Clean Bathroom Tiles With Natural Ingredients

Have you been looking at your bathroom tiles and noticing that they’ve lost their luster? Hard water, soap scum, towel lint, and everyday dust and dirt all conspire to make your tiles look old and worn.

You might have looked around for cleaners for your tiles, but found them to be too full of harsh chemicals and nasty-smelling ingredients. There are some natural cleaners and cleaning methods you can use, however, that will leave your tiles shiny and clean. You can make them yourself or buy natural cleaners. Here are some top tips for giving those tiles a nice shine.

1. Baking Soda Scrub

Baking soda is an excellent abrasive scrubber. For tiles, try this:

* Make a paste with baking soda and water. It should be about the consistency of toothpaste.
* Using a putty knife or something similar, apply the paste to your tiles.
* Allow the paste to sit on the tiles for a few minutes.
* Rub tiles with a damp sponge, using a circular motion.
* Rinse with warm or hot water.

2. Daily Shower Spritz

To help prevent soap scum and hard water build up, you can spray your shower tiles daily after use. Here’s how.

To three cups of water, add:
* 10 drops of tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract
* 10 drops of lemon essential oil
* 1 cup of white vinegar

Shake this mixture well, and spray it on your bathroom tiles after showering and/or bathing.

3. Mildew Remover

Vinegar, lemon juice, and tea tree oil are natural mildew killers. Try mixing 2 cups white vinegar (no water) with the juice of 1 lemon in a spray bottle. Then add 10 drops of tea tree oil and shake well. Spritz this directly on the moldy area, and allow it to sit for about five minutes. Then scrub well using a stiff scrub brush and rinse with hot water.

If mildew stains are particularly stubborn, try rubbing coarse salt into the stain as you scrub off the vinegar mixture.

4. Minty Tile Scrubber

This good-smelling scrubber is good for restoring shine to tiles. Here’s how to make and use it.

In a large jar, mix:

* 1 cup baking soda
* 1/4 cup borax powder (the laundry booster found in your retailer’s cleaning aisle)
* 1 tablespoon liquid soap
* 7 to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil
* 1/2 cup water

If the mixture is too thick, add more water. It should be pourable, but not liquidy – like a thick milkshake. Pour a generous amount of this mixture onto a scrub brush and go over your tiles, adding more cleaner as needed. Rinse with hot water.