Cleaning the bathroom without chemicals

[amyleigh33]

I have a few questions that are going to sound kind of silly, so I am going to preface them with the fact that I am only 22 and have a mother who has severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and thus I was not allowed to do any chores as a kid/teenager (most people think I was lucky; but what this also means is that I had to ask strangers how to use the washing machine/dryer at the laundromat, and am brainwashed to think that I can't take out the garbage without wearing plastic bags on my hands! Ha.)

Anyhow, at the last couple places I lived I had old-fashioned, ceramic (I think) bathtub and sink that didn't seem to hold on to that filmy stuff. But now I am at a newly renovated place and when I moved in it was really nice and clean and I'd like to keep it that way, so I am wondering what the best way to clean the filmy stuff off the bathtub is? I need a scrubby, rough sorta sponge, right? And how about keeping the grout between the shower tiles white? (I can't call my mom and ask, cause she'd either tell me not to do it and fly 3000 miles to get here and do it for me; or tell me to use some harsh chemicals, rubber gloves, and a bunch of other things which she'd then proceed to FedEx me [I am not exaggerating, she did this the last time I asked her advice on cleaning something])

Also; I have been using Lysol wipes to clean the toilet, even though I know that they're bad. What natural substance kills germs? I read a couple threads in this section already, so peroxide, right? What about vinegar? Where can you get peroxide, other than a Hair Salon? I want something that's really tough, cause I have a really germy roommate who's always bringing home respiratory infections (I've caught 2 from her in the last 3 months) and want to do a good once-over the whole place after she moves out next week.

BTW - I'm almost 4 months pregnant, right now, if that changes anything.

TIA for any help!

[northern_sunshine]

Well, I've been using a mix of half water, half white vinegar with about a capful of Tea Tree Oil mixed in for my kitchen and bathroom. It disinfects, cleans great and is natural with no harsh fumes.

I know some people use baking soda paste as an abrasive cleaner (have yet to need it) with a sponge or old toothbrush to get gunky stuff out from around taps.

HTH!

[mgilleran@earth-co]

I clean my fiberglass tub/shower unit with baking soda. You can mix it with any kind of liquid soap to make a nice paste like soft scrub, but without the dizzying fumes. You can also just sprinkle baking soda in & start scrubbing with a wet sponge, but the soap helps. I also spray it down with a vinegar/water solution before puttin on the BS. You can get peroxide in the pharmacy section of amy discount or grocery store. I add a little tea tree oil to my vinegar solution for antiseptic qualities. You can scrub your grout with with soap/BS mixture also. I don't have any grout, but I think vinegar is too acidic & eats away at grout. Borax is also good for grout, I think it helps to whiten it. I also use my vinegar/water spray to wipe down the toilet after cleaning the bowl with a brush & BS/borax. Good luck! I am a clean freak also, so I can relate.

[CarrieMF]

I have to use Borax in my tub, baking soda doesn't touch heavy crude.

For everything else I use water and sometimes vinegar. I don't like to use much vinegar.

I use a wet toothbrush to get the gook out of the taps & around the sink. I don't have tiles, but I've heard peroxide works on the grout. You can buy peroxide in any pharmacy. It's in the bandaid section.

[elelvee]

I use liquid dish soap to clean everything other than the dishes. Soap itself removes most scum from soap. I use Seventh Generation Free and Clear, which has no fragrance. I use vinegar around the toilet, outside the toilet, and the floor if I feel like it. It cleans, disinfects, smells nice, and doesn't irritate. The only thing I see wrong is that it doesn't "soak" stuck-on food.

I use a glass cleaner called Restore for mirrors. It also has no smell. I'm still impressed that things without ammonia can do mirrors just as well.
I use a toilet bowl cleaner called Restore but I could just as well use anything else. I haven't settled on a favorite cleaner. This product has a smell, from citric acid.

The ring on tubs is usually oils you washed off your skin - or lotion used to replace the oils you washed off your skin. Soap gets that off easily. You usually can wipe (soapsuds) on tile, off again. Then if it doesn't a toothbrush or "white" scratchy pad will. Thats the roughest thing i've ever used on tubs.

You can get peroxide at a hardware store, grocery store or pharmacy.

I like to use the simple things as you can probably see. You can wash the entire room with soapsuds and rags. I even found thatvery hot water, with nothing else, did as good a job as water with ammonia.

[oldgirl,newtricks]

If you are having trouble catching your roommate's infections, don't forget to increase the hand washing. Ask him/her to wash hands more frequently also. Changing out your toothbrush frequently will help. Give a swipe to the doorknobs and phone too to keep illness down.

I'm a big fan of just soap and water for cleaning, but it really will depend upon the hardness of your water as to how much build-up will happen. We never need any abrasive cleaning since we have really soft water. I use microfiber cloths on just about everything and daily wiping keeps it from ever being a big job.

[RoMonstersMama]

I have been very happy with the book "Complete Idiots Guide to Cleaning." I am not typically into these types of books, but the woman who put it together explains how to clean just about anything under the sun, has an extensive section on stain removal, and includes numerous homemade cleaning products. Her most used ingredient seems to be white vinegar. It is short and to the point. I have found this book very helpful in ditching the harsh mainstream cleaners. Happy cleaning to you!

[mumkimum]

Dr. Bronners or other natural/concentrated soaps in a nice, big spray bottle are my favorite all-purpose cleaners for around the house - with tea tree oil ones for places like the toilet seat/litter boxes. I've found them to even work pretty well for the tub if I spray it really well with those, then sprinkle baking soda all over, let it sit while I say clean the sink/toilet, and then I use a large scrub brush. As for grout, just using whatever you like (NOT vinegar on ceramic tile though, it will discolor & take off the glaze) and a grout brush is great. I touch up with something like peroxide when I need to, which isn't all that often. Every other month or longer.

I have also come across some really nice soy-based cream cleaners which I like a lot for the toilet & tub sometimes, I forget who makes them though. And for a really dirty toilet, letting it soak with Borax overnight is great. I try not to use Borax for anything I might have to touch, though. I find it too irritating on my skin.

Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan is a really nice book with lots of recipies and solutions for cleaning without toxic chemicals.