The Art of Natural Cleaning by Rebecca Sullivan ($19.99), published by Hachette Australia.

TOILET BOMBS

These are so cool. I prefer to make them without a mould, but you can do either. If you’re not using a mould, you may find your mix is too dry, so just add a few drops of water until you can shape the mix into balls. Leave them to dry properly before storing. If they break, fret not, as they still do their job. p.44

Taken from The Art of Natural Cleaning by Rebecca Sullivan

Photography by Nassima Rothacker

MAKES 10–12
250g bicarbonate of soda
80g citric acid
food colouring (optional)
dried flower petals, such as rose or lavender to decorate, slightly crushed (optional)
10 drops of rose essential oil
10 drops of lavender essential oil
5 drops of lemon essential oil

rubber gloves
cotton face mask
spray bottle
glass jar, for storage
ice cube trays or jelly molds

Wear rubber gloves and a face mask, not because the citric acid is a bad chemical, but it is strong and if it goes down your throat the wrong way you will cough. Mix the bicarbonate of soda and citric acid together in a glass bowl. Fill a spray bottle with some cold water and then very gradually spray water into the mix in the bowl, stirring as you go. You want to add just enough water (so hardly any) to make the ingredients stick together. You can add a few drops of food colouring or dried flower petals too, if you like.

Add the essential oils and continue mixing. Form the mixture into single-use sizes by pressing into small ball shapes or similar walnut-sized balls using your hands (or you can use individual moulds, such as ice cube trays, to shape the mixture). Place them on a tray and leave to dry overnight, then carefully transfer the bombs (popping them out of the moulds, if necessary) to a glass jar or other airtight container and close the lid. These will keep for up to 3 months.

To use, drop one into the toilet pan, leave it to dissolve and flush on the next use. Use as necessary, but no more than once a day