DIY Remedies That'll Leave Your Bathroom Smelling Fresh As Can Be
The bathroom is not typically known as the freshest room in the house. In fact, if not properly cleaned and maintained, it can become pretty nasty. Luckily, there are some easy steps you can take to keep this room feeling, and smelling, extremely clean and vibrant. The most important thing, of course, is to keep up with regular cleanings. Daily tidying and regular deep disinfecting are both essential to a fresh space.
However, even with a solid cleaning routine, you may still find that you get funky smells or a musty room. Then, you can try some of these DIY methods of freshening up. These remedies can help you safely control odors so that your bathroom becomes a place you actually enjoy entering. With a few common household ingredients, you might even have guests asking you for your secrets. Plus, some are easy tricks that don't take up tons of time and don't need to be constantly refreshed or managed.
Drop essential oil into your toilet paper roll
One of the best ways to make a room smell nice in a hurry is to use essential oils. Essential oils are derived from various plants and may have health benefits in addition to their great smell. While you'll find a few different options for essential oil use in this list, this is one of the easiest. Instead of purchasing an expensive diffuser, you can just use your toilet paper roll!
The actual process for this hack is so simple. All you need to do is apply two to three drops of your favorite scent to the inside of the toilet paper roll tube. The cardboard will soak up the oil and release the smell gradually. Repeat this every time you set out a new roll.
One benefit of using essential oil on your toilet paper roll is that every time you move it to get some paper, the scent will be released into the air. You can use bright scents like citrus or fresh clean scents like mint or eucalyptus. Or, if you want the longest-lasting oils, opt for patchouli, vetiver, or sandalwood which smell great for several days.
Make a toilet bowl bomb
The toilet is the source of many bad bathroom smells. So, finding a way to freshen the water in the bowl can be a quick way to make the entire room smell better. While there are several products on the market for easy cleaning, you can also make your own fizzy toilet bomb with a mixture of four main ingredients. One of the benefits of doing this as a DIY project is that you know exactly what is going into it. Many store-bought products have harsh chemicals that can be toxic. However, making your own ensures safe products that are also effective.
To create your own toilet bombs, grab a large bowl. To create a base that will create that fizzy cleansing effect, combine a cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of citric acid. Then, stir together a teaspoon of vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water and add it to the powder to make a clumpy paste. Finally, add about 20 drops of the essential oils or extracts of your choosing to create your own signature scent. Pack the mix tightly into silicone muffin trays or ice cube molds and place them in the freezer. Once they are set, you can keep them in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag along with your other cleaning products. Pop one into the toilet bowl whenever it needs a refresh and let it dissolve.
Soak cotton essential oil
If you don't want to add essential oils to your toilet paper roll, another option is to use a bowl of cotton as a diffuser. Unlike your toilet paper, you can place this bowl anywhere in the bathroom to make sure the fresh scents are focused where you need them. This method is incredibly easy and can last for several days without any effort on your part. Essential oils work especially well for this because certain scents can help you create a mood. Lemon has a clean and cheerful scent, ideal for powder rooms. However, lavender can make you feel relaxed and tired, perfect for a master bath designed for unwinding.
In order to make this work, add a few drops of your favorite oil to several cotton balls or rounds. Or, you can create a blend by adding different essential oils to each one. Another way to stretch this tip even further is to use the cotton to get the last liquid out of an empty essential oil. Just stuff it in, let it soak up the leftover oils overnight, and then pull it out in the morning. No matter how you apply the oil, place the infused cotton in a non-porous jar or bowl to avoid staining.
Use bath bomb in the shower instead
We've talked about toilet bombs, but bath bombs can also lead to a refreshing bathroom environment even if you don't have time for a long soak. They can even be used when you take a quick shower to help the entire bathroom smell spa-like. So whether you want to buy a pre-made shower bomb or you make your own, here's a delightfully scented shortcut.
Simply place the bomb in a mesh bag and hang it from your showerhead. As the water pours over it, it will release the scent, refreshing the bathroom. Or, for a more intense scent infusion, just crush the bath bomb near the drain and let the fragrance fill the space as you wash off. One thing to note is that you should use a drain strainer to make sure that no large chunks end up clogging the drain.
Hide toilet bowl gel stamps in the trash can
After the toilet, the trash can is usually the next culprit for unfortunate bathroom odors. The bathroom trash might have feminine products, wipes, and other smelly waste. It also often contains paper trash like tissues, which can get damp from the moisture in the room and begin to stink. Luckily, you can use a toilet bowl cleaner to keep the bin smelling fresh too!
To counter out negative odors in your trash can, just plop a gel toilet bowl stamp like Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel, onto the side of the can. If it isn't sticking, you can also place it at the bottom of the bin, and then place the trash bag overtop of it. Or, if you don't want to use a pre-made product, you can also just drop an essential oil-soaked cotton pad underneath the bag.
One thing to note is that this hack will help mask any waste odors and make the bathroom feel fresh. However, it's not a replacement for cleaning. For the ultimate freshness, replace bags as soon as they start to fill up or smell bad, and wipe down the bin with disinfectant before adding a new bag.
Drop garlic in the toilet to neutralize odors
One of the most unique ingredients that can clean your toilet is fresh garlic. While this tip may sound unusual, it does work! A study by Chester J. Cavallito actually shows the antibacterial and antifungal properties of garlic. So, it just makes sense that it's great for sanitizing your toilet bowl.
In order to use the kitchen staple for this purpose, you'll want to drop a few partially crushed cloves into the toilet bowl. Leave these to soak in there overnight. In the morning, remove them and use a toilet brush to scrub down the sides of the bowl. Although removing them isn't the most pleasant task, it is necessary to avoid clogging the pipes. It's also worth noting that the scent of garlic isn't always associated with freshness. Just use it to remove any bad odors before adding your more pleasant scents.
Sprinkle baking soda on bath mats
Bath mats are often overlooked when it comes to making your bathroom feel and smell like a spa. However, every time you step onto the mat after a shower and drip water, you are providing a warm, moist environment where bacteria can grow. Therefore, if you want a fresh bathroom, you need a clean-smelling bath mat. And, one of the best ways to accomplish this is by using baking soda. Many bad smells come from substances that are considered acids. Baking soda, in contrast, is a base, so it creates a chemical reaction that fully neutralizes the acids.
All you need to do is sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda on the mat, then let sit for at least an hour or overnight. After the powder has had time to sit, shake it off and wash it as usual. Another option if you want a quick bathmat refresh without laundering, is to apply the baking soda and then vacuum it off after an hour or two.
Clean your toilet bowl brush with Pine-Sol
After scrubbing down the toilet bowl, you need to make sure the brush is also clean. The easiest way to do this is to let the brush sit in clean water in the bowl before you put it back in the holder. However, if you want to avoid any unpleasant smells and replace them with clean scents, Pine-Sol can be a game changer.
In order to clean your toilet brush with Pine-Sol, you'll first need to clean the bowl as usual. After you've flushed down the first layer of grime, pour a little of the solution into the bowl. Let the brush sit in this soapy water for a few minutes. When you're finished, prop the brush up using the toilet seat letting it drip down into the bowl. After it's dry, put it back in the holder. Another option for cleaning the brush is to fill the holder with Pine-Sol and warm water and let the brush sit directly in that for at least a half hour.
One of the best things about this tip is that Pine-Sol won't damage your pipes the way some cleaners might. It's a safe option for septic systems. It also smells great, and the fragrance will linger in the air even after you've finished cleaning and flushing.
Use orange peels to clean your toilet bowl
Citrus is a common scent in popular cleaning products, but did you know the actual fruits can be used, too? Orange peels have both antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Both of these are a necessity for keeping your toilet fresh and sanitary. And, they will also smell great and hide any unpleasant odors.
The easiest way to use this hack is by creating an orange peel-infused toilet cleaner. Just soak the peels in vinegar for a few weeks to allow the mixture's intensity to strengthen. Then, strain the infused vinegar into a spray bottle, discarding the peels. You'll be left with a non-toxic yet effective solution you can use to remove hard water stains and freshen up the room with a citrusy scent.
For a quicker refresh, you can also allow the peels to sit in the toilet overnight, similar to the garlic hack. Then, simply remove them in the morning and brush down the sides of the bowl. The orange oils will leave a subtle scent and loosen grime, leaving your toilet sparkling clean.
Deep clean regularly with bleach
While you can add any number of essential oils and citrus fruits to your bathroom, the funky smells won't go away without a deep cleaning. But, there's one chemical that can be especially helpful for disinfecting and getting rid of any unpleasant odors once and for all. If you wipe down the bathroom with bleach every few months to truly disinfect the surfaces, it should help keep it incredibly fresh. Once the bleach scent has died down, move forward with essential oils or citrus peels to replace it with a pleasant smell.
The most important thing to note before beginning is that bleach should not be used in combination with other products, as it could cause dangerous reactions. So, when you're ready to clean, stick to bleach only for this round. Another thing to keep in mind is that it's a very harsh chemical. Be careful when using it on any rubber seals or fragile surfaces. Instead, dilute it with water and use it to clean shower tiles, the toilet, and the sink. For added safety, wear gloves and a mask while working.
Layer baking soda at the bottom of your trash can
Baking soda is one of the most versatile products around. It does a fantastic job of breaking down dirt and grease, but it also reduces bad odors. In fact, a study done by Qamaruz-Zaman, Kun, and Rosli showed that just 50 grams of baking soda can reduce odors by up to 70%! This makes it a great tool for keeping your bathroom extra fresh.
In order to make use of the powder's odor reduction, sprinkle a layer at the bottom of your trash can before putting in a new bag. If you've ever seen someone keep an open box of baking soda in the fridge, the principle is the same. It will neutralize bad odors and leave the room smelling great.
If you need to wipe down the bin while switching the bag, you can add a little more baking soda and then spray it with vinegar. This creates a chemical reaction that will bubble up and make your trash can easier to clean out. Once it's all clean, add a little more baking soda under the new bag for continual clean smells.
Use an open jar of coffee grounds
Coffee isn't just effective in waking you up in the a.m. The nectar of the gods will also absorb unpleasant smells in your bathroom. Simply put a few tablespoons of fresh coffee grounds in an open jar, and stick it in an out-of-sight and dry area, like under the sink. In case you're worried about accidental spillage, put the grounds in a mason jar with holes punched in the lid. This simple trick works since the caffeine in coffee contains nitrogen, which neutralizes foul odors.
However, if you're loath to put fresh coffee grounds in your bathroom, repurpose the used grounds from your morning cup of joe instead. But you must dry the wet grounds first since wet grounds might develop mold and draw pesky insects. To dry the wet coffee grounds, lay them evenly on a baking sheet and place it in the oven at 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for one to two hours. But if you're not in a hurry and can spare a week, let the grounds air dry. Lay a paper towel on the baking sheet before adding a thin layer of wet grounds. The air in the environment and the paper towels beneath will work in tandem to dry the grounds. Once the grounds are completely dry, follow the steps above to deodorize your smelly bathroom. Don't forget to replace the grounds when they lose their potency to keep your bathing room smelling fresh and pleasant.