20 Bathroom Cleaning Supplies You Can DIY to Save Money

Home cleaning with natural and eco friendly products: Baking soda, white vinegar, lemon, scrubbing brush and cleaning sponge

fcafotodigital/istockphoto

Cheapism is editorially independent. We may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site.
Home cleaning with natural and eco friendly products: Baking soda, white vinegar, lemon, scrubbing brush and cleaning sponge
fcafotodigital/istockphoto

Clean Sweep

Forget those bathroom-cleaning supplies you find at the store. They’re often filled with chemicals that do more harm than good. Instead, look for natural products that do an even better job at a fraction of the price.

lemon juice
rez-art/istockphoto

Lemon Juice for Soap Residue

Is your bathtub covered with an unpleasant white film? It’s likely soap residue, and not all commercial products can remove it easily. But not to worry; cut a lemon in half and rub it wherever there’s soap scum. 


If the scum is stubborn, sprinkle some Kosher salt on the lemon half and then scrub the tub. Leave it for half an hour, rinse it, and marvel at how sparkly it is. 

White vinegar cleaning products concept. Spay bottle with cleaning solution, lot of copy space.
Helin Loik-Tomson/istockphoto

Citrus All-Purpose Spray

Another way to use citrus to clean your bathroom is in a spray. Slice a lemon or orange and put it in a spray bottle. Add 2 cups of vinegar (which should fill the bottle halfway) and 2 cups of water. Leave the lemons in the solution a week before removing them. Voila! Citrusy smell and clean bathroom!  

Cleaning now
bymuratdeniz/istockphoto

Natural Toilet Cleaner

Watch the magic of combining baking soda and vinegar with this natural toilet cleaner. Simply pour one cup of vinegar and one cup of baking soda into your toilet bowl. Let them sit and foam to remove the dirt before using your toilet brush to finish the job. 

Cleaning a mirror
Cleaning a mirror by bella mia2010 (CC BY-NC-SA)

Mirror Cleaner

Hate the streaks the blue stuff leaves? Make your own mirror cleaner. In a spray bottle, combine ¼ cup vinegar, 2 ½ cups water, ½ teaspoon dish soap, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Spray and wipe with a soft cloth. 

The cleaning power of lemon
tzahiV/istockphoto

Lemon for Tarnished Faucets

If your bathroom has older faucets that get tarnished, or you have other metal fixtures in your bathroom, combine the juice of half a lemon and two teaspoons of baking soda. Apply to the tarnished fixture and wipe off after a few minutes. 

Spray bed sheet spray
dararat Onrabiab/istockphoto

Linen Spray

If your bathroom linens smell funky, spruce them up with your DIY linen spray. Add 3 ounces of plain vodka or rubbing alcohol to a spray bottle, combined with 1½ cups of distilled water. Add in 15 drops of lavender essential oil, and spray your linens before putting them away. 

Woman using baking soda to unclog sink drain, closeup
Liudmila Chernetska/istockphoto

Drain Cleaner

Vinegar and baking soda can also help you unclog a sink. Pour one cup of baking soda into your drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Cover the drain with a plate. After 30 minutes, run hot water down the drain. 

Hand soap
Hand soap by U.S. Department of Agriculture/ Flickr

Hand Soap

Another overpriced thing you never need to buy at the store is hand soap. And the benefit of making your own is that you can add your favorite scent. Add ¼ cup of liquid Castile soap to a soap dispenser. Add two squirts of a carrier oil like almond or jojoba oil, along with 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. 

Dirty Bathtub
sdominick/istockphoto

Bathtub Scrub

If your tub needs a little extra elbow grease, don’t buy Comet; you can make your own scrub. Make a paste from 1 teaspoon of liquid soap, a cup of baking soda, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Apply the paste to your tub and then scrub away the dirt! 

Shower mildew
Shower mildew by Andrew Ratto/ Flickr (CC BY)

Mildew Control

Again, vinegar and baking soda to the rescue! Combine 2 tablespoons white vinegar with ¼ cup baking soda (you can also use salt) and apply to those mildewy grout corners of your shower. 

Cleaning window pane with detergent
AlexRaths/istockphoto

Window Spray

To get your bathroom windows sparkling clean, combine 1 ½ cups of distilled white vinegar, ½ cup of distilled water, and 10 drops of lemon essential oil in a 16-ounce spray bottle. Spray those dirty windows and wipe them with a soft cloth. 

Close up of woman's hands wiping bathroom tiles with a microfiber cloth
fcafotodigital/istockphoto

Tub and Tile Cleaner

If you’re looking for an all-purpose cleaner you can use on both your tub and bathroom tiles, this is the one. Add 1 ⅔ cup baking soda, ½ cup liquid soap, ½ cup water (distilled is best), and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray whatever you want clean and wipe with a sponge or cloth. 

A thin stream of hard water flows from an old tap aerator. Old Bathroom Sink Faucet contaminated with calcium and grime.
Serhii Ivashchuk/istockphoto

Faucet Shiner

Here’s a simple one: When your faucets get water-stained, simply sprinkle baking soda on them and wipe it off with a sponge. 

Mopping bathroom
Mopping bathroom by Rubbermaid/ Flickr (CC BY)

Floor Cleaner

Don’t forget your bathroom floor! It’s covered in bacteria and needs to be properly sanitized every time you clean the bathroom. Combine equal amounts of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water in a bucket and mop away the dirt. 

Young woman in white apron cleaning shower
djedzura/istockphoto

Shower Cleaner

To get that shower gleaming again, combine ½ cup dish soap, 1 ½ cups white vinegar, and 30 drops of essential oils (lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus play nicely together) in a spray bottle. 


Spray all of your shower walls and let the cleaner sit for an hour before wiping it clean. 

Glass with toothbrush
Toonzzz / iStock

Toothbrush Cleaner

Even your toothbrushes need to be cleaned from time to time. Simply soak them in hydrogen peroxide for at least an hour a few times a week. 

Maku up artist cleaning the make up brush before and after every use
FluxFactory/istockphoto

Makeup Brush Cleaner

Also, consider cleaning your makeup brushes once a week. Soak them in a glass jar with 1 cup of witch hazel, 4 teaspoons of liquid Castile soap, and 10 drops of lavender or tea tree oil. 

Shower Head with Hard Water Deposit Stains
skhoward/istockphoto

Calcium Remover

If your faucet or shower head has white calcium buildup, soak a towel in vinegar and wrap it around the faucet. Leave it overnight and in the morning, it will be shiny again. 

A woman's hand sprays an air freshener in a room.
Mariya Borisova/istockphoto

Air Freshener

Let’s just say the bathroom isn’t always the best-smelling place in the house. With this air freshener, you don’t have to worry about it. Combine 2 cups water with 20-30 drops of essential oil and 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a spray bottle. Shake slightly to mix, then spray to leave your bathroom smelling great. 

Woman taking shower
simonkr/istockphoto

Body Wash

Let’s not forget about cleaning YOU! You can make your own body wash with three simple ingredients. Combine 3 tablespoons of liquid Castile soap with 3 tablespoons of raw honey and 2 tablespoons of oil like castor or olive oil. Add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Stir all ingredients in a glass jar and then enjoy!