Cleaning bombs are one of the best-kept secrets out there! Instead of scrubbing your toilets, drains, and garbage disposals, why not let a magic combination of ingredients do it for you? Here’s how cleaning and toilet bombs work, and how to make them at home.
These fizzy cleaning bombs are an effective and safe way to quickly and easily clean up toilets, drains, and garbage disposals. Just pop one of these babies in the drain and it will fizz away any grease, buildup, and stinky odours that may be lingering. It really is that easy!
This post will cover…
- Why Cleaning Bombs?
- Natural Ingredients
- Eco-Friendly
- Makes Cleaning Easy (and Even Fun!)
- How to Use Cleaning Bombs
- My Favourite Scent Combinations
- Sink and Garbage Disposal
- Bathtub and Drain
- Toilet BomBs
- DIY Cleaning Bombs
- Materials
- Make it!
- How to Use and Store Cleaning Bombs
- More All-Natural Household Recipes:
Why Cleaning Bombs?
They contain all-natural ingredients and they are packaging-free which means no environmentally damaging waste. Oh, and did I mention how much FUN these cleaning bombs are to use?
Natural Ingredients
It’s no secret that I am all about going natural in my life. From beauty products I put on my skin to growing food straight from my garden, I like to know what ingredients I am using. This is why I opt to make as many at-home products as possible.
The same goes for cleaning. Cleaning agents are filled to the brim with potentially dangerous chemicals. If it has a ton of safety hazards on the label (hello skull and crossbones!), I avoid it at all costs. Just because it is not being ingested or touched doesn’t mean I want to have it around the house.
Eco-Friendly
Creating my own cleaning products is also a big win for the environment. The less plastic containers I have and the less amount of cleaner going down the drain, the better!
Makes Cleaning Easy (and Even Fun!)
Beyond its natural benefits, cleaning bombs make cleaning easy. First, they are simple to make and require very few ingredients. Then, you just pop them in and watch them do their magic. They are great for a quick refresh in between deep cleanings because they require no scrubbing!
Watching them fizz is also super satisfying. It somehow makes cleaning fun and can be a great way to encourage kids (or even stubborn partners) to help with chores.
How to Use Cleaning Bombs
You can pop your cleaning bombs pretty much anywhere water is found. I use mine for the sink, toilet, bathtub, and garbage disposal. Once the fizzing begins, it will begin to release the essential oils, leaving behind a fresh scent and a clean surface.
The fizzing that happens when you use a cleaning bomb is not the magical powers of grime washing away. It’s a chemical reaction between the baking soda and citric acid. Since one is a base and one is an acid, they neutralize each other. The reaction creates carbon dioxide which is the fizzing!
This recipe is not that far off from my eucalyptus shower steamers recipe, only it’s even easier to make because you just shape the cleaning bombs with your hands and don’t need to use molds.
My Favourite Scent Combinations
For different cleaning jobs, I like to use different scents. Here are my favourite essential oil combos for diverse smelling cleaning bombs.
Sink and Garbage Disposal
A combination of lemon and rosemary essential oils helps to cut tough grease that often builds up in kitchen sinks. The scent also helps to get rid of any yucky old food odours that may be lingering. Instead, it will smell like fresh herbs and citrus!
Bathtub and Drain
Using bath products such as oils, bubbles, bombs (not the cleaning kind), and melts can cause oily buildup in pipes. Cleaning bombs will go right down the pipes and clean them up instantly. Just drop one down the tub drain after your next bath. You can use any essential oil you like for this, but I like lavender because it is a calming and relaxing scent for the bathroom.
Toilet BomBs
If cleaning the toilet is not your favourite job, let these toilet bombs do the work for you. Keep a container of these fresh-scented cleaners in the bathroom and pop one in the toilet when the bowl needs a refresh.
They will fizz and bubble, releasing the cleaning ingredients and a fresh scent. I use toilet bombs in the evening before going to bed for a fresh, clean bowl every morning. Or, you can use them as needed between cleanings with an all-purpose cleaner.
To refresh and clean the toilet, make toilet bombs using eight drops each of rosemary, tea tree, and peppermint essential oils. These essential oils all have disinfectant properties and work wonders to get rid of unwelcome odours.
Tea tree has antifungal and antiseptic properties, and it’s hard to beat the freshness that goes along with the scent of peppermint and rosemary. This cheery combination will add some pep to the job of cleaning the toilet!
DIY Cleaning Bombs
Cleaning bombs are super easy to make and store well. I prefer to make them in big batches and store them in my bathroom and kitchen for easy access. They don’t have to look pretty, so I use my hands to mold them. However, you could also place them in a silicone mold if you want some special shapes.
View my step-by-step instructions below with photos or skip to the end to see a simplified recipe card.
Materials
- Spray bottle
- Diluted castile soap
- Essential oils of your preference (see some suggestions above)
- 1 cup citric acid
- 2 cups baking soda
Make it!
Add the baking soda and citric acid to a bowl and mix together with your hands. Add about 20 drops of essential oils, mixing that in with your hands as well.
Dilute the castile soap by adding one part soap to four parts water inside the spray bottle. Spray the solution lightly onto the top of the powder mixture, mixing it in quickly with your hands as you spritz.
Continue to spray the solution and mix it in until the powder mixture packs together easily in your hands like a snowball. Be careful not to spray too much liquid or the mixture will begin to fizz.
Roll the mixture into teaspoon-sized balls in your hands. Lay the balls out on a piece of parchment paper and allow them to dry until they feel firm. This will take up to 24 hours.
How to Use and Store Cleaning Bombs
Store them in a glass jar and pop one out when you need to refresh your bath, sink, or toilet. Simply toss one down the drain with a little water or into the toilet bowl and watch as it fizzes away, leaving the drain or toilet clean and fresh smelling.
More All-Natural Household Recipes:
- Naturally Freshen Laundry with Homemade Lavender Dryer Bags
- All-Natural Orange Cinnamon All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe
- Lavender Linen Water Recipe and Printable Label
- All-Natural Dog Deodorant Spray
How to Make Cleaning Bombs
Equipment
- Parchment paper
Supplies
Instructions
- Add the baking soda and citric acid to a bowl and mix together with your hands. Add about 20 drops of essential oils, mixing that in with your hands as well.
- Dilute the castile soap by adding one part soap to four parts water inside the spray bottle. Spray the solution lightly onto the top of the powder mixture, mixing it in quickly with your hands as you spritz.
- Continue to spray the solution and mix it in until the powder mixture packs together easily in your hands like a snowball.Be careful not to spray too much liquid or the mixture will begin to fizz.
- Roll the mixture into teaspoon-sized balls in your hands. Lay the balls out on a piece of parchment paper and allow them to dry until they feel firm. This will take up to 24 hours.
- Store them in a glass jar and pop one out when you need to refresh your bath, sink, or toilet. Simply toss one down the drain with a little water or into the toilet bowl and watch as it fizzes away, leaving the drain or toilet clean and fresh smelling.
Hi I love your cleaning bomb recipe! We have a septic tank will these ingredients be safe to use?
Hi Kathy, retired biochemist , worked in food , waste water and water industries. We also have septic and grey water recycle. Perfectly safe for your septic.
This is a good idea. What’s more is that it helps when the day is busy.
Thank you for this!
Keen for any suggestions that you may have to alleviate the painful process of cleaning wooden (tho painted) venetian blinds
Is there a “magic” amount of the spray on combo that will get you to the point before it grows? Lol mine are growing and growing and growing. So too much liquid for sure. So what approx 1 tea soap and 4 tea water maybe? This would be helpful for a first timer. I’ve now lost all that baking soda and citric acid. Is the mixture gonna still be crumbly before it starts to fizz on you?
You are using too much liquid. Try the tips in this post https://gardentherapy.ca/diy-bath-bombs/