inexpensive, homemade bathroom cleaner spray without toxic chemicals? This blog is for you! No more buying multiple products to clean the bathroom. Here’s how to make the best bathroom cleaner with just 3 ingredients and 2 minutes!
Simply whisk together baking soda, castile soap, and water for a simple and effective DIY cleaning spray that can be used on all bathroom surfaces.
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In this blog, I’m outlining the exact steps to make the best all-purpose bathroom cleaner.
The Story Behind This Recipe…
- In 2014, I took the kids to a birthday party. The true highlight of the party was more than just a piece of cake or presents; it was the mom’s therapy.
- Each mom shamelessly chatted about the pile of dishes on the kitchen countertop at home and the never-ending laundry pile. There were moments of laughter about potty training and home messes—therapy at its finest.
- One topic we discussed was how hard it is to keep a bathroom clean with little kids at home. Boy, did this resonate with me!
- Since having children, we’ve made drastic changes to our lifestyle. Gone are the days of freezer pop-tarts and Tide laundry soap (trust me, that was a hard habit to quit.)
- As a family, we’ve embraced real food and natural cleaning, but under one condition: homemade alternatives must be more effective (or better tasting and satisfying in the case of food) than the toxic alternatives.
- This quest has led me to homemade scrub cleaner, homemade laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, and so much more. It’s been freeing.
- So what’s a mom to do with a forever changed bathroom and the need for an effective homemade bathroom cleaner? Experiment, of course!
- After much experimenting, I created an all-in-one homemade bathroom cleaner that’s simple and effective. A cleaner that works so effectively, I must share for the sake of all the parents out there!
- Think of this cleaner as bathroom therapy and mess relief in a little homemade bottle. Over the years, many people have made and loved this cleaner. I hope you will, too!
Key Takeaways
- All-Purpose Cleaner – This cleaning spray is an all-in-one product, because it literally does it all! It’s one of the best homemade bathroom cleaners for this reason.
- Simple Ingredients – All you need is a few natural ingredients: castile soap, baking soda, water, and (optional) essential oils.
- Shelf Life – If you use distilled water (found in any grocery store), this recipe will last for up to 1 month.
Before You Get Started: Ingredients & Tools
- 2 tablespoons Liquid Castile Soap
- 1 tablespoon Baking Soda
- 2 cups Warm Water – Distilled water is the best option for safety reasons, which you’ll find at any grocery store.
- 30 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil (Optional for extra cleaning power)
- 20 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Optional, or use your favorite essential oil for scent)
- 16-ounce Spray Bottle
Ingredient 1: Liquid Castile Soap
- Ancient & Natural – Castile soap is a plant-based soap made from vegetable oils (olive, coconut, palm) and plant oils. It’s been around since the 11th century and was first made in the Aleppo of the Levant region (modern-day Syria). The Crusaders learned about this soap, which was eventually brought to Europe and spread worldwide. Today, find it in most grocery stores.What is castile soap?
- Multiple Uses – Castile soap is versatile (you can use it to make multiple DIY cleaners and body products), inexpensive, and completely natural.
- Incredible Cleaning Power – Castile soap quickly picks up dirt, bacteria, and cleans grime from surfaces. It doesn’t kill bacteria, but it does easily lift and remove bacteria from surfaces. Antibacterial products, on the other hand, are designed to kill bacteria (not lift and remove the bacteria from the surface, as soap does).
- Learn More: 7 castile soap cleaning recipes & 24 castile soap uses for body and cleaning.
Ingredient 2: Baking Soda
- Underrated – Baking soda is a cheap, powerful, underrated cleaning ingredient.
- Incredible Cleaning Power – It cleans, deodorizes, and lifts odors, brightens and removes stains and soap scum, and freshens.
- Many Cleaning Uses – When used in the bathroom, baking soda is a deodorizer to lift stains and smells trapped on bathroom surfaces (and we all know how sticky a bathroom can get!). Also use baking soda to clean a toilet, remove stubborn dirt and grease, and lift odors.
- Learn More: 19 Frugal Cleaning Hacks With Baking Soda
Ingredient 3: Warm Water
- Dissolves Baking Soda – Baking soda needs warm water to dissolve and make a spray cleaner.
- Distilled Water is Best – Tap water may contain pathogens that quickly grow in a water-based solution. For this reason, it’s always best to use distilled water, which has been heated to such a degree that the process kills bacteria and limits the ability for bacteria to grow in your homemade cleaning product. Distilled water also doesn’t contain any minerals, so it won’t leave behind mineral deposit spots on surfaces.
- How to Find Distilled Water- You can buy a gallon of distilled water at any grocery store.
- Learn More: How to Safely Make Homemade Cleaners
Ingredient 4: Essential Oils
- Cleaning Properties – Tea tree and orange essential oils are added to this recipe for their cleaning properties.
- Optional – If you don’t have essential oils on hand, or don’t want to buy essential oils, you can skip them.
- Unscented Option – If you skip the oils, the cleaner won’t have any scent (unless you use scented castile soap).
- Use Your Favorite Essential Oils – You could also use other essential oils, like lavender essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, peppermint essential oil, or eucalyptus essential oil.
- Learn More: Natural Cleaning with Essential Oils 101
Tool: 16-Ounce Spray Bottle
- Use any leftover 16-ounce spray bottle to make and store this recipe. If the spray bottle was previously used for a different cleaner, make sure it’s been thoroughly rinsed to avoid any chemical combinations with the previous cleaner.
- I’ve been using glass spray bottles from Amazon (this brand) for years. You can also make your own spray bottle with a leftover vinegar bottle and spray nozzle.
How to Make Homemade Bathroom Cleaner: Step By Step Guide
Making this recipe is super easy. It only takes 2-5 minutes. As soon as you make the spray, it’s ready to be used.
- Step 1 Add Warm Water and Baking Soda – Pour the warm water (heat the water in the microwave or on the stove-top until warm) into the spray bottle, followed by the baking soda. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients.
- Step 2 Add Castile Soap and Essential Oils & Shake – Add 2 tablespoons of castile soap and essential oils, gently shaking the bottle to combine the ingredients.
How to Use
This spray truly does it all! The simple ingredients clean up dirt, grease, odors, or mystery liquids that may be lurking inside your bathroom. Here’s where and how to use this cleaner…
- tub (I also love this tub scrub)
- shower
- tile
- grout
- toilet (and I love this toilet bowl cleaner)
- sink
- bathroom fixtures (faucet, shower head, etc.)
- tile floors
- This cleaner also works wonderfully as a stain remover for carpets and rugs! Spray on the stain, then wipe clean. I also love this stain remover spray.
To Clean Surfaces – Shake the bottle before using. Spray the surface, allow the solution to rest for a minute, then wipe with a damp cloth. Rinse the cloth as needed, and wipe the surface with the damp cloth until clean.
How to Store
- 1 Month – Since this product contains water, natural ingredients, and no preservatives, it’s best to store this product for only a few weeks (up to 1 month if using distilled water).
- Use Your Senses – If the cleaner ever smells off, has black spots or fuzzy growth, toss the cleaner and make a new batch. I’ve never had this happen, but it’s worth mentioning just for safety reasons.
What to Avoid Doing
- Vinegar & Baking Soda – Never add vinegar to this recipe. Vinegar and baking soda cancel each other and will result in an ineffective product. Learn more about this reaction.
- Use Tap Water – Tap water may contain pathogens that quickly grow in a water-based solution. Distilled water is always the safety option for homemade cleaner. Learn about homemade cleaners and safety.
- Use Hard Water – When hard water (from the tap) and castile mix together, the end result is a film left on surfaces. While this isn’t harmful or permanent, it is annoying. To avoid this, use distilled water.
- Use Room Temperature Water – The baking soda needs to be mixed with warm water to properly dissolve. Warm the water in the microwave or stove-top before adding to the mixture. If you’re concerned about the glass spray bottle breaking (or if using a plastic spray bottle), dissolve the water and baking soda in a separate bowl, then add to the spray bottle of choice once it cools.
How to Prevent Common Recipe Problems
- Hard Water & Castile Soap – Some folks find castile soap leaves behind a cloudy surface film, like a white residue. This issue is caused by the castile soap interacting with hard water, and the surface may need to be wiped down a few times with a damp washcloth. Another way to avoid this issue is to use distilled water. Or, switch over to an All-Purpose Spray with Vinegar.
- Baking Soda Clogging The Spray Bottle – Use warm enough water to dissolve the baking soda. This solution should prevent the spray bottle nozzle from clogging. I’ve had great success with these bottles over the years.
- Separation & Settling – This recipe is a natural product, so expect some settling and separation. Shake the bottle between uses.
FAQs
- I had problems with the baking soda clogging up my sprayers and ruining them. Any suggestions? Try dissolving the baking soda with really hot water first, then adding the solution to the spray bottle. This should prevent such an issue. Another option is to use less baking soda.
- Could I use different dish detergent than castile soap for bathroom cleaning? Yes, you can use any natural dish soap or your favorite dish soap instead of the castile soap.
- Could you please write a recipe for natural daily shower spray? My favorite option is vinegar mixed with about 30-60 drops of tea tree essential oil for the mold. Combine the two ingredients in a spray bottle. This recipe is found in my Natural Cleaning Course.
- Would it be alright to substitute grapefruit essential oil instead of the orange in the bathroom cleaner recipe? Yes, you can use any essential oil. If you have pets or children at home, do you research on the safest options (many essential oils can’t be used around cats or small children).
All-In-One Homemade Bathroom Cleaner Recipe
You can easily make an inexpensive, homemade bathroom cleaner spray, without toxic chemicals, that is super powerful. No more buying multiple products to clean the bathroom; instead, you can whisk together baking soda, castile soap, and water for a simple, effective, multi-use DIY cleaning spray that can be used on the bathroom vanity, fixtures, tubs, sinks, tile, and around toilets.
Cost: $2
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water distilled water is best
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons castile soap
- 30 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)
- 20 drops sweet orange essential oil (optional, or your favorite essential oil for scent)
Instructions
- Warm the water in the microwave or on the stove-top.
- Pour the warm water into the bottle, followed by the baking soda. If you're concerned about the glass spray bottle breaking (or if using a plastic spray bottle), dissolve the water and baking soda in a separate bowl, then add to the spray bottle of choice once it cools.
- Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients. Add the castile soap and essential oils, gently shaking the bottle to combine.
How to Use:
- Use this spray to clean the tub, tile, toilet, sink, and even floor (particularly around the toilet.) Spray the surface, allow the cleaner to sit for a minute, then wipe with a damp cloth. Rinse the cloth as needed.
Notes
Baking Soda: If you’re concerned about the baking soda clogging the spray nozzle, reduce the amount to 1/4-1/2 tablespoon.
Storage: Since this product contains water, natural ingredients, and no preservatives, it’s best to store this cleaner for up to 1 month and use distilled water. If the cleaner ever smells off, has black spots or fuzzy growth, toss the cleaner and make a new batch. I’ve never had this happen, but it’s worth mentioning just for safety reasons. Learn how to make natural cleaners in Natural Cleaning Made Easy.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
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I, have been, using your DIY Bathroom Cleaner recipe, and, love it! A hint, for those, with “soap scum” issues…..substitute 1 1/2 tsp. sal suds, for the 2 tbsp. castille soap (add, to the bottle, last, and, swirl gently, to combine). We have very hard water, and, I found, that the castille soap, left a film on everything. No film, with the sal suds. I, also, substituted, washing soda, for the baking soda, as, sometimes, formulas containing baking soda, need to be rinsed. (Next time, I’m going to try citric acid, just to see how that works, although, the washing soda, worked, perfectly.) I, like to, experiment with different oils, as well….I, used, orange-cinnamon, last batch. I’m making, lavender-grapefruit, next time:) Hope, these hints, are helpful:)
Hello there. I’ve been looking for a bathroom/shower cleaner that’s more than just vinegar water. I’ve often wondered about making one with castile soap, but I was concerned about it leaving “soap scum” as that would kind of defeat the purpose. 😛 🙂 Have you noticed that being an issue at all?
Hey Amanda, Yes, the soap scum can occur. To prevent this, you can reduce the amount of castile soap.
This is so wonderful! There are so many amazing but simple recipes here with ordinary household items as the base! Looking forward to using these recipes! Thank you!
Hello Kristen,
thanks so much for this recipe. I have a few Airbnb listings and use coloured towels to match the themes. I was finding that if I missed rinsing all the commercial cleaner, the guests somehow find that spot in the bathroom and leave the bath towel on it. (yellow bleach marks on Aqua towels looks really bad and replacing the towels was getting expensive)
I actually swapped the Tea Tree for Eucalyptus oil and it works really well. I have to be honest and admit I had my doubts, but have now removed the commercial chemical cleaners. Oh and I am saving a tonne of cash too.
Thanks heaps for the awesome recipe. I will be trying a few of your others now.
Brett
That’s so great, Brett! I’m so glad you’re enjoying natural cleaning!
Does it have to be in a glass spray bottle?
Hey Patricia, No, it doesn’t need to be.
Loved this cleaner. I added lemon grass for the scent and a bit of vinegar too to remove the hard water stain marks. It gives a real nice squeaky clean look to the bathroom. Thanks for this recipe. It’s saved me tons of money 🙂
That sounds lovely, Vidya!
A little annoyed because the Baking Soda plugged up my spray bottle.
Hey Virginia, That is frustrating. Make sure the baking soda is dissolved in the water solution (using the warm water should help).
Hi, awesome homepage!
I wonder, what is the purpose of the castile oil, and the essential oils in the bathroom cleaner?
Also, I understand it helps with smell but do you have any idea on the effect on the actual bacteria and proteins from example urin?
Cheers
Hey Bjorn, Castile soap is the main cleaning ingredient in this recipe, so its purpose is to clean (just like a traditional soap-based cleaner). The soap doesn’t disinfect (you’ll want to use vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, particularly if you’re looking to sanitize an area that was exposed to urine).
Thank you for the quick reply!
Basicly I am looking for a homemade mixture that I can safely use to clean the entire bathroom, without having to think about for example bacteria being left behind after the cleaning, places like bathtub, sink, toilet, toiletbrush, floor.
Do you have anything for that?
Best
/Björn
Hey Bjorn, Yes, this solution would be perfect: https://livesimply.me/2016/12/09/purpose-cleaner-spray-grease-cutting-power/. The soap/detergent (you could also use a natural dish soap) is used to cut the dirt and the vinegar is used to disinfect.
Hi! I just came across this cleaner solution recipe and have a quick question. I am new to the chemical free life. Could you please define how long a solution made with tap water is safe for compared to the distilled water solution? Thank you so much! Really enjoy your writings!
Hey Juli, With tap water, I only keep my solutions for about a week. With distilled water, I let them go about 3-4 weeks, until they start to look or smell funky which doesn’t usually happen. This is kind of a debated topic in the “natural world” but those are my personal general guidelines.
I made and used this last night. Loved it until this morning when I found everything covered in a film. I wiped it up after I sprayed. Suggestions? Thanks!
Hey Sarah, It could either be from the castile soap or baking soda. You can try leaving out the baking soda, or reducing the castile soap to just a teaspoon. It’s not uncommon for that to happen with castile soap, so it’s usually just a matter of tweaking the ratio. Hope that helps!
Hi Kristin,
Is this also what you use to clean the toilet seat? I see so many articles about cleaning the toilet bowl and the exterior, but no one seems to mention the seat!
Thanks!!
Hey Emily, You definitely can use this to clean this toilet seat! I usually just use my castile soap or vinegar-based all purpose cleaner: https://livesimply.me/2015/11/02/how-to-make-homemade-all-purpose-surface-cleaner/
This is a wonderful mixture!! I’ve made it for my kids and coworkers and they love it. I use it not only for the bathroom but as a laundry spot remover and cat litter pan cleaner. Leaves NO ODOR there!
Awesome, Cindy!
Wow, thanks for the quick response!! I’ve never used tea tree oil before so that’s good to know. I like the idea that the tea tree oil has disinfecting properties though (dirty/germy young children!) and safe enough to use on my granite. I will try adding less next time or maybe try the tea tree castile soap. Thanks again!!!
You’re welcome. Yea, tea tree definitely brings a very unique scent to products, but it’s also a pretty amazing germ destroyer, too.
PERFECT! I needed a cleaner to replace my Windex multisurface cleaner in the bathroom and I have all these ingredients! I just made it and used it but I found that it was rather strong smelling and was coughing quite a bit. I even added more water. I’m afraid to add more oils since I’m cleaning granite and of course the smell factor. I REALLY WANT to be able to use this. Any suggestions??
FYI: I used peppermint castille soap. I use a mix of castille soap and water as a daily/mulitipurpose cleaner and never have an issue with the smell or the coughing.
Hey Jenny,
I’m guessing the odor is coming from the tea tree oil (it’s a rather strong scent for many people). Maybe next time skip the tea tree oil, and see if that makes a difference. The baking soda is odorless, so I don’t think that would be the issue.
Hi. Just checking. What is a TB. Is it a tablespoon?
Hey Rose, Yes, TB is a tablespoon :).
Thanks this bathroom cleaner looks amazing! Do you have an remedies for removing mould and getting rid of it in showers naturally please?
Hey Aniejune, 100% hydrogen peroxide or vinegar should help :). Just spray it on the problem areas, let it sit, and then wipe the surface clean.
Is this for the toilet too? If not, what do you recommend for cleaning the toilet?
Hey Kirsty, You could use this in the toilet, too. I use this powder: https://livesimply.me/2015/12/02/clean-disinfect-toilet-bowl-naturally/
olá boa noite ,gostei imenso da sua receita ,para limpar o banheiro .,poderia me explicar o que é o sabao liquido de castela ?ou posso substituir por outro ,é que eu nunca ouvi falar desse sabao,compra-se em qualquer supermercado ?obrigado
,
Hey quiteria, Castile soap is a liquid (or bar) vegetable-based soap. It’s highly concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way. You could try adding a bit of natural dish soap to this recipe.
I have one for you- in a 30 ounce bottle I combine half vinegar, half water and then add approximately 1/2 tsp of Castile soap and 15 or so drops of thieves oil that I make myself. I use this on pretty much everything but glass ( though I do use it on my glass stovetop) and it does a really great job. It would not be good on natural stone like granite or marble due to the acid content, but it works famously on floors, laminate, tubs, etc. and leaves the house smelling like cloves and cinnamon. Right now I am trying to come up with a good Castile soap recipe of my own to avoid spending the $$$ for dr bronners, which is kind of pricey.
Thanks for sharing, Sheila.
hi, just found your recipe. I’m in Australia and wondered what Castile soap is and what is an alternative?
Thanks in advance, I love to use natural products when I can.
Fay
Hey Fay, Castile soap is a specialty ingredient, and unfortunately, it’s a hard ingredient to find a substitute for. A clean dish soap may be the best alternative.