Material of the Week: Citric Acid

Hometalk Highlights
by Hometalk Highlights
7 Materials
$10
20 Minutes
Easy
Are you ready for spring cleaning? We sure are! This week’s Material of the Week - Citric Acid is a cost effective safe alternative to harsh chemicals that you can use to DIY your own household cleaners. Clean your house and cut your costs with these environmentally safe ideas. Win-win!
Easy Toilet Cleaning Bombs
Hometalker Ariel shares her quick and easy recipe for these toilet cleaner bombs. Throw one into the toilet and watch it work its magic!


For awesome toilet cleaner bath bombs you’ll need:
  • Baking soda
  • Citric acid
  • Essential oil of your choice
  • Mold to shape your bath bombs (optional)
In a bowl mix:
  • 1/2 cup of citric acid
  • 1 ½ cup baking soda
  • 10-20 drops of the essential oil of your choice - Ariel chose Bergamot for a fresh, clean scent.
Once all your dry ingredients are mixed, use a spray bottle to slowly spray water onto the mixture. Spray until the mixture is a consistency that can be pressed into a mold.
Photo Credit: Elena K.
Form your balls by hand, or press into a mold or ice cube tray to form your bombs.
Drop your bombs into the toilet, and let them do the work! Allow the bomb to fizz and sit for 10 min to clean and freshen your toilet.
To see Ariel's full post, click here: http://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/bathroom/to...>
Homemade Bleach Recipe
Hometalker Adrienne shares her chemical free, non-toxic recipe for a DIY bleach alternative. Perfect if you’re trying to go all natural.


For this DIY bleach, you’ll need:
  • 1/2 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice OR 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
  • 3 1/4 cups water
  • 5 drops lemon essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a quart sized glass jar until citric acid is dissolved. The citric acid will work as a whitener, a very mild disinfectant, and as a water softener, allowing stains to be easily lifted. Use as you would use bleach.
Adrienne recommends storing your bleach alternative in a dark bottle to keep it from oxidizing too quickly. Try this DIY bleach and let us know what you think!


https://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/homemade-bleach-recipe-35998520
Love Fizzy Bombs


Like the toilet cleaning bombs above, these awesome cleaning bombs can be used in the toilet, but they also double as laundry detergent! Use them as DIY laundry pods, and save a fortune. Plus, they have an awesome name we won't soon forget.


For these “Love Fizzy Bombs” you’ll need:
• 1 cup Baking soda
• 1/3 cup Borax (optional)
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• Essential oils of your choice
• Spray Bottle or Vaporizer (recommended)
• Silicone mold (optional)



Add baking soda first. If you’re planning on using Borax (which is optional, but will give your laundry a boost), use 1 cup of baking soda and ⅓ c. of Borax. No Borax on hand? Skip it and use 1 1/3 cups of baking soda. Stir to dissolve all lumps. Next, add ½ cup of citric acid to your mixture.
Time to moisten your mixture! Add 1 Tablespoon of water to a spray bottle, together with 70 - 90 drops of any essential oil of your choice. The more oil you use, the stronger the scent.



Start spraying your water/oil mixture into the dry mixture to moisten, spray and mix until the consistency becomes one that can be pressed and molded.
Press your love bombs into silicone mold. Don’t have a mold? Form them into easy to grab bombs for later. Let your love bombs dry for for a few hours - up to 2 days. This recipe makes 28 small bombs.


Once they’re dry, pop them out of your mold, and store in a glass jar. Having trouble getting them out of the mold? Stick the mold in the freezer for half an hour and they’ll pop right out.
Now you’re ready for some love! Drop a bomb into the toilet and let it sit for up to 10 minutes while it cleans and freshens your bowl. Scrub with a toilet brush.


You can show your laundry some love next! Use a bomb in hand washables, or in the machine. These love bombs shouldn’t damage colors, but as always, you should try a hand wash first with a color item.
You can show your laundry some love next! Use a bomb in hand washables, or in the machine. These love bombs shouldn’t damage colors, but as always, you should try a hand wash first with a color item.
That’s it.  Enjoy your DIY Love Fizzy Bombs!


For some extra tips on using essential oils, see the full post here:
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/bathroom/love-fizzy-bombs-to-clean-your-toilet-and-laundry-in-no-time-19208798



Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 9 questions
  • Cathy Waterstradt Cathy Waterstradt on Apr 30, 2018

    Can you use Epsom salt instead of borax?

  • Sarge Sarge on Jun 14, 2018

    Other than ordering from Amazon, where can I purchase Citric Acid?

  • Sam Sam on Jan 14, 2019

    The Latch Handle on the door has come Off the Door in the Inside.

    How can I put it back ? Help please

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