Written by Amanda
I used store-bought cleaning products before I began my wellness journey into more holistic living. When I went to clean the bathroom, it was a constant game of “clean as fast as I can and don’t breathe while doing it, or you will end up in the emergency room with asthma problems.” It amazes me now that I just accepted that feeling and cleaned in a rush in bursts of prolonged breath-holding for years.
When I discovered that the chemicals I was using to clean the bathroom were truly terrible for me, thanks to the EWG database, I decided to try a new, nontoxic method of cleaning that doesn’t leave me running for the inhaler. Not interested in a DIY, try a premade, all-natural option like Earthley’s Cleaning Paste.
Easy Natural Bathtub Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1cup baking soda
- ¼ cup salt
- 5-10 drops each of lemon and/or rosemary essential oils (optional)
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients until well incorporated. That’s it.
To use: just sprinkle around the whole tub. Scrub with a sponge or washcloth, and rinse it away! You can move the baking soda near the drain and wash it down with vinegar to help unclog it. Sometimes I will rinse the tub with vinegar and water combination 1:1 ratio to help retard mold and mildew growth.
Looking for more natural cleaning swaps? Check out our blog, Top 10 Cleaning Swaps.
Any suggested substitutes for Rosemary? That’s one I don’t have. Would tea tree or lavender with the lemon be ok?
Tea tree and lavender would both work just fine! I love using tea tree if there is a mold problem.
Norwex is my favorite way to clean without dangerous chemicals. All I need are my microfiber cloths and some water for cleanest clean you can get! Two of my three boys have asthma and this method has helped our family so much, and we’ve saved money in the process. I also couldn’t live without the mop or body cloths. I use the body cloths to wash my face without toxic chemicals and without expensive homemade remedies (although I do love homemade remedies from time to time!)
Any suggestions for mold in the shower? It always shows up in the caulking…
Tea tree (Melaleuca) essential oil with Lemon Essential oil or juice is wonderful to kill mold. What I do is get mix 1 part vinegar, 1 part lemon juice, and 10 drops per cup of liquid with Melaleuca. Spray on the walls after each shower and it will keep the mold from growing.
This stuff is AMAZING! Used it today on our tub that was a bit overdue for a scrubbing. Thank you for sharing!
I am glad you liked it!
Tried it in the bathtub, it didn’t work (it got the soap scum off, but did not get rid of the pink goo/mold or black mildew), went back to cleanser with bleach after vinegar and lemon juice both failed too. Tried the Seventh Generation stuff , it failed miserably in the shower and the smell gave me and the hubby massive headaches (which went away after ventilating the bathroom thoroughly). Used vinegar and baking soda in the toilet bowl and it did absolutely nothing. Scrubbing Bubbles toilet bowl cleaner sure did the trick though. I use a diluted bleach solution to get rid of mold/mildew and to sanitize toys (weird, but I actually like the smell of bleach)I just can’t get the natural cleaners to work as good as the chemical ones, then end up cleaning twice. Oxyclean left a faded stain on my carpet and some spots on clothing, so I am unhappy with that too. So frustrated! Might it have to do with the water hardness or am I doing something wrong? I have wasted so much time and energy trying natural cleaning stuff and have all but given up. My only natural-cleaning happy item is my beloved steam mop. We are on a tight budget, so need other CHEAP suggestions if anyone has any. I checked the Norwex catalog and those prices are absolutely out of the question. I would rather not spend money on essential oils as those are pricey up front too! TIA.
Look for micro-fiber clothes at your local hardware store. I found mine at Home Depot they were 20/22 for like $10.00. I have had mine for like 3 years now and they are still going strong. As for Essential oils, while they are a little pricey to begin with they last a LONG time. If you can only afford a few here are the 4 that I recommond to get: Lavender (calming & great on minor burns) Lemon or Rosemary (for cleaning), tea tree (anti-fungal) and Eucalyptus (think Vapo Rub). Buy one or two at a time as you can afford them. These 4 will get you through almost anything.
[…] I wrote this post over at Modern Alternative Mom to give Katie a break while she enjoys her new little one (congratulations!) so go ahead and check out my awesome and super easy bathtub cleaner. […]
Use Dr Bronner’s Castille soap and baking soda. Use a good scrubby sponge and let the paste sit for a while. It cuts the grime like no other.
I used to clean that way too but not because I thought it was dangerous to me. I’m hyper sensitive to certain smells. Some of them make me lightheaded and make me feel like I’m going to throw up so I always just held my breath because I didn’t like the smell. Now that I know they were actually a health concern I’m going to have to use something else. Hopeful something that smells better.