One of the many ways pollutants find their way into the environment is by being flushed down the toilet. Household cleaning supplies like toilet cleaners typically contain harsh chemical ingredients designed to break down grease, hair, stains, etc. Unfortunately, these harsh chemicals aren’t just tough on stains, they’re also tough on the environment.

Once flushed away, you might not be thinking about your household cleaners anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve just disappeared. Products like toilet cleaners are flushed into waterways where they will eventually find their way to drinking water reserves, streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Though water treatment facilities filter this water, many of the harmful chemicals present in household cleaners are not removed during the process, eventually building up and creating toxic conditions in natural environments.

Rather than buying harsh, chemical toilet cleaner next time you run out, try making your own! Here’s a simple recipe:

• ½ cup baking soda
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon tea tree or essential oil of your choice