How To Make A 4-Ingredient Herbal Scouring Powder

Many of the cleaning products I see in stores advertise their “no-scrubbing” formulas. While I do appreciate their attempt to make my household cleaning easier, there are some situations where it just doesn’t seem properly clean unless I’ve given it a good scrub! I must not be the only one who feels this way, because many brands of scrubby scouring powders are still a mainstay in the cleaning aisle. Today I’ll be sharing how to make your very own homemade herbal scouring powder. The formula is all-natural, it’s effective, and it’s totally customizable!

Scouring powders, including the store-bought varieties like AJAX and Comet, are great for cleaning porcelain surfaces, like tubs, sinks, and toilets. This homemade scouring powder works just as well for scrubbing away tough messes and marks! The baking soda in this recipe is abrasive and helps to scrub away messes and marks, while borax helps to whiten your surfaces and make them really shine.

This scouring powder includes an herbal element and essential oils for added cleaning power and a fresh and clean scent. We had fun mixing and matching the herbs and oils to create interesting combinations. You can see what we ended up creating below! :-)

How To Make Herbal Scouring Powder

Ingredients:

1/2 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp borax
1 Tbsp dried herbs, flowers or spices
10 drops essential oils

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.

Transfer the powder mix to an airtight container to store, or a shaker container to use immediately.

We made three different scented scouring powders for this post:

Lavender flowers with lavender essential oil
Dried rosemary leaves with rosemary essential oil
Lemon zest and orange zest with lemon and sweet orange essential oils

You can choose to match your herbs and essential oils like we did, or you can mix and match to create something totally unique! How about aromatic eucalyptus leaves paired with rosemary essential oil? Or why not rose buds paired with frankincense oil, for something unexpected? The only limit is your imagination! ;-)

Using Your Herbal Scouring Powder

Run some water over the surface you’ll be cleaning, and sprinkle with the scouring powder. Use a scrub brush or a sponge and scrub. Rinse thoroughly.

Not all surfaces react well to scouring products. If you’re not sure, just test your powder in an inconspicuous area before cleaning the whole thing!

I believe we should all love the place we call home and the life we live there. Since 2011, I've been dedicated to making One Good Thing by Jillee a reliable and trustworthy resource for modern homemakers navigating the everyday challenges of running a household. Join me as I share homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make life easier so you can enjoy it more!

Every day I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!