Detox Your Home: The Bathroom

Updated 11 May 2022

The bathroom is a place where you use lots of chemicals. It's not just how you clean the bathroom but all the chemicals you put on your body everyday.

However, there are a lot of things that you can do to reduce your chemical load. Here's some ideas for the bathroom.

Go anti antibacterials

Washing your hands? Choose a soap without the antibacterials. Triclosan is just not necessary. It's bad for you and the environment, and it's thought to be one of the reasons for the rise of superbugs. Check out this blog post on Triclosan for more information. Go with a natural hand wash like the cult favourite Dr Bronner’s.

Check the rest of your products for triclosan, too. You'll find it in products like toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, and even in your socks. Microban is another name that you’ll find on things like chopping boards and food containers. Be aware, and read the ingredients before you buy!

Get fresh

Ventilate! Nowhere is it more important to get lots of fresh air than the bathroom (and toilet). Open the window in the toilet, and you won't need to use toxic air fresheners. Of course, you can always choose a natural one or go with some essential oils if you prefer.

The bathroom is one room in the house which is the perfect environment for mould and mildew - which can cause all sorts of health issues, aggravating allergies and asthma. Give the shower a quick once over with a dry cloth or even a window wiper. Then wipe any excess water off the counter and around the taps. Open those windows to let the fresh air in and get everything dried out.

Green cleaning

Giving things a quick once over every day will reduce your need for toxic cleaning chemicals in the bathroom, too.

Ever used a shower cleaning product where you’ve had to hold your breath while using it? Hmmm. Not so good for you. Keep a squeegee in the shower and wipe it before you get out. It literally takes seconds but will cut back on limescale and keep the mould down, too.

Try spraying diluted vinegar or lemon juice on your porcelain, leave it for half an hour and then scrub it. You can also make a paste of baking soda, Dr Bronner's, and essential oil for a good cream cleanser. Spray vinegar and baking soda on your glass to remove the limescale, let it sit a while, then clean it off. Dilute some clove oil tea tree oil and vinegar to spray it on anywhere there's mould and damp - it's a non toxic mould buster.

If you don’t want to go with the DIY solutions, try one of the eco friendly and natural bathroom cleaning products at Hello Charlie.

Towels

Change your hand towels regularly, and your towels. Wash them in an eco friendly laundry powder. Dry them on the line, and if you want to soften them up, run them through the tumble dryer for a few minutes rather than completely drying them in the dryer.

Freshen up

Skip the toxic air fresheners. Get in some detoxifying plants, open those windows and go for essential oils if you want masking smells.

Ditch the disposables

Try switching to reusables, like face washers, instead of cotton pads to remove makeup. If you do choose disposables, try organic cotton or bamboo brands from the likes of Simply Gentle and Go Bamboo.

We’re not hardcore enough to recommend reusable toilet paper – eww! However, it’s easy to switch to recycled and unbleached brands, which are easier on the environment.

Switch to natural personal care products

This is a project in itself, but you can check out some of our really useful blogs:

• Ingredients to avoid in our Dirty Thirty Personal Care Ingredients
• Rethink the Plastic in Your Bathroom

And some other handy articles on detoxing your bathroom:

• How to Get Rid of Mould the Natural Way
• Why You Shouldn't Clean with Bleach
• Why You Shouldn't Use Borax in DIY Cleaning Products

Next: let's look at detoxing the kitchen.