Your Toilet Will Be Sparkling With This Natural But Effective And Affordable Cleaner

Many bathroom cleaners on the market are loaded with bleach and harsh chemicals, but this nontoxic product will keep your toilet squeaky clean without any harmful ingredients. Bon Ami, which has been sold since 1886, contains just five natural ingredients: baking soda; limestone; feldspar; soda ash; and alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, a surfactant. The cleaner also has no added fragrances, dyes, phosphorus, or chlorine, and is biodegradable. Further, Bon Ami isn't tested on animals, is certified to be kosher, and is packaged in recycled paper.

Besides being less harmful to your health and better for the environment, Bon Ami powder is relatively inexpensive. At Ace Hardware, for example, a 14-ounce container of Bon Ami powder can be found for $2.99, while at Amazon, the Bon Ami store sells six-packs for $25. You may also be able to find the multipurpose cleaner at your local grocery store or drugstore like CVS.

Bon Ami cleaner can be used on porcelain, fiberglass, acrylic, enamel, and stainless steel surfaces, making it perfect for your bathroom. The cleanser is safe to put on the outside of toilets and in the bowl, but shouldn't be used in the tank. To clean your toilet with Bon Ami, start by soaking a rag with water and wiping down the porcelain. Once the area is damp, lightly spread the powder over the toilet, and then use your rag to scrub the Bon Ami all over the surface, which should cause it to transform into a paste. When scrubbing inside the toilet, simply use your regular toilet brush with the powder to help remove any hard water stains.

Once you've finished, wipe down the toilet again with a clean, damp cloth. While Bon Ami is a proven, effective cleaner that can tackle mildew, it's not capable of killing bacteria or viruses. If you're looking to target germs as well, you could clean with Bon Ami and vinegar; vinegar has been found to work against some bacteria, depending on the concentration of the acetic acid, according to a 2014 study published in the journal mBio.

Because Bon Ami contains only soft abrasives, it shouldn't scratch fixtures in your bathroom. In addition to making your toilet sparkle, this cleanser can also help make your sink shine and get rid of the soap scum in your shower or bathtub. The ingredients in the powder are safe to use on tiles and won't harm your grout either. Sinks, showers, and tubs can be cleaned just like your toilet, by wiping the surface down with a damp cloth or sponge, applying the powder, lightly scrubbing, and then rinsing.

If you're worried the cleaner might hurt your acrylic or enamel bathroom fixtures (e.g., for enamel, you'll want to avoid using acidic chemicals like the vinegar mentioned earlier), test Bon Ami powder on a small spot before covering your entire sink or shower. For removing bathtub stains, you could apply the same method above, or you could make a paste first and then apply it to specific areas of discoloration. If so, leave the paste for 30 minutes or so until the paste dries before scrubbing and rinsing everything away.