DIY Natural Bathroom Cleaner Recipe

Many women struggle with the idea of using homemade cleaners in the bathroom. Because natural cleaners are gentle, we often wonder if they’re actually getting the job done? I always had questions in the back of my mind, until I created and started using this DIY natural bathroom cleaner recipe!

Now I rarely use anything else for wiping the sink, toilet and floors in my bathroom!

Natural Bathroom Cleaner Recipe

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s very easy to make and in comparison to many natural homemade bathroom cleaners, has a real “kick” to it! For this reason, I do recommend keeping it out of reach of children. Getting it in the eyes will result in painful burning that not even water can fully flush out.

To make this natural bathroom cleaner, you need just two ingredients: soap nuts and vinegar. Here are the direction and the recipe so you can give it a try in your home!

Tool and Supplies for This Natural Bathroom Cleaner

You may already have these ingredients on hand! If not, here are the basic tools and supplies you need to create this DIY natural bathroom cleaner recipe!

Organic Soap Nuts-I recommend buying USA processed
White Cleaning Vinegar
Wide mouth, 1 quart (1 litre) mason jar
Wide mouth plastic lid
Cotton straining cloth
A glass spray bottle

Step 1: Source Your Soap Nuts

Are you familiar with soap nuts? Let me give you a brief introduction, just in case you haven’t yet heard of them!

Soap nuts couldn’t be more simply or suitably named. Grown in the eastern hemisphere, soap nuts have a hull or husk that is rich in saponins (a natural cleansing agent). In areas where the soap nut tree is native, the antimicrobial nut hulls have been used for centuries to bathe, treat skin conditions and even wash clothes!

Slowly the worldwide ‘natural living’ community is discovering the wonders of the soap nut. More and more, soap nuts are being used in natural cleaners, soap bars and even in the place of shampoo for silky smooth hair!

When it comes to soap nuts, the value is in the hull or husk only. Whether you purchase your soap nuts from a local health food store or buy them online, make sure you’re buying the hulls or husks only.

Step 2: Buy a Jug of White Vinegar

The other ingredient in this DIY natural bathroom cleaner recipe is white vinegar.

Here’s the thing: you can make a natural bathroom cleaner by infusing soap nuts in plain old water. But the cleansing power of the soap nut will decrease after about 7-10 days. I don’t know about you, but I just don’t have the patience for such a high-maintenance cleaner!

But if you infuse your soap nuts in white vinegar, the acidity of the vinegar will preserve and hold onto the cleansing properties of the soap nut for 6-12 months.

Vinegar is also a natural anti-bacterial and an anti-fungal substance. And by pairing vinegar with soap nuts, you create a very powerful, natural cleaner for your bathroom!

Step 3: Create A Soap Nut Infusion

This DIY natural bathroom cleaner recipe only takes a few minutes to whip together! Here’s how it works.

Place 8-10 whole soap nuts in the bottom of a glass quart (1 litre) jar.
You can also add citrus or other plant matter at this point.
Cover the soap nuts with your white, distilled vinegar.
Add a tight-fitting, non-corrosive lid and set on the back of a shelf for (ideally) 4-6 weeks.
Strain your concoction through a cotton cloth to remove soap nuts and floating bits.
After straining, pour your cleaner into a glass spray bottle.
Use full strength to wipe down counters, floors and toilet.
Start another batch of cleaner by adding 8-10 more soap nuts to the jar and covering with fresh vinegar.

I like to keep a batch of soap nuts infusing at all times. It won’t hurt (or mess up your cleaner) to let soap nuts soak for several months. And if you want to, you can reuse the old nuts 2-3x, mixing the new and the old together.

Image: a soap nut that has been through one infusion and a dry, not-yet-used soap nut.

Step 4: Housekeeping Tips

While this cleaner is excellent for wiping down sinks, counter surfaces and the toilet, it isn’t strong enough to remove heavy scum or stains. You need something tougher for that one!

But it does have some powerful cleansing properties, enough so that it puts my mind at ease. I no longer worry about or wonder just how “clean” my bathroom actually is. I’ve found something natural that works well. And it’s worth keeping around!

In Conclusion

At this point in life, my favorite, general bathroom cleaner is this soap nut and vinegar recipe. It also serves as a base for window cleaner and sometimes, I add it to my mop bucket when doing household floors.

It’s a wonderful thing to have on hand and because it’s so simple to whip up. I think it’s an excellent place to start when you want to go “natural” with your bathroom cleaners!

So go ahead! Give this natural bathroom cleaner recipe a try!

Natural Bathroom Cleaner Recipe