Baking soda on a damp sponge can often do the trick for everyday cleaning in the bathroom. Baking soda mixed with the right ingredients can clean mildew stains that plague tubs and showers and make your powder room smell clean and look shiny at all times without much effort. In this article, you will see all the wonderful ways baking soda can beautify your bathroom. Let's start with the toilet.

A 1/2 cup of baking soda in the toilet bowl will work for light-duty cleaning. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then brush it away.

Remove the stubborn toilet stains by scrubbing with fine steel wool dipped in baking soda.

Basic Baking Soda Bathroom Cleaner
Mix and use for everyday cleaning.
  • 3 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup ammonia
  • 2 cups warm water
Be sure to wear rubber gloves, and use in a
well-ventilated area.

Variation: This version leaves out the ammonia.
  • 1 box (16 ounces) baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid
  • 1 cup warm water
Mix well, and store in a sealed container.

Tubs and showers: You can clean fiberglass tubs and showers, though a bit of caution is needed since fiberglass scratches easily. Make a paste of baking soda and dishwashing liquid, and wipe it on with a sponge.

Adding baking soda to the bathwater will reduce ring- around-the-tub and soften your skin. Use 2 tablespoons for a tubful of water.

For tough grout or tile stains, use a paste of 1 part bleach to 3 parts baking soda.

Stains on nonskid strips or appliqués in the tub can be removed by dampening the area, then sprinkling it with baking soda. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes, then scrub the tub and rinse it off.

Use a baking-soda paste to remove mildew stains on grout. Apply the paste, scrub it with an old toothbrush, and rinse the paste off.

Clean mildew stains and do light cleaning of a shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda on a sponge and scrubbing. Rinse the shower well.

For soap scum buildup around your tub and sink, combine 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1 gallon warm water. Mix them well, and apply liberally. Wear rubber gloves. Make sure the area is well ventilated. Rinse the tub or sink well.

Floors: A tile or no-wax bathroom floor can be cleaned with 1/2 cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water. Mop and rinse the floor.

Drains: For the routine cleaning of sink and tub drains, pour in 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1 cup vinegar. Let sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then flush with very hot water.

Odor control: Musty-smelling bath towels should be deodorized by machine washing. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the rinse cycle.

Add a perpetual air freshener to the toilet area by keeping baking soda in a pretty dish on the back of the tank. Add your favorite scented bath salts to the mix, as well. Change every 3 months.

Add baking soda to the toe of old pantyhose or nylon knee-highs, tie, and cut off the excess stocking. Hang the stocking around the pipes under the sink for ongoing odor control.

Sprinkle baking soda in the bathroom trash can after each emptying.

Counters and vanities: Clean the marble surfaces with a baking-soda-and-white-vinegar paste. Wipe the marble clean, and buff.

A simple baking-soda paste will attack hard water or rust stains on ceramic tile. Use a nylon scrubber, then rinse the area thoroughly.

As you've seen, baking soda can make a difference in cleanliness and smell in the bathroom. Let it make a difference in your bathroom.

Showerhead Treatment with Baking Soda
Remove mineral buildup and improve performance of your showerhead with this remedy.
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 cup vinegar
Mix in a sturdy plastic bag, then secure the bag around the showerhead with a rubber band so that the showerhead is submerged in the solution. Keep on, and soak for 1 hour. Remove, and run very hot water through the showerhead for several minutes.

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