Porcelain and Tile

Baking Soda and Water (with kosher salt): To keep bathroom surfaces clean and odor-free, dust with baking soda, and scrub with a moist sponge or cloth. Kosher salt can be added to the mix to help with tougher grime.

Lemon Juice or Vinegar: Attack mildew, stains and any grease streaks by spraying or dousing with lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush.

Tea Tree Oil, Water and Liquid Soap: Instead of bleach, make your own bathroom disinfectant by mixing 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid soap and 20 to 30 drops of tea tree oil.

Mirrors and Windows

White Vinegar, Water and Newspaper: Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and dispense into a used spray bottle. Squirt on, then scrub with newspaper, not paper towels, which cause streaking.

If you can't stand the smell of vinegar, you can substitute straight lemon juice or club soda (don't dilute either in water).

Toilet

Vinegar: Adding a cup of undiluted white vinegar to your toilet once a month and letting it sit overnight will eliminate past and future rings.

Borax: Deodorize a smelly toilet by sprinkling 1/4 cup borax into the bowl, then swishing around with a toilet brush. Let stand for 30 minutes or overnight if possible.

Shower Curtain and Doors

Vinegar:

To clean soap scum off shower doors, wet a sponge with white vinegar and wipe the surface.

To clean a plastic shower curtain, put it in the washing machine with 1/2 cup of white vinegar, plus a regular amount of detergent. Wash it on the gentle cycle, then let the curtain drip-dry.

Clogged Drain

Baking Soda and Boiling Water (vinegar if needed): Feeling plugged up? Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the problem drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. If that isn't doing it for you, chase the baking soda with a 1/2 cup of vinegar and cover tightly, allowing the vigorous fizzing of the chemical reaction to break up the gunk. Then flush that with one gallon of boiling water.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar regularly thrown down your drains can help prevent clogs from forming.


Thanks to TheDailyGreen.com for contributing to the information here