This Fizzy Scouring Powder Will Brighten Up Your Cleaning Routine
Surprise! You’ve got guests coming over in twenty minutes and your kitchen is a royal mess! First things first – hide everything you can in the dishwasher or the oven, then deal with the piles of junk mail on the countertop and finally (hopefully!), you’ve got time for a quick scrub of the counter tops and sinks. Been there? LOL – you’ve never seen me clean so fast!
Homemade Fizzy Scouring Powder
My go-to cleaning product for this type of situation is a DIY scouring powder that works fast and leaves my kitchen smelling fantastic! It’s made with just a few non-toxic, affordable ingredients – baking soda, kosher salt (optional), citric acid and a citrus based essential oil.I may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this article including Amazon Affiliates. Full Disclosure
About the ingredients
I may receive commissions from purchases made through affiliate links in this article including Amazon Affiliates. Full Disclosure Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and provides a nonabrasive grit for scrubbing. Kosher salt is a deodorizer, water softener and has a nice scrub. I’ve listed this ingredient as optional because salt can pit stainless steel if left for long periods of time. If you wash it off right away (on a stovetop or sink) this shouldn’t be a problem.
Citric acid is a naturally occurring acid that works as a disinfectant and cleanser, and is helpful for removing soap scum and water stains. It’s also the ingredient that creates the all important fizz! You can buy citric acid in bulk at many co-ops or natural food stores or find citric acid online. FYI – citric acid is given an A rating on the EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning – so no worries there!
Many essential oils are naturally antibacterial, making them great additions to homemade cleaning products. Personally, I love grapefruit essential oil for cleaning – because it leaves such a bright, uplifting scent behind! Imagine you just ripped open a fresh grapefruit and the oil from the peel sprayed into the air and you’ll know what I mean! Grapefruit oil also helps overcome anxiety and stress (those unexpected guests!) and is energizing and uplifting, which is always a good thing.
Another reason to love this great-smelling, fizzy scouring powder is that it is a mega multi-tasker! Here are a few ways to use it:
Uses for fizzy scouring powder
- Sink scrub (both kitchen and bath)
- Countertop cleanser
- Stove top cleaner
- Bathtup scrubber
- Toilet cleaner and freshener
- Drain freshener
The recipe
1/2 cup baking soda 3 Tablespoons citric acid 1 Tablespoon coarse Kosher salt 10 drops grapefruit essential oil Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. You may need to use your fingers to get the essential oil properly mixed in! Transfer powder to a container with holes in the top if you have one. A glass or stainless steel cheese shaker works best – preferably one with a cover to keep out the air when you are not using it! Don’t sweat it if you don’t have a shaker, just keep the powder in a sealed container and pour some out as needed.
So next time you have unexpected guests, don’t let them stress you out! Try this fizzy scouring powder and let me know how it goes!
If you like this post, find more green & healthy cleaning ideas here!
P.S. Want even more info about non-toxic cleaning so you can be CONFIDENT that your cleaning routine is safe? Check out my Green Cleaning Kickstart mini-course!
I love this recipe!! I will definitely be trying it. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to hear it Julie! Let me know how you like it!
I need to make this and see if it works in my shower. Soap scum buildup is driving me crazy! Thanks for the recipe!
Hope it works for you Diane!
Just made this and tried it and love it! I doubled the recipe and added 20 drops tea tree e.o. for extra germ killing power. This fit perfectly in a recycled cheese shaker – like parmesan comes in. Also, WalMart carries Ball citric acid. One 7.5 oz container was enough for the two shakers I made up, with a little left over. But now I will order from Amazon – less than $3.00/lb for 5 pounds. THANK YOU!
I’m so glad it worked for you! Love the addition of tea tree too – I will try that next time I make a batch!