How to Get Rid of a Dirty Bathroom With Acid Wash

An untidy bathroom can be an immense source of frustration in any household. From hair in the drain to misplaced items, maintaining order in this space can be challenging.

Bathroom acid wash can help revitalize your tiles’ appearance while dissolving stubborn deposits like grout haze. Before initiating this treatment, however, it’s necessary to evacuate the room and wear PPE for protection.

Table of Contents

1. Hydrochloric acid

Hydrochloric acid is an aggressive chemical used to dissolve deposits like limescale and soap scum from surfaces, including toilet bowls. Hydrochloric acid can be found as an ingredient in many commercial and household toilet cleaners as well as metal pickling operations to remove impurities from carbon, alloy, or stainless steel materials.

However, this acid is far from eco-friendly and poses numerous health hazards. If swallowed it can be fatal to health; skin burns, ulceration and permanent eye damage could occur as well. Furthermore, its vapours irritate respiratory tract causing laryngitis, tracheitis bronchitis pulmonary oedema as well as yellowing and softening of enamel on teeth caused by their vapours.

Keep hydrochloric acid in a well-ventilated area when working with it, wear gloves and boots as required and chemical-resistant clothing in order to avoid skin exposure, dilute the hydrochloric acid with water according to recommended dilution ratios to avoid reactions and spills, then apply with brush, sponge or cloth directly onto toilet surfaces.

2. Baking soda

Baking soda, on the other hand, is an affordable and non-toxic alternative that is gentle yet abrasive enough to scrub away hard water deposits and stains without harming porcelain, granite, or glass surfaces. Plus it works as an odor neutralizer by breaking down and neutralizing molecules causing unpleasant odors in toilet bowls and shower tiles!

Mix three parts baking soda to one part water to form a paste, and apply this over stained areas. Allow this poultice to set for several hours before scrubbing and rinsing as soon as it has hardened.

Baking soda is an ideal solution for dissolving lime clogs in drains and toilets because its small particle size allows it to pass easily through pipes. However, its use on natural stone, fiberglass, frosted glass or metal surfaces could lead to etching. For an in-depth cleaning session, sprinkle dry baking soda over tile surfaces then soak them for at least an hour in vinegar – this way the baking soda becomes fully active against lime scale deposits!

3. Vinegar

White vinegar is an all-purpose natural cleaner for various surfaces, particularly bathrooms where its acidity helps loosen mineral deposits such as lime and rust, dissolve soap scum and create an environment hostile to many microorganisms – making it an effective disinfectant.

Vinegar is an affordable and accessible solution that is readily available in most households, quickly degrading away into your drains unlike toxic cleaning chemicals do. Plus, its nontoxic nature makes it the ideal solution for households with young children or elderly residents who may be vulnerable to accidents caused by harsher chemicals.

Combining vinegar with baking soda creates a fizzing solution, perfect for dissolving grime and stains from bathtubs and shower surfaces, eliminating bad odours, repelling ants and repelling debris from surfaces. A mixture of water and vinegar should suffice for most basic cleaning tasks, however you may add other ingredients for more specialized solutions.

4. Citrus extract

Although acid is harmful to ecosystems and humans (unless accidentally splashed in eyes or mouth). Furthermore, it helps remove tough dirt like soap scum, mold and grime build-up as well.

This type of cleaner has gained increasing traction among millennials and baby boomers who are concerned about chemicals found in food, clothing and cleaning products. This bleach, ammonia and phosphate-free cleaner offers just as effective results while being better for the environment.

Citrus Resources has taken bathroom acid wash one step further with Lencia, an advanced spray that’s diluted 1:1 for daily cleaning use. Packed with non-toxic citrus extracts and natural mildewcide/mouldicide to combat mildew and mould growth while conditioning water, Lencia helps ensure other detergents in its formula work more effectively and ensures your bathroom remains germ-free.