Tuesday's green living tips

Hello all... Today's Green Living tip is going to be about cleaning (because this is probably what I am doing a lot of since I'm not reading blogs and playing on the computer...sigh)

So what about them there bathrooms? Do you hate soap scum? Who doesn't...but if you don't have time to clean your shower walls and tub after each use, then you are likely to get soap scum at some point in time. So here's some very easy, natural, non-harsh chemical ways to clean that soap scum:



Borax (which can be found with the laundry detergent) can act as a nonabrasive cleanser. You can use it on fiberglass, porcelain, or enameled finishes. Just wet the area you want to clean, sprinkle a little borax on a stiff scrub brush and use a little elbow grease.


Vinegar (you need to keep vinegar on hand at all times! It is the all-purpose cleaner and so much more. Usually, white vinegar is what is used most for cleaning). Hot vinegar mixed with a little elbow grease will clean soap scum off a tub/shower wall. Here's a two for one: If you heat your vinegar in the microwave, you can also clean your microwave at the same time.

Apply the hot vinegar with a sponge or rag and then scrub with a hard bristled brush. I usually pour my hot vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the walls down first and let that soak through the soap scum while I heat more vinegar to wipe down the walls with a sponge. This seems to help cut through the soap scum better.


Heated Murphy's Oil Soap applied with a stiff scrubbing brush and some elbow grease will remove large quantities of hardened soap scrum (like right under where you keep your bar of soap). The best part about using the Murphy's Oil Soap is that it seems to prevent soap scum build-up for about 3 weeks...which means less cleaning or you.

Once you get the area cleaned well, apply with a soft cloth that has been dampened the Murphy's Oil Soap and water. Be VERY careful not to get the Murphy's Oil Soap on the floor of your tub/shower. This is an 'oil' and can be very slippery. Make sure you 'buff' the walls to remove as much of the oil as you can.


Question: "But all I have to do with the store bought harsh chemicals, is spray, wait and rinse. Why would I want to use something that will cause me to have to use elbow grease?"

Answer: Because these products aren't harsh chemicals. So they are safer for the environment, your family and yourself...and heck, why not build them muscles up at the same time...grin...

Happy Cleaning! Hugs...


picture credit:
Borax - Vinegar - Murphy's Oil Soaps