DIY Toilet Bombs-turned-Tub Cleaner

Are you looking for a cheap, easy, and more eco-friendly way to clean your pipes? I have these tiny little toilets and tiny little pipes that often drain slowly or will back up at the threat of three-ply tissue, so I was. I happened across a recipe on Pinterest awhile back that had a zillion repins so I thought I'd give it a go. It was twofold in its utility: I got to attempt a homemade concoction to replace something I'd formerly turn to nasty chemicals for, and I had an opportunity to engage Birch in a clean and entertaining sensory activity in the process. We made two dozen of a slightly altered version of these DIY toilet bombs. While the jury is still out on whether or not they work on clogged toilets (ours actually seemed to cause a bigger backup when we attempted to use them there), I found them to work wonders when cleaning up the bathroom after the Dough Boy adventures late last week. Since one little muffin-sized bomb disintegrated all evidence of flour fun time in the tub I promised to share the dirt on cleaning the dough, so here you go!

INGREDIENTS:
2.5c Baking soda
8tbs Dawn dish soap
2/3c Epsom salt
several drops lemon essential oil

Mix with your hands until you have the consistency of wet sand, adding more or less of each ingredient as needed. I would be more specific here, but did I mention I made these with a three-year-old? He is a great "pourer," "stirer," "mixer" and "cooker," but not always the most patient "measurer."
Pat into muffin tins. We used paper liners because we had them on hand but if we make them again I will use silicone. The colors of the print leached into the bombs which somehow made them appear less, well, clean. Then let them dry completely, overnight or longer.
Pop them out and package them in an airtight container.

After the flour play, the showers, and the bath, I threw one of these bad boys in the base of the tub and jumped in with a sponge for my own shower. Within moments I was in a sea of clean smelling bubbles, happily scrubbing without fear of my sensitive ladybits being chemically burned. The grease-cutting action of the Dawn totally ate through the doughy smears on the walls of the tub, and the salt and baking soda certainly seemed to help shiny things up a bit too. While they may not be the perfect toilet bomb, they will certainly clean the hell out of a tub and you probably have the ingredients on hand already. Bonus!