[northwest_breadcrumbs]
Hannah Barney
Keeping your Plumbing Fixtures looking brand new
With the weather looking a little gloomier this week, it looks to be the perfect time to get some of that “spring cleaning” done. Looking around my house, I’ve noticed some of the more neglected areas are the kitchen and bathroom cleaning. This got me to thinking, I’m probably not alone here!
One of the things I tend to forget about in my spring cleaning endeavors is plumbing. Plumbing is something we not only want to work well, we want it to look great too! Here’s a great go-to natural spring cleaning routine to keep your plumbing looking like new:
Your Bathroom Cleaning Guide
What You Need:
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt
- Rock Salt
- Sponge
- Grapefruit (1 per bathtub or shower)
- Quart Size Ziploc bag (1 per shower head)
And some other things you might already have:
- Ice
- Dish Washing Soap
- Paper Towels
- Rubber Gloves
- Rubber Band
- Toothbrush
- Toilet brush
- Empty spray bottle (can be used, just make sure to wash it)
Shower Head:
- Pour vinegar into quart size bag and secure it to the shower head with the rubber band.
- Let soak for 1 hour, then wipe clean with a wet paper towel
Bathtub/Shower:
- Take the grapefruit and cut it half. Sprinkle kosher salt over each half of the grapefruit.
- Next, spray your bathtub lightly with water. Sprinkle salt on the tub.
- Use your salted grapefruit to scrub your surface. When done, simple rinse with water.
Toilet:
- Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 cup distilled white vinegar. Put mixture into spray bottle.
- Spray mix all around the inside of the toilet bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Then use toilet brush to scrub the inside of toilet before flushing. Mixture can also be used on the toilet seat, lid and handle (does not need to sit, just spray and wipe down with wet paper towel).
Kitchen Sink:
- Rinse off the sink, then sprinkle baking soda all over. Make a paste with the water, then rinse again.
- Use the same “baking soda paste” on your toothbrush and scrub the sink rim and rinse. You can also use this paste to clean your bathroom faucet.
- Next, cover the sink entirely with paper towels soaked in vinegar. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Take a sponge soaked in soap water and clean the sink.
- BONUS: Garbage disposal! Fill the drain with 2 cups of ice and 1 cup of rock salt. Run cold water, then turn on your disposal until all of the ice is gone.
Feeling ambitious? Why not try making your own natural drain cleaner?
What you need:
- Baking Soda (again)
- Cider Vinegar
Mix 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of cider vinegar. Pour down the drain with plenty of hot water. The foaming means its working! (This will be slightly slower than chemical cleaners, but feel free to repeat once more)
Not only will this make everything look squeaky clean, but it will run better too!
Hope you have enjoyed this cleaning regiment, if you should discover that you have a need for plumbing services at any point, please let us know! Call 563-391-1344 for an appointment