Top News

Getting bathrooms spotlessly clean can be a demanding chore, particularly when tackling stubborn soap scum, hard water stains and unsightly mould. However, if you'd rather steer clear of harsh chemical and commercial cleaning products, there is a homemade alternative that delivers equally impressive results.

Cleaning expert and content creator Chantel Mila recently unveiled her trusted cleaning solution that helps restore bathrooms to their former glory. Better known online as Mama Mila, the popular creator claims that just four common household ingredients are all you need. Chantel described this homemade solution as the "secret" to making your bathroom sparkle again in a recent TikTok video.

It can be used across a wide range of surfaces, including bathroom vanities, bathtubs, inside showers and shower glass.

The best part is that most of these four simple ingredients are likely already sitting in your cupboards at home. Simply combine one cup of water, one tablespoon of dishwasher rinse aid, one tablespoon of washing up liquid and 10 drops of either tea tree, peppermint or clove oil in a spray bottle.

Generously spray the mixture throughout the bathroom and work it in using a damp sponge or cloth, before wiping away with a fresh cloth. When applying to the shower or shower glass, the solution can simply be rinsed off with water.

Rinse aid helps prevent watermarks, fingerprints and smudges by working as a surfactant, diminishing the surface tension of water. A surfactant allows water to slide off surfaces without leaving any marks behind, reports The Mirror.

This will help stop streaks from developing when rinsing off with water. According to appliance manufacturer Bosch, using a rinse aid proves particularly advantageous if you reside in a hard-water region. Working in tandem with the other components, rubbing alcohol addresses fingerprints and watermarks by acting as a potent degreaser.

By combining with washing up liquid, you help the grime break down more easily. As washing up liquid functions as an emulsifier, it helps to bind with grease and oil stains, enabling it to be rinsed away with water.

Washing up liquid contains surfactants that are both hydrophilic - attracts water - and hydrophobic - repels water and binds to oil-based marks. These surfactants attach to the grease, allowing the oil and water to mix and form a stable mixture called an emulsion, which can then be washed away.

The inclusion of tea tree oil can also help fight mould, as the oil is a natural fungicide that can help eliminate mould spores. Mould in Homes observed that of all the natural mould-killing remedies, tea tree oil is the most effective.

Experts also noted that while tea tree oil is natural and environmentally friendly, it can be toxic if swallowed and may cause irritation on sensitive skin. Ideal Home explained that tea tree oil eliminates mould by breaking down the cell wall of the mould spores, causing them to rupture and leak.

This also helps prevent future mould growth, as the spores are unable to develop or spread. Clove oil works in much the same manner.

Clove oil can effectively clean and remove mould thanks to its antifungal properties, specifically its eugenol content. Eugenol is a naturally occurring phenolic compound.

Widely used as a flavouring agent in food, cosmetics and perfumes, eugenol is also valued for its anaesthetic, antiseptic and analgesic properties in medicines. Adding an essential oil to the mixture can also help freshen up the bathroom's scent, cutting through any lingering chemical smell.