Your cleaning day just got easier with these lemon-scented homemade toilet cleaning bombs. Made with all-natural ingredients, these cleaners will leave your toilet sparkling with little effort.
Cleaning the toilets isn’t the most pleasant job, though if you were here when I get out the toilet brush, you would think differently. All my kids LOVE to scrub the toilets. Yes, they are weird! But I know this is partly because they are little, the brush looks exciting, and it appears that we are playing in the water. In a few years, I will have to beg someone to clean the toilet. 😉
If you don’t have 4 little helpers, as I do, I have an easy solution! Heck, even with all my help, I prefer to use these homemade toilet cleaning bombs over getting the scrub brush out. Less mess, and no one has to fight over who’s turn it is.
This toilet bomb recipe is simple to make, and they work so well!
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SAFE TOILET BOWL CLEANER
Most conventional, if not all, toilet cleaners are loaded with toxins and chemicals. I try to get these ingredients out of my house just in case a child would get into them. And so they can help me clean without me having to worry. Plus, kids love to touch everything and put everything in their mouths. I don’t want to spray all the surfaces in my home with dangerous ingredients.
Before making my own products, I remember having to wear a mask over my face when I would clean. I couldn’t stand breathing in all the toxic fumes, and it oftentimes gave me a headache. Now that I clean with natural ingredients, I don’t have to worry, and my house is still getting cleaned.
Good news! You don’t need dangerous chemicals to keep your toilets clean. This DIY toilet cleaner is made with all safe ingredients, and they work so well! Plus, they are hands-off!
HOW DO HOMEMADE TOILET CLEANING BOMBS WORK?
Similar to bath bombs, when these hit the water, the baking soda, and citric acid will have a reaction causing a “fizzing action,” if you will. This is why it is important to use as little water as possible when making these.
As the ingredients fizz, it will naturally clean your toilet and work to remove dirt and grim. When using these, you won’t need to use a toilet brush; however, I wouldn’t get rid of the brush for good. Every once in a while, I like to use my toilet bowl cleaner and scrub it when needed.
ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS
Citric Acid
Citric acid is a must in toilet cleaner bombs. It can be found in lemons and limes, which is what gives them the tart flavor. However, citric acid is found in many cleaning agents in a manufactured form.
It is used as a disinfectant and can kill several bacteria and viruses. The environmental working group (EWG) gives it an A rating!
Baking Soda
Baking soda is great for absorbing odor and removing stains, making it a go-to for your natural cleaning. It is a mild alkali and can cause dirt and grease to dissolve easily in water.
Baking soda is a great deodorizer. Using baking soda in the toilet is a great way to maintain clean pipes and drains. It can also help to unclog them!
Liquid Dish Soap
The recipe calls for a small amount of liquid dish soap. I prefer to use my homemade dish soap, but you can really use whatever kind you have on hand.
My homemade soap consists of water, castile soap, and essential oils.
When adding the liquid soap, I like to use a spray bottle and mist it. Getting the ingredients too wet will cause the bombs to not hold together.
BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR CLEANING
This is always the best part about DIYing your own cleaning products, or any products for that matter; you get to choose the scent. I personally prefer citrus oils for cleaning; lemon is my favorite!
You can also use tea tree, lime, wild orange, rosemary, or lavender. All these essential oils have cleansing and purifying properties, making them a great option for cleaning toilets.
HOW DO I USE MY HOMEMADE TOILET CLEANING BOMBS?
When the toilet needs a little refresher or when it starts to look grimy, simply drop one tablet into the toilet. Watch it fizz; well, this part is optional! 😉
Let it sit in the toilet for a few minutes before flushing if the toilet is extra dirty. If your toilet needs additional love, you can break out the toilet brush and give it a scrub.
I am not a plumber, but I feel like it is best to let it completely dissolve before flushing it down.
You can use these as needed. I personally add one to the toilet about twice a week. As it fizzes, you will smell the essential oils, which will help to freshen the bathroom.
If you are having guests over, just drop one in the toilet before everyone arrives, and then you will have a clean toilet and a fresh, clean-smelling bathroom.
HOMEMADE TOILET CLEANING BOMBS
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Mix the baking soda and citric acid in a mixing bowl and stir well.
Add essential oils to the bowl and mix well.
Pour the liquid soap into a spray bottle and mist the powder mixture with it. You want to get the mixture wet enough that it holds together when you squeeze it together but not soaked.
Press the mixture into a small bath bomb or silicon mold.
Allow the mixture to completely dry overnight or until it hardens.
Pop the toilet cleaning bomb out of the mold and store in an airtight container or bag.
Toilet cleaner bombs are perfect for a quick, hands-free toilet clean.
Prep Time15 minutes
Additional Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours15 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid
1 tablespoon liquid soap (You can use my homemade kind or any brand you have on hand.)
30 drops essential oils (My favorites are lemon and wild orange.)
Bath bomb molds or silicone molds
Spray bottle
Instructions
Mix the baking soda and citric acid in a mixing bowl and stir well.
Add essential oils to the bowl and mix well.
Add the liquid soap to a small spray bottle. Mist the powder mixture until it starts to hold together. (you should be able to squeeze it in your hand, and it leaves an imprint.)
Press the mixture into a small bath bomb or silicon mold.
Allow the mixture to dry overnight or until completely hard.
Pop the toilet cleaning bomb out of the mold and store in an airtight container or bag.
I’m sure you would have mentioned this, but I wanted to ask. Are these safe for a septic tank? Love your videos and I’m learning a lot about essential oils. Thanks for sharing !
Mine are doing this as well. When I put them in the mold. They keep expanding almost like marshmallow mush. Some of my batches have done this and others it hasn’t.
These work great for our house. I drop one in the toilet midweek to freshen things up or if company come by I pop one in then for a fresh scent. I place them in a bowl or jar and if anyone feels the need after their business they can pop one in. Thanks for this great recipe.
Do you have anything you could substitute for the Citric Acid? I am going through my cleaning products to possibly make my own and this is the only recipe calling for the citric acid. So I was just curious if I could replace it with something else that would do the same thing?
Mine poofed up like clouds like an above commenter! I think my mixture may have gotten too wet and activated the ingredients? I’m still going to let them dry out as poofs and see if they’re effective.
When I popped mine in the toilet it only fizzed a little and it just sat there 🙁 I followed the recipe to a T! How much is it supposed to fizz in the bowl?
Mine too. I followed the recipe to a T. I’m thinking we need more citric acid and less dish soap.
I have tried so many different recipes and this is the only one that does next to nothing when it hits the water. The other recipes had no dish soap and more CA. They are more powdery instead.
Hope that helps.
The bombs were fun and easy to make but mine did not have much fizz when I put it in the toilet only very little fizz then eventually dissolved. How can I get more Fizz?
Lemon juice would also activate the baking soda into fizzing and expanding – which I think is the problem the above people are having as well. You use citric acid, because it is basically dry version of lemon juice and won’t set off the baking soda. When it interacts with water, it activates the ‘acid’ which in turn activates the baking soda into fizzing. I hope this helps explain things and helps people understand where they might have taking a wrong turn.
This worked brilliantly for me. I have not yet made them into shapes but just threw 1/8 of the mixture into the toilet bowl. It’s shinning now after an hour and we would have lots of limescales in the toilet and it’s now gone! Yay! I’m going to mould the remaining mix.
For people who have issues I would say make sure you are using baking soda or bicarbonate of soda and not baking powder.
Thanks for the recipe
and removing stains, making it a go-to for your natural cleaning. It is a mild alkali and can cause dirt and grease to dissolve easily in water. 
Beverly says
I’m sure you would have mentioned this, but I wanted to ask. Are these safe for a septic tank? Love your videos and I’m learning a lot about essential oils. Thanks for sharing !
Laura says
I let it dissolve completely before flushing the toilet and I haven’t had any issues. 🙂
Keyla says
How many bombs does this recipe make?
Laura says
With the mold I am using it makes 8.
Angie Cook says
When do you add the oil?
Laura says
Right after you stir the powders together you can add in the essential oils if using. Stir well and then go to the next step.
Lauren says
I absolutely love this! I am definitely making it again soon!
Laura says
I am so glad! They make cleaning so easy!
KATHY LOPEZ says
can i use lemon juice instead of citric acid
Laura says
I think it will make it to wet and cause them to fall apart when being transferred out of the molds.
JOhanna says
Hello,
My bombs keep growing and expanding, like the blob!?!? what am I doing wrong???
Laura says
Haha like after they are made or during the process?
Noah says
Mine are doing this as well. When I put them in the mold. They keep expanding almost like marshmallow mush. Some of my batches have done this and others it hasn’t.
Norma Lee says
is boric acid the same as citric acid?
Laura says
No, they are different.
Pauline says
These work great for our house. I drop one in the toilet midweek to freshen things up or if company come by I pop one in then for a fresh scent. I place them in a bowl or jar and if anyone feels the need after their business they can pop one in. Thanks for this great recipe.
Laura says
Thank you for sharing! I am glad you liked it!
Abbey says
Do you have anything you could substitute for the Citric Acid? I am going through my cleaning products to possibly make my own and this is the only recipe calling for the citric acid. So I was just curious if I could replace it with something else that would do the same thing?
Betsy says
Mine poofed up like clouds like an above commenter! I think my mixture may have gotten too wet and activated the ingredients? I’m still going to let them dry out as poofs and see if they’re effective.
Laura says
Yes you want to make sure they don’t get to wet while making them. They should dissolve similar to a bath bomb.
Lucy-May says
When I popped mine in the toilet it only fizzed a little and it just sat there 🙁 I followed the recipe to a T! How much is it supposed to fizz in the bowl?
Laura says
It should fizz until it is gone. I am not sure what went wrong. Did it eventually fizz more?
Maria says
Mine too. I followed the recipe to a T. I’m thinking we need more citric acid and less dish soap.
I have tried so many different recipes and this is the only one that does next to nothing when it hits the water. The other recipes had no dish soap and more CA. They are more powdery instead.
Hope that helps.
Laura says
I am not sure why they did that, I will have to try them again. They did fizz when they hit the water for me.
Darlene says
The bombs were fun and easy to make but mine did not have much fizz when I put it in the toilet only very little fizz then eventually dissolved. How can I get more Fizz?
Kaitlyn says
Can I use just Castile soap as the liquid soap for this recipe?
Stephanie says
Hi Laura, could I just use an ice tray for the bombs? Would that regular ice tray size be enough to do the job? Thanks
Laura says
Yes, I have had several readers tell me they used ice trays. Silcone are the easiest way to get them out!
Mandy says
Hi Laura,
Instead of more lemon essential oils, do you think I can use lemon juice in place of liquid soap for a stronger scent?
Laura says
I have not tried that way, my only concern is that lemon juice would be a lot more liquid than the essential oil.
Celeste says
Lemon juice would also activate the baking soda into fizzing and expanding – which I think is the problem the above people are having as well. You use citric acid, because it is basically dry version of lemon juice and won’t set off the baking soda. When it interacts with water, it activates the ‘acid’ which in turn activates the baking soda into fizzing. I hope this helps explain things and helps people understand where they might have taking a wrong turn.
Natalie says
Hi Laura!
What is the “shelf life” on these bombs?
Laura says
They should be good for about 6 months.
Vivi says
What size molds should I get for toilet bombs
Laura says
I have them linked in the post.
Mrs. Jennifer White says
Do you have a book about your various recipes?
Laura says
Yes, I do. Search our oily house book on amazon and it will pop up!
Sinéad says
This worked brilliantly for me. I have not yet made them into shapes but just threw 1/8 of the mixture into the toilet bowl. It’s shinning now after an hour and we would have lots of limescales in the toilet and it’s now gone! Yay! I’m going to mould the remaining mix.
For people who have issues I would say make sure you are using baking soda or bicarbonate of soda and not baking powder.
Thanks for the recipe
Laura says
Thank you so much for sharing, I am so glad you are enjoying my recipe!
Laura says
Can you put the. Toilet bombs in the tank?