Another product I use all the time is Soft Scrub with Bleach. It gets the job done so well and leaves my sinks and tub sparkling, but is unfortunately chemical ridden and very toxic to be breathing in. It even leaves behind a lot of residue, which makes me nervous about putting my babies' bare booties in that bathtub. So I wanted to try a natural recipe, but was doubtful about getting the same results. Well, I'm so happy I tried, because this stuff was not only a breeze to make, but worked SO WELL. I didn't even have to let it sit! I just started scrubbing away and watched my sink whiten before my eyes. It didn't even take a lot of elbow grease, just gentle circles with my brush and I was finished. Not only am I not having to hold my breath while I scrub, but I can breathe IN that wonderful combination of orange and thieves, which is great for your respiratory health anyway. Win-win.
Here is the before. Gross, I know.
A small dollop on your brush or sponge will go a long way. I did my whole sink + drain with less than a tablespoon!
And the after. Woohoo!
Ingredients:
3/4 C baking soda
1/4 C castile soap
1 Tb hydrogen peroxide (optional! You can substitute a tablespoon of water instead)
1 Tb vinegar
10 drops orange + 3 drops thieves essential oils
Directions:
Mix together baking soda, castile soap and peroxide. Very slowly, add the vinegar. It's important to do this slowly, or it will bubble up really fast in reaction with the baking soda. Finally, add your oils. You are done! I stored my soft scrub in a soap dispenser and keep it under the sink. I believe it's better for the peroxide to stay out of the light.
A quick note on orange and thieves. I used both because they exhibit antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Orange is a natural whitener and its acidic nature cuts grease and hard stains nicely. Thieves is an all-around miracle worker! It thoroughly cleans surfaces and neutralizes odors with its spicy aromatic blend. It's that extra kick that leaves hard jobs sparkling. I love these oils. Thieves comes in the Premium Starter Kit from Young Living, and I purchased orange separately (which is quite inexpensive and comes in a larger 15ml bottle.)