Cleaning Your Bathroom The Green Way

By Author: Scott Rodgers
Total Articles: 14
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Everyone adores a clean and healthy home, but did you know that there are now many ecologically friendly options to use to clean the bathroom particularly as opposed to using those horrible chemical products that you discover on your supermarket shelves?

Even for those not very pleasant plumbing tasks you can use a healthier option. One of these is when you have a blocked up drain. If you have a drain that is already blocked up, the first thing you'll reach for is a plunger. This will normally clear out your blockage. Nonetheless, there is a chance that if you're watching out for your sinks and toilet, you'll notice when the water is going down slower. This is the time to do something. As with all plumbing tasks, the sooner you address the problem, the simpler it is going to be to fix. At this stage you can choose between a standard drain cleaner you can buy from your local store, or you can choose to use a healthier possibility.

Why would you bother, I hear you say. Well, firstly for the health of your loved ones, specially children. If you look on the back of the normal drain cleaner, you'll see all kinds ...
... of warnings about using gloves and possibly goggles. The reason for this, is that these products are highly poisonous and if swallowed can be lethal. Even having them in your home poses an important health hazard. They are also not good for our environment. Normally they go into the sewage system, but if there is a lot of rainfall, the sewage system may get overloaded and these chemical products can enter into the stormwater system and flow into rivers and the sea. The other hazard is if you develop a leak in one of your main drains outside your property. You may clear the inside drain, but if you develop a leak outside, these chemical products are going to surface on your property where they can cause a serious health hazard.

It's very simple to use a healthy alternative. You'll also find that the ecologically friendly way of cleaning is normally very inexpensive and uses everyday products. In the case of cleaning your drain before there is a serious blockage, mix 1/2 cup salt in four liters water, heat (but not to a boil) and pour down the drain. It is as simple as that. And if you have a more serious blockage, pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. If you have metal pipes, you can also pour in boiling water to clear the residue. However, be aware that excessive boiling water can melt plastic pipes, so only use this method sparingly. But ss I said, if you watch your sink and toilet, there should not be any reason to get rid of serious blockages as you can deal to them prior to them developing.

It's a good idea never to mix commercial cleaning products and green cleaning products because they may cause a chemical response. This is true with cleaning products and vinegar. The two mixed together will create a reaction that can cause dangerous fumes.

In the bathroom, you may be likely to suffer from getting mold. The best thing you need to do is as opposed to buy an costly mold remover from the supermarket, is to take a look at around the bathroom and find out the source of the excessive moisture that is allowing the mold to grow. It may be that your fan is not working well and so the steam is not venting when you're having a shower or a bath. Or you might have a leak in your bath, or you don't wipe the windows and clean off the moisture. Whatever the reason may be, the more moisture you remove, the less moisture there is left for the mold to grow. Nonetheless, if it does, in spite of your best efforts, mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or having a shower. It's important you remove mold the moment that you see it so that you and your loved ones don't suffer the potential ill effects of mold.

It's important to keep the toilet, particularly, clean. Once more, you could use a chemical cleaner, including those that are promoted to clean with each flush. But there just is not any need when you can easily enough use an all-purpose cleaner by mixing 1/2 cup vinegar and one quarter cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. You can store and keep it to use whenever tyou need it. And the great news is it will do just as good a job as something you can buy from the supermarket.

And do remember you can now buy microfiber cloths. You can use these with or without water and you will be amazed at how much muck they can remove from any surface. And there are no frustrating chemical streaks left behind when you clean your windows and mirrors.

Of course you also need to disinfect the toilet and sinks. Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 Tbsp. vinegar and three cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add one quarter teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use a non-aerosol spray bottle.

Then for the finishing touch, you will want to make your faucets and sinks sparkle. Once more, you can get rid of those dangerous chemical products and use daily ingredients. For aluminium use a mixture of cream of tartar and water. For bronze and brass, polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution. And for chrome, polish with baby oil, vinegar, or aluminum foil shiny side out.

Delimited Author Bio Resource Box

Scott Rodgers is a recently retired Los Angeles master plumber and is dedicated to helping you to be ecologically friendly. For more useful plumbing tips and information, visit Scott's website: http://eLocalPlumbers.com
Scott Rodgers has recently retired as a Los Angeles plumber and he loves to share his many years experience of baths and plumbing supplies. For more useful tips and information, visit Scott's website: http://eLocalPlumbers.com