I use tea tree oil in my homemade bathroom cleaner recipe for its natural antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. This formula works great for cleaning the toilet, sink, counters, and tub. Although my tub sometimes needs more scrubbing, I still use this cleaner for a light mid-week wipe down.
Ingredients
You only need four simple, inexpensive ingredients to create a powerful germ-fighting bathroom cleaner. It’s non-toxic, smells really nice (as long as you like tea tree oil), and best of all, it leaves your bathroom super clean and free of germs.
- 16 Ounces (470 ml) Water – I always use regular tap water for my homemade cleaning supplies, but you can also used spring or distilled water if you prefer.
- 1/4 Cup (60 ml) Liquid Castile Soap – I use unscented Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, but any brand will work as long as its unscented. Optionally, you could use peppermint castile soap and omit the peppermint essential oil.
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Tea Tree Essential Oil – A powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial, tea tree oil is my first choice for cleaning really dirty places – like the bathroom and toilet. It’s a very affordable essential oil, too. You can typically find it for under $10 an ounce. I like the Swanson brand or Now Brand for affordability and quality.
- 10 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil – Another natural antimicrobial, peppermint also makes a nice scent complement to the tea tree oil. If you don’t have any peppermint oil, you can replace it with eucalyptus.
Equipment
All you need to make natural bathroom cleaner is a spray bottle and funnel, which is optional. I usually just pour all the ingredients directly into the bottle and shake.
- 32 Ounce (940 ml) Spray Bottle – I tried to make this in a 16-ounce (470-ml) spray bottle and it ended up spilling over when I added the nozzle back in. I would recommend buying the next size up so you have plenty of room for mixing the ingredients AND the sprayer hose. If all you have available is a 16-ounce (470-ml) bottle, then use a little less water.
- Funnel – This is optional, but it may be helpful when pouring your ingredients into the spray bottle. If the bottle has a small opening, it can be difficult to pour in the tea tree oil without spilling. Pouring with a funnel will help you waste less of your ingredients.
Instructions
The instructions are simple. Just combine all ingredients in the bottle and shake well to combine. The solution will be strong, but it will kill those germs!
- Combine all ingredients in a 32-ounce (940-ml) spray bottle and shake well to combine.
- Spray on bathroom surfaces and wipe clean with a damp cloth or sponge. You don’t need to rinse.
- Shake the bottle well before each use to distribute the ingredients. You may notice separation of oil and water if the bottle sits for a while. That’s normal! Just shake it up and it’s fine to use again.
Printable Instructions
If you want to print out these instructions in a recipe format for later use, here you go! Just click the “Print” button below.
Natural Tea Tree Bathroom Cleaner
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
- 1 tablespoon tea tree essential oil
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a 32-ounce (940-ml) spray bottle and shake well to combine.
- Spray on bathroom surfaces and wipe clean with a damp cloth or sponge. You don't need to rinse.
- Shake the bottle well before each use to distribute the ingredients. You may notice separation of oil and water if the bottle sits for a while. That's normal! Just shake it up and it's fine to use again.
Safety Precautions
The ingredients used to make this homemade bathroom cleaner are natural and organic in origin, but that doesn’t mean they’re without consequences if used improperly. Do not ingest this formula or leave it where children or pets could ingest it.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and should never be used internally. Just a few drops of essential oil equals 30 – 40 cups of herbal tea. Essential oils may also be toxic to pets, especially tea tree oil. Just a few drops of tea tree oil on a pet’s skin can cause severe poisoning. Do not allow pets near this formulation.
I recommend using gloves when cleaning with tea tree oil – especially in high concentrations like in this recipe. This may not be necessary for everyone, but individuals with sensitive skin may experience irritation. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
If you’re unsure how an essential oil might affect your skin, you can always do a spot test. Just combine a drop or two of essential oil with a small amount of carrier oil (olive, sweet almond, etc.). Apply to your skin and wait a few hours to see if there’s any reaction.
Additional Resources
If you’re interested in making your natural homemade cleaning supplies, I can recommend the following resources:
- The Naturally Clean Home – This book contains 150 super-easy recipes for green cleaning. This is my favorite book on the topic, and it’s been recently updated and revised.
- Rosemary’s Garden – A great place to purchase dried herbs, essential oils, and equipment like empty containers, funnels, etc. for your herbal cleaning products.
- Swanson Vitamins – If you aren’t able to buy castile soap and essential oils locally, Swanson offers good, affordable brands like Dr. Bronner’s and Now Essential Oils.
