Who doesn’t love a good bathroom cleaning? This girl. Especially when I’ve been putting off getting rid of those pesky mold and mildew tub stains. Back in the day, I would have poured on some bleach and called it good. But I’m green now, which means I have to do a little research to figure out how to clean and kill mold naturally and cheaply. Below is an economic, safe and effective solution to bathroom cleaning.
How to clean and kill bathroom mold naturally.
Step 1: Mix a paste made of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Apply it to the affected area, let stand for 10-15 minutes, then scrub clean with a toothbrush or scour pad. Baking soda is a non-toxic, naturally occurring material that works as a gentle abrasive. A huge box can be purchased for less than $7.
Step 2: Now that you’ve scrubbed the mold, you want to make sure you have killed and rinsed away the evidence. Spray the same area with 100% white vinegar and let sit for up to one hour. Rinse away. Studies show that white vinegar kills 82% of mold spores, as well as viruses and bacteria. It comes with a strong odor, but that will fade by the end of the day. If it really bothers you, add a few drops of lemon or orange essential oil to the bottle. You can purchase vinegar at the dollar store.
Step 3: It’s prevention time! You’ve put in the work to scrub the mold away, let’s keep it away with tea tree oil! Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water in a spray bottle, spray the area and walk away. Do not rinse! Tea tree oil is one of the only true methods of killing mold for good– not just removing it or discoloring the area so that it appears to be gone. Essential oils can be pricier than typical cleaning products, but a few drops go a LONG way.
Now just remember: mold can stain, so there may be some remnants that you just can’t get rid of. The important thing is to kill the mold and keep it from returning!
And there you have it – frugal, natural cleaning products for your bathroom. There are many more homemade cleaning tips out there, like 25 uses for hydrogen peroxide.
What is the best cleaning tip you’ve ever heard?
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
Wow! Thanks for this informative method of getting rid of mold in the bathroom. I’m going to forward this post to my e-mail to save for future reference.
@EllieD, so glad you find this helpful! Good luck!
Thanks for the great tips! I can’t stand mold in the shower. Love that this is all green cleaning.
@Marie, I can’t stand it either! It’s the WORST! Happy cleaning!
I really like cleaning my garbage disposal in my kitchen sink with white vinegar and some lemon slices. It makes it smell better and keeps my sink fresh.
@Sophia I do that too! It really works and I love the lemony smell in my sink when I’m done. Vinegar is my best friend at home. My husband rolls his eyes because I use it so much. But it really does the trick in so many situations!