Homemade Soft Scrubber for Tile Floors ~ Baking Soda Recipe!

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Yesterday, I mopped my floors using my homemade pine floor cleaner. But sometimes even after mopping, there are high-traffic areas that need a little more elbow grease. I have a specific area of my kitchen floor – around my dog bowls and trash can – that needed a bit more scrubbing.

So, I whipped up this natural soft scrubber to get rid of the stubborn dirt (mostly from my dogs tracking in mud) that was left behind. The baking soda is gently abrasive, and effectively tackles tough dirt and grime without damaging tile.

WARNING: DO NOT use this scrubber on wood floors, linoleum, or any other floor type. This is an abrasive formula. I’d also recommend doing a small patch test before using on your specific tile – just to be sure.

You can make a larger batch of this mixture and store it in a covered container. But I prefer to make a smaller amount as needed. This mixture works great on my rustic tile floors, as well as bathtubs and sinks.

Ingredients

It only takes three simple ingredients – then mix into a paste with water.

Here’s everything you need to make your own homemade soft scrubber:

  • 1/4 Cup (68g) Baking Soda – Baking soda is abrasive and absorbs odors. It’s a great base for homemade scouring powders and soft scrubs.
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) Liquid Castile Soap – I’ve been using Quinn’s Organic Liquid Castile Soap, but any good quality brand will work. The soap creates a cleansing paste when combined with the baking soda.
  • 5 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil – Tea tree essential oil is a powerful antimicrobial. You can substitute with any essential oil of your choice, or omit completely if you desire. For cleaning, I typically use NOW Tea Tree Essential Oil.
NOTE: If you want to make a larger (or smaller) batch, the formula that works best for me is four parts baking soda to one part liquid castile soap. Then, just add a few drops essential oil, if desired – more for a larger batch, and less for a smaller one.

Instructions

Here’s how to make and use your homemade tile scrubber. Keep in mind this mixture works best for smaller areas that need extra cleaning, and is not meant to clean your entire floor. (I mean, technically you could if you wanted – but it would be a LOT of work to scrub down large surfaces.)

  1. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, liquid castile soap, and tea tree essential oil. Add just enough water to make a thick paste. Stir until well-combined.
  2. Apply paste to the tile and rub with a damp cloth or sponge (or use a small scrub brush) until the area is clean. For heavily soiled areas, allow the paste to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
  3. Rinse several times with water and dry well.
NOTE: If you have ceramic or porcelain tiles, you can rinse baking soda residue away using diluted vinegar or an acidic homemade cleanser (like my homemade lemon kitchen cleaner). I always keep a spray bottle of white vinegar in my kitchen for jobs like this.
Here’s how the paste looks after applying to my clay tile floors.

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.

Soft Scrubber for Tile Floors

Cleans the toughest dirt and grime from tile floors. DO NOT use on wood or linoleum floors!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (68g) baking soda
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) liquid castile soap
  • 5 drops tea tree essential oil

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, liquid castile soap, and tea tree essential oil. Add just enough water to make a thick paste. Stir until well-combined.
  • Apply paste to the tile and rub with a damp cloth or sponge (or use a small scrub brush) until the area is clean. For heavily soiled areas, allow the paste to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
  • Rinse several times with water and dry well.

Notes

If you have ceramic or porcelain tiles, you can rinse baking soda residue away using diluted vinegar or an acidic homemade cleanser. Make sure to rinse well with water and don’t let stand or it may damage your grout.

Safety Precautions

The ingredients used to make this pine floor 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.

I recommend using gloves when cleaning with essential oils. This may not be necessary for everyone, but individuals with sensitive skin may experience irritation they come in contact with essential oils. 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.
  • Mountain Rose Herbs – My favorite place to purchase dried herbs, essential oils, and empty containers (spray bottles, etc.) for my herbal cleaning products.
  • Rosemary’s Garden – Another great place to purchase dried herbs, essential oils, and equipment like empty containers, funnels, etc. for your herbal cleaning products.

You can also check my Resources Page for more recommendations. Happy cleaning! 💛

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