Clean Drains and Sparkling Showers

Least favored household chore: the bathroom. Least favored bathroom chore: the shower.

Why do I hate it so? 1. It’s just gross. 2. Our shower drain is constantly getting clogged, mostly thanks to my long hair. 3. Hard water causes really gross build up on the shower walls.

The good news is this: there is a natural and affordable solution to the latter two issues!

You’ll need:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Water

To clean a clogged drain:

1. Pour a pot of boiling water down your drain.

2. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of water. Pour it down the drain.

2. Mix 1 cup hot water with 1 cup vinegar.

3. Pour down the drain. You will immediately see fizz–that’s the vinegar reacting to the baking soda hanging out in your drain. It’s that fizzing that will break through all the gunk down there and clear the drain. Keep as much of the reaction inside the drain as possible–pour slowly!

4. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. It’s working its magic.

5. Flush with another pot of boiling water.

Depending on how bad your drain was clogged, you might have to do this 1-2 more times. Our shower drain usually requires at least 2.

To get rid of mineral build up and make your shower sparkle:

1. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup water to make a paste.

2. Use this paste and a sponge to clean your shower walls.

3. After you’ve scrubbed, wipe the walls down with a wet rag or spray them with your shower head to rinse the baking soda off.

The texture of the baking soda acts as an abrasive, and it’s completely natural. Not to mention cheap! If you have hard water and the sponge isn’t cutting it, use a Brillo pad or steel wool instead, and the hard water build up will come right off!

Happy bathroom cleaning!