Fru-Gal Friends

1. No Carpet in the bathroom as it is a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Use rugs that can be thrown in the washer and dryer.

2. vinyl flooring may emit poisonous fumes for several years after installation, is very difficult to dispose of, not very durable and produces deadly smoke if it catches fire.

3. Ceramic tile is durable, waterproof, easy to keep clean, completely nontoxic and made of natural materials. Even easier to take care of if you have colored grout instead of white which stains easily. If you have white tile you can stain it a darker color with special grout stain.

4. Other nontoxic flooring include well-sealed stone, hardwood or concrete though not as easy to clean as glazed tile.

5. Real linoleum which is biodegradable because it is made of organic materials must be very well sealed and caulked to prevent water from seeping under and around it.

6. Use washable gloss or semigloss paint, or another very smooth surface such as ceramic tile or wood paneling sealed with a nontoxic water based finish.

7. Dry and air out bathroom daily to avoid mositure where mold and mildew can grow. A bathroom exhaust fan is the best antifungal device invented. Run fan while bathing or showering and for 10 -15 minutes after will go a long way toward keeping your bathroom mildew free. You can also dry walls manually.

8. Adequate storage - keep things off sink so you can clean easily. Store items in decorative baskets or bowls. Increase capacity in cabinet bu cutting up square plastic bottles and making stackable cubbies to hold small items.

9. Softening water is a health hazard and adds polluntants to wastewater. It adds either washing soda, borax, phosphates or sodium rendering it less than ideal for consumption by man, beast or plants. Hard water is not a health hazard. In fact the extra minerals may actually improve one's health.

10. Tankless water heaters are best but most expensive. The most enviromentally friendly water heating devices are solar water heaters which are expensive to install but cost nothing to operate. Keep all water heaters no hotter than 120 degrees.

11. Fix all leaks. Install low flow faucet aerators and low flow shower heads with shut off valves. Buy washerless faucets. Avoid buying faucets with hollow, clear plastic handles as there are little terrariums for gorwing algae.

12. Clean a little daily to maintain

13. Tools needed to stay in bathroom - spray bottle filled with distilled white vinegar made from grain, cleaning rags, old toothbrushes, plastic scrub brushes, toilet brush and holder,Optional shower squeegee, optional a bottle of extremely cheap vodka for cleaning.

14. Use the used towels to polish and wipe down bathroom before you wash them

15. Use castile soap as it leaves no soap scum behind. Check out www.drbronner.com

16. After showering take scrub brush to walls no need for cleaner and then dry. Then scrub once every couple of weeks.

17. Tub should be scrubbed, rinsed and dried after each use

18. Toilets - brush daily and there will be no need for harsh cleaners. If needed here is a nontoxic cleaner.
Get rid of any chlorine, auto cleaner etc..Flush. using plunger gently force water out til nearly empty. Fill to normal level with white vinegar (1 1/2 gal) let sit as long as possible preferably overnight. Scrub with toilet brush and flush

19. No flushing of anything non water soluble- no cleaners, medicines, no food or trash no plastic , no feminine hygiene products, no cardboard nothing! Use a plastic container with a lid such as a yogurt container in the bathroom for used feminine hygiene items and when full throw in the garbage.

20. Close lid before flushing because the flushing action of toilets propels tiny droplets of bacteria-laden toilet water into the air and they can stay aloft for up to 2 hours before descending to contaminate bathroom surfaces.

21. Don't unnecessarily flush. Do not flush unless there is solid waste in it. "if it's yellow, it's mellow, if it's brown, flush it down: Most urine is sterile and is unlikely to cause disease

22. clogged toilet - use a plunger. The most effective one is made of flexible rubber and have a double cup, like a small bell inside a larger one

23. clogged sink / bathtub drains - install sink strainers to avoid hair going down drains. TO unclog hair purchase tool that pulls hair out out of drains. Looks like a giant pipe cleaner with a plastic handle on one end. Push in drain and pull up. Repeat til clear. If hair isn't the problem try a plunger- stuff rag into overflow hole. If still slow use 1/2 cup baking soda then 1 cup distilled white vinegar. When fizzing stops pour in a kettle of boiling water.

more to come
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Vicki

Non Toxic - Removing Soap Scum

Easier to clean immediately after it has been used. But just in case...

Borax - nonabrasive cleaner just wet surface sprinkle a little on a stiff scrub brush and scrub. Rinses off easily without leaving grit behind

Clean soap scum off by applying hot vinegar with a sponge or rag then scrubbing with stiff bristled scrub brush. (boil vinegar in microwave and it will clean it also)

Heated Murphy's Oil Soap applied with stiff scrub brush. May need to scrape if really thick. It also helps prevent scum recurrence for up to 3 weeks.

Wipe sides of freshly cleaned tub or shower stall with a soft cloth dampened with Murphy's Oil Soap and water. This is slippery so rinse off throughly and don't apply to shower or bathtub floor.

Non-Toxic - Removing Mineral Deposits

Shower heads - soak in boiling white vinegar for at least 1 hour

Faucets - wrap in rags that have been soaked in hot vinegar then cover with a plastic bag to keep moist. Wait a couple of hours then remove and scrub with old toothbrush. Also removes rust stains from porcelain.

Non-Toxic - Cleaning Glass Surfaces

Commercial glass cleaners contain ammonia which emits potentially irritating fumes , breaks down into pure water and does not leave a residue, unfortunately most also contain waxes which do leave a residue. Plain vinegar does great cleaning mirrors and other glass unless coated with wax. Remove residue by pour 2 cups water and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar into spray bottle. Add 1/2 tsp dish liquid. Spray on glass wait half minute then polish dry with clean rag. Now it can be cleaned with plain vinegar.

Non-Toxic - Mildew Remover

Surface mildew use full strength white vinegar. If on walls wipe with vinegar rag or spray on , let sit and wipe dry. If stained spray on hydrogen peroxide, let sit a minute and wipe off. It may change color of paint though.

Persistent patches try - put some white vinegar in a glass jar and add an inch long copper wire. Let sit few days then pour vinegar into spray bottle leaving wire out. Copper kills fungi and will help prevent from returning. Wipe dry no rinsing necessary.

Well established patches of mildew can be scouored off a wall or out of grout with a scrub brush or old toothbrush dipped in a paste of borax and water. If penetrated the wall leave borax on a couple days then vacuum off.
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Vicki

Routine Cleaning

Following Steps take about 3 minutes

1. Clear everything off counter
2. sweep the dust and hair off floor
3. use clean rag, toilet paper or wash cloth to wipe hair off counter and out of sink
4. Spray white vinegar on all surfaces of toilet, the lid,front, and sides of the tank, the top and bottom of the lid, top and bottom of the seat, and inside and outside the toilet. Pour a little vinegar in bowl.
5. Wet clean rag with warm water and wring it out well. Wipe down toilet.
6. Scrub bowl with toilet brush. Flush then swish the brush aroound in fresh water to clean it off.
7. Spray sink. counter and faucets with white vinegar. Scrub with scrub brush. Spray mirror with vinegar.
8. Wipe mirror dry with slightly used towel then use it to dry the sink and then the floor. Toss towel in hamper and get a clean one.
9. Spray floor with white vinegar then wipe dry with another towel. Throw towel in hamper.

The Shower

Do while in shower. Take spray bottle of vinegar in with you. Turn on water and get all completely wet. Spray all down with vinegar scrub with brush and/or toothbrush. Turn water back on and rinse. SHower making sure to rinse all well. Squeegee water off shower or wipe dry with towel after you are dry and throw in hamper

The Shower Curtain

Vinyl shower curtains and liners are flimsy and prone to mildew that they should be considered disposable. Woven polyester/nylon are less likely to mildew, are durable, machine washable and more environmentally friendly.

The Tub

Clean after use. Spray with white vinegar scrub with brush and rinse. Dry with a towel.
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Vicki

I printing as I write wow this is amazing.
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Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Lots of great tips here.

I was particularly interested in reading about the vinyl as we've just been discussing what kind of flooring to use to finish off our downstairs renovation after painting the woodwork, ceilings and walls. We'd been thinking of vinyl as an easy option while we continue with other renovations until we could tie everything together and then tile the lot. Now I'm thinking I may buy a nice shade of concrete paint, use stencil tape and paint the floor instead! It has a smooth concrete finish so would still be easy to sweep and mop. Great timing with this post Vicki. Thanks Smile

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~ By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest. --Agesilaus ~

Glad you found some useful stuff ladies. There is more to come on this topic but I got tired of typing. Will do some more later today
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Vicki

We have a textured bathtub. I'll never buy one of those again. I'm going to try the vinegar or Murphys soap to clean it.

Thanks, Vicki. These are great tips.

Sissy that is funny that you should say that because it specifically says if you redo your bathroom to go for smooth surfaces everywhere because of it being easier to keep clean.
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Vicki

Vicki - It seemed like a good idea when we re-did the entire bathroom 8 years ago. Another lesson learned.