I accidentally discovered this recipe for DIY toilet bowl cleaner tablets thanks to one of my children. Anyone else have kids who throw everything in the toilet?? And while it might have been unintentional, this happy accident has saved me a whole lot of scrubbing over the years.
How I (Accidentally) Discovered DIY Toilet Cleaning Tablets
Once upon a time, I made a giant batch of my regular sea salt bath fizzies and postpartum bath fizzies. I had some friends expecting babies and wanted to give them as gifts.
I kept a few of the broken ones when I removed them from the molds and was planning to use them myself. I had them in a bag by my bathtub and my then one year old got into them (in true one-year old fashion). She was going through a phase of putting everything in the toilet, and these were no exception.
My first reaction was to stifle my annoyance for yet another thing being thrown in the toilet. And then I was angry that I wouldn’t get to use the bath fizzies myself.
I didn’t want to flush the toilet until they finished fizzing since I wasn’t sure that would be good for the pipes. As I stood there watching them fizz and mourning the loss of my relaxing bath, I noticed that the toilet seemed to be getting cleaner as they fizzed.
I used the toilet brush to make sure they had all dissolved and when I flushed the toilet, I was shocked how clean it was. I realized that the bath fizzies had a lot of ingredients that were naturally detoxing, and that these ingredients also worked great for detoxing and cleaning toilettes.
An Effective Toilet Bowl Cleaner
I played with the recipe to make it a little more potent since it doesn’t need to be gentle enough for skin. The result is an inexpensive, easy-to-make, highly effective toilet cleaning tablet. The best part? The little kids loved using these because they’re fun, so my toilets were cleaned frequently.
These toilet bowl cleaner tablets freshen the bathroom and leave the toilet sparkling. I store them in an air-tight glass jar in the bathroom and use them as needed. I’ve found that if stored correctly, they keep for months.
Baking soda is great for gently scrubbing messes and deodorizing. Citric acid is naturally found in citrus fruits and helps dissolve mineral deposits. Together, they make an effective, natural toilet bowl cleaner.
And while I don’t make homemade cleaners as much anymore now that I’ve found healthy versions, I still enjoy pulling them out on occasion.
Natural Toilet Cleaning
If you’re still using the “call poison control if you drink, inhale or look at this wrong” type cleaners, try these instead. All of the ingredients are food grade and can technically be used in cooking. Though I definitely wouldn’t eat them because of the concentration of baking soda and citric acid.
I give some more toilet (and bathroom) cleaning options in this post. And if you don’t feel like DIYing it, there are some really good pre-made options now. One of my favorite natural cleaners, Branch Basics, also works for toilet bowls. And you can add some of their Oxygen Boost powder if you need something a little stronger.
Note: I haven’t tried flushing the toilet before this has fully dissolved, but I wouldn’t suggest trying it. I’m thinking that kind of pressure in pipes isn’t the best idea! The toilet bowl cleaner tablet also needs a little time to work and clean the bowl.
These are not the kind of toilet tablets that go in the toilet tank, in case you were wondering. They go directly into the bowl to clean as needed.
Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tablets Recipe
Make natural toilet cleaner using food grade ingredients such as baking soda, citric acid, and essential oils.
Yield: 40 toilet tablets
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In a glass bowl, mix together the baking soda and citric acid in a glass bowl. I suggest wearing a mask and some latex gloves for this to protect your skin and eyes.
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Slowly mist the dry powder with water, mixing as you go. You want to barely wet the powder to get it to stick together in the mold. I used a small, fine mist spray bottle and about 8 sprays. Too much will cause fizzing.
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Add the essential oils and continue mixing.
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Using a 1 teaspoon measure (or larger), scoop out spoonfuls and place them on a piece of parchment paper until dry. You could also use a silicone mold for this step.
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Let the toilet tablets dry overnight and carefully place in an airtight container to use as needed.
- I haven’t tried flushing the toilet before this has fully dissolved, but I would not suggest trying it (I’m thinking that kind of pressure in pipes isn’t the best idea!)
- I usually use a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon for these, but I’ve also used a 1/2 Tablespoon. You’ll get fewer toilet tablets, but stronger cleaning power with a bigger scoop.
Tips For Making Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tablets
The number one mistake people make with bath bombs and similar recipes like this is adding too much water. The mixture should feel like damp sand when you squish it together. Too much water will cause the citric acid to prematurely react and fizz.
I use water, but some people use a mix of alcohol and water. The alcohol adds some moisture to help the powders stick together, without making it too wet. If it’s a really humid day or you live in an area with more moist air it can also affect the recipe.
If your toilet bowl tablets break apart after drying, the pieces still work for cleaning!
More Cleaning Recipes
Want some more natural cleaner recipes? Here are some DIY’s I’ve used for the bathroom over the years.
What do you use to clean your bathroom? Leave a comment and share below!
