A Healthy Bathroom uses many of the same principals as other rooms of the house. It is an area that can be kept clean with low-toxic products and makes use of several water-energy-saving devices.
In a perfect world it contains.
- A modern dual-flush system is used to minimize water usage in the toilet.
- Flushing water for the toilet comes from your household’s recycled water tank.
- Water for the shower, bathtub, and sink is supplied from the household’s rainwater tank.
- A reduced water flow shower nozzle for reducing water flow while still giving satisfying shower pressure.
- As with the Kitchen, hot water is supplied by a solar hot-water system.
- An exhaust fan keeps the moisture down, reducing the potential for mold growth.
- Cleaning products are nontoxic, which means the water going down the drain can be recycled by municipalities for reuse.
- Non-absorbent, washable surfaces on all the walls and doors and are easy to care for. They also reduce the growth of bacteria and potential allergens such as molds.
- Shower products and toiletries include a range of unscented and non-allergenic products.
- Soap scraps are saved to make soap gel.
Smart-water Usage
Fact: In the UK, the average person uses 39 gallons per day compared to the American’s 110 gallons.
The bathroom is the scene where many a water-wasting habits occur: taps left on during and after someone has brushed his or her teeth, long showers, filled bath tubs, gallons of water on its way to the sewage treatment plant every time the toilet is used. The fact is when you turn it on it just keeps on coming out of the tap and you probably don’t give it a second thought. On the other hand if use a rainwater tank the inconvenience of running out of water enough motivation to be aware of water consumption.
Shower
- Fit a low-flow shower nozzle. These use half the amount of water as a standard shower nozzle.
- Alternatively, you can use a low restriction disk (a plastic insert) in your current shower nozzle.
- Take shorter showers. If you cut down from a five-minute daily shower to a three-minute one, you could save as much as nine gallons of water per shower.
- TURN IT OFF check that the shower is completely turned off.
Toilet
On average flushing our toilets accounts for about one-third of an entire household’s water use. Tanks commonly contain a few gallons of water.
- Fit a dual-flush system. New models use one gallon for a full flush and half a gallon for a half a flush.
- For a single flush toilet, reduce the flushing volume by placing an object into the tank and displace the water so less is used for each flush.
All-around cleaners
Again, as with other areas of the house there are several choices for cleaning the sink, bathtub, and outside of the toilet.
- Commercial bathroom cleaner: A thick liquid, paste, or powder containing bleach, abrasives, and detergents with an overall acidic composition.
- Mild detergent: Dish-washing liquid is a good all-purpose cleaner and can be used on floors and walls, as well as bathroom fittings.
- Baking soda: A mild abrasive using this can be used as a general cleaner or to remove tough spots. This can be used as a solution, paste, or powder.
- Borax and lemon juice or vinegar: An all-purpose cleaner that keeps mold at bay on shower curtains and other surfaces. Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and let sit for half an hour. It will remove stubborn stains.
- A solution of washing soda and water: A tough, all- purpose cleaner.
- White vinegar: Use with a brisk scrub.
- Tea-tree: Diluted tea-tree oil keeps the toilet brush and bowl germ-free.
If you don’t want to use commercial products, it’s easy enough to make your own. See our Kitchen post for a number of other low-toxic, cleaner recipes that will help keep all the surfaces of your bathroom clean.
Allergies
Mold and mildew are big contributing factors to allergies and respiratory ailments. Improving your Bathrooms ventilation is the long-term solution, either by opening windows immediately after a steamy bath or shower, installing exhaust fans. Wiping away condensation will also help as paint and grout can become contaminated with fungicide.
Bathroom Aromas
Rather than paying for Bathroom air fresheners that are expensive and contribute to airborne pollution consider these alternatives. First, make sure your bathroom has adequate ventilation.
- Position an open bowl with a quarter cup white vinegar on a high shelf.
- Do the same with a bowl of clay-type cat litter or organic neutralizer.
- Combine one teaspoon baking soda and one teaspoon lemon juice in two cups hot water.
- Scented candles can help to banish bathroom smells, even if they’re lit for only a short while.
- Essential oil such as lemon kills germs and is fragrant. Add a couple of drops to the final rinsing water when cleaning the bathroom.
- For an antiseptic air freshener, dissolve one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of any antiseptic essential oil (thyme, bergamot, juniper, clove, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, or eucalyptus) in one teaspoon rubbing alcohol, and then blend this with two cups distilled water in a pump spray. Use your customized air freshener on the fine-mist setting.
Walls and doors
Ceramic tiles are traditionally used for the floor and walls in the bathroom and have certain advantages for both surfaces. They are non-absorbent and do not deteriorate upon contact with water. While mold can grow on tiles, it is easily removed with a light cleaner. Tiles are cold on the feet, but washable bath mats remedy this.
Cleaning ceramic tiles
Frequent sweeping your floors will help protect them, as well as keep them clean. Over time, sand and grit can damage glazed tile surfaces, causing them to become dull prematurely. Washing removes dirt buildup. Use any nonacidic cleaner with a gentle, nonabrasive action. Detergent solution is also fine. Use a toothbrush or grout brush for hard-to-reach spots, including the grout between tiles. Sealing your grout on installation will help keep it clean. If you suspect the glaze is delicate, closely observe whether a particular cleaner has dulled the surface. If it has, polish with a soft towel and avoid it in the future.
Spot cleaning (also for Kitchen tile floors)
- Mold and mildew: Mix a quarter cup of chlorine bleach with ten cups of water. Scrub with a brush or toothbrush.
- Limestone deposits: Scrub with a little white vinegar and water, and rinse.
- Blood: Use hydrogen peroxide or household bleach.
- Coffee, tea, food, fruit juice, and lipstick: Wash with detergent in hot water, then hydrogen peroxide or household bleach. Rinse and dry.
- Nail polish: Wipe off with acetone, then, if necessary, use bleach.
-
Grease and oil: Use an all-purpose cleaner.
- Inks and dyes: Steep the stain in household bleach until it disappears. Rinse and dry.
- Chewing gum, wax, and tar: Chill with an ice cube, then scrape away with a wooden spatula. Use paint stripper to remove any remaining trace.
- Rust: Use lemon juice with mild detergent to remove stains.
Sinks
A regular wipe over with or without a cleaner, plus a weekly thorough going-over keeps the sink clean. Be sure to rinse the drain well after using to avoid leaving bathroom cleaner on it that could damage the coating. Scrub around taps and the plug hole with baking soda to remove mold.
Faucets
Clean with a solution of dish-washing liquid or baking soda, using a toothbrush for crevices. To remove lime scale, wrap a cloth soaked in lime-scale remover or vinegar around the tap and leave according to the manufacturer’s instructions or for up to half an hour.
Bathtub
Rinsing the bath after use will make your weekly cleaning easier. Consider leaving a cloth and light spray cleaner within easy reach to help keep deposits at bay. An all-purpose bathroom cleaner will do the trick: use a commercial one or your own, made up into a solution and pour into a spray bottle.
to tackle any lime-scale buildup. Baking soda is ideal for scrubbing around taps and drains, while vinegar removes lime scale.
Allergy & Safety Tip: Don’t leave bath toys, sponges, and loofahs in the bath where they will remain almost constantly wet. To keep bacterial counts down and prevent molds from growing, let them dry out between uses. You can also choose to disinfect them. Choose toys that you can drain easily after a bath, wash regularly, and dry. Soak every now and then in a bleach solution and be sure to rinse with water.
Whirlpool bath
It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on maintaining and cleaning your whirlpool bath. You will probably need to clean out scum left in the pipe work, perhaps once a week. You can do this by filling the bath with warm water and a disinfecting agent, such as sterilizing tablets. Leave for five minutes. Empty the bath, then refill it. Turn on the spa and leave the water to circulate and rinse for another five minutes before emptying it.
Shower
Wipe over the door of the shower recess with an all- purpose cleaner and use a lime scale remover as needed, perhaps once a week. Shower doors can be cleaned with a solution of dish-washing liquid. Also, have a squeegee available too help keep soap scum down (we love the sound it makes).
Moldy plastic shower curtain
If you have a problem with mold on your shower curtain, dry the curtain soon after showering. This will at least cut down on the amount of mold. Some shower curtains are impregnated with fungicides which will help.
To clean mold from the curtain, you can use commercial mold removers, but these often contain thickened chlorine bleach. Scrubbing with baking soda is a less toxic alternative. Another method is to rub the curtain with a paste made with vinegar, or lemon juice mixed with borax. Rinse well. Black stains are difficult to remove, but leaving the curtain to soak overnight in a weak bleach solution may help.
Dirty grout
You can buy products that whiten and kill molds with fungicides. Alternatively, scrub with a solution of household bleach (one part bleach to four parts water).
Caulk
To remove mold from caulk, wipe it with vinegar or rub over a paste of baking soda. As a last resort, spray on a bleach solution (one part bleach to four parts water) and leave it for thirty minutes. Scrub, then rinse clean with warm water.
Toilet
Toilet cleaners are at the harsh end of the cleaning scale in both environmental and health terms. Most are based on strong acids, such as sodium hydrogen sulfate. Other ingredients may include paradichlorobenzene (PDB), fragrance, detergent, and bleach. These; in addition, they do not readily break down in the environment.
Safety Tip: DON’T MIX TOILET CLEANERS Never use more than one toilet cleaner at a time, including bleach, as toxic gases may be produced.
All the outer surfaces of the toilet—rim of the bowl, seat, outside of the bowl—can be cleaned by wiping over with a solution of detergent or a cleaner of your choice. Clean the bowl with a toilet brush and disinfectant, either a commercial toilet cleaner or the gentler alternative below. To clean a toilet brush, hold it under the rushing water and rinse it in bleach often.
Natural toilet cleaner
Try this gentle alternative to commercial toilet products.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup borax
¼ cup white vinegar or lemon juice
METHOD
Mix the ingredients together and pour into the toilet bowl. Leave at least a few hours—overnight, if possible— then scrub the bowl with a toilet brush. Add a few drops of pine oil to this recipe for extra disinfectant power.
We will be sharing future posts on personal toiletries and personal care items so keep your eyes open and Happy Cleaning!