Two of my most very favorite people in the whole, wide world.
Yeah, I said it.
Boys are disgusting.
Listen, I love my boys more than you can imagine. They are sweet, kind, caring, absolutely hilarious, intelligent, handsome little devils.
But, like many boys (or so I hear), they lack a certain thing called aim. And that lack of aim leaves a certain, je ne sai quoi, reek, about our toilets.
So, Happy Hausfrau that I am, I had to find a solution. One that I didn’t have to buy in the store, and one that is reasonably easy on the environment (because, come on, I have to do something to make up for the terrifying amount of plastic bags I recently put in the trash).
Enter Ask Anna (found via Pinterest, of course). Anna’s promise is that by using this simple recipe, the boy-pee smell will go away.
This was just the start of the foaming…I narrowly escaped having it foam over before I got it into a bigger bowl!
So, off I went with my lemon-juice/baking soda mixture (which, by the way, foams and grows, so use a bigger bowl than you think you need!) to spread wherever I think the boys might hit with a little overspray when they get distracted by any of the following:
*A spider crawling on the wall.
*A genius idea for a new lego creation.
*Being clotheslined by his brother.
I used three lemons, which made enough juice to use the bulk of a large box of baking soda…and that was plenty to clean three bathroom toilet areas, with some left over, which I used as a scrub for my bathtub.
One lemon is already juiced and in the bowl; it’s just hard to see. 🙂
It worked fabulously. Not only is the pee-smell gone, but the kids had fun helping me with it because it felt like a science experiment. The foaming baking soda/lemon juice was cool; the fact that it foamed up even more when sprayed with vinegar water was even cooler. The only way it could have pegged the cool-o-meter is if we could have managed to blow something up in the process.
(Because, let’s face it, to a pair of 8 and 10 year old boys, nothing’s as awesome as making something go ka-boom!)
At any rate, anything that can get two pre-teen boys excited about cleaning the bathroom, I’m totally on board with.
Hey, and FYI, for reasons I’ve not been able to put my finger on yet, my bathtub seems to accumulate soap scum faster than the others in our house. This scrub worked beautifully on it – my bathtub is squeaky-clean, like-new, sparkly-awesome.
All in all, the Happy Hausfrau gives this remedy two thumbs up. Give it a try and let me know how it goes! And head over to my Pinterest boards Squeaky Clean, CraftyGirl, and Homemade Pretty for more DIY ideas for cleaning, home, and beauty.
Squeaky-clean hugs-n-kisses,
The Happy Hausfrau
Myndi Shafer 
Love this, trying it … since I have 2 teenage boys and yes, it’s disgusting!
I’m so glad it’s not just the boys in our house… 🙂
Amazing. I don’t have any young boys but I’m going to try it on the tub….and I mean, let’s be honest…the toilet as well! The big guy might be over 40 but he still doesn’t have the greatest of aim either. LOL!!
What is it that makes it so hard, I wonder? It’s not like toilets are teeny-tiny things. I wouldn’t think it’d take a WHOLE lot of skill…but what do I know? It’s not like I’ve got the equipment to give it a try. 😉
They just formed a Senate committee to study this problem in the male population. They’ll probably recommend a new branch of government…. maybe the USUAD… U.S. Urinary Aim Department.
*giggle, snort* American tax dollars hard at work.
Well, we really must not denigrate the crisis. Two honorable Senators have been working with scientists at the University of Penis’ renowned College of Male Traits. Researchers there say they’ve identified a definite correlation between age and urinary stream aim. I believe it’s called the Pee curve.
Really did like your solution to the odor problem, by the way. I have three grandsons, one of whom spends a lot of time here at the old folks’ home. I’ve always used bleach, but the lemon would probably be more pleasant.
OMG, the PEE CURVE??!?!! I’m dying of LOLing over here!!
And yeah, while bleach definitely gets the job done, the lemony smell is much, much nicer.
Myndi, my two boys just came home for the summer, and man, can I tell it in the bathroom! It passes understanding why this is such a problem. Maybe I should go back to the days of throwing a Cheerio in there and having them aim for it 😉
BAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! That’s a brilliant idea. Remind them how it’s done. 🙂
Yeah–and I forgot to mention they are 19 and 20!
Lord, you mean it doesn’t get better?? *head desk*
Nope, sorry! *head desk* indeed!
My son is nineteen and still loves things going kaboom.
I don’t think they ever outgrow the ‘hey, cool, let’s explode it’ stage. 🙂
This is a definite “will try”.
All of this said however, here’s a horrible fact that we women should not be so proud of.
Back in the college days when I was suddenly living on my own, plus going to school, I worked for a janitorial company. And…. well, the nicest way to say it was, the men’s rooms were ALWAYS cleaner than the women’s rooms. Yes, there was the “line” along the bottom of the urinal, but in the women’s rooms there were all sorts of “delightful surprises”. And this was in professional office buildings, and not in a big city. Often not even in a city just one of those industrial/office parks that seem to be everywhere these days.
I don’t even want to speculate on the reasons, but really… we all have some level of disgusting in us. It’s just where we choose to let it show.
Yuck.
Yucky yuck.
Yeah, basically. Those industrial office parks are pretty yucky yucky in my opinion too. 😉
Eden, my husband was a bartender for 10 years way back in the day and he said that women’s rooms are the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen. You think there’s surprises in an office restroom? Imagine what you find with drunk 20-somethings.
It’s vile.
I can believe it, Jenny. I’ve got a few friends who’ve worked in bars. I just found it odd because those office people always act so “proper”…. OOH! Story ideas! The masks people wear!
Oh, love this! Definitely trying it. I, too, use bleach (and gag and have the smell stuck in my mouth for hours) because my 6 year old twins can’t help but get into pee wars every night!
Pee wars…I can only imagine the aftermath of that!
He, he, he, Myndi, yes boys are gross! I know, I have two. Well three if you count hubby. When my boys were little, I told them if they didn’t start making it into the toilet they were going outside to pee with the dog! Yes, I did actually say that. Did my threat work? Yes. I know, it’s hilarious. I wonder if they still remember that? I feel sorry for them sometimes. I think I warped their brains. LOL! Now, have you tried hydrogen peroxide? That works really well because it kills the bactieria. But I have to admit, lemon leaves a fresh, clean smell! Thanks Myndi! 🙂
That’s so funny…but that threat would have never worked in my house. I don’t think the boys would ever choose to pee inside, if it were up to them – free reign to spray willy nilly? Too intoxicating a thought. I’ll never forget the time I came home from grocery shopping to find the boys and their dad lined up in the back yard having a pee-off. Thank goodness for tall bushes and privacy fences!!
Actually, Karen, urine is (if isn’t left out too long or the person making it isn’t sick) actually quite sterile. Urine used to be used to wash clothing and to sterilize wounds and surgical implements. Myndi’s lemon solution is probably just fine.
This is a must any household with boys. You can bet I’ll be giving this one a try. Thanks Myndi. 😉
Youbetchya!
You are such a scream, Myndi. I too use bleach and I’m forever messing up my clothes by splashing some on them, so I’ve started cleaning the bathroom in the buff. Not a pretty sight! Now I can use your formula and keep my clothes on 🙂
I know bleach works, but I’m not a big fan. I don’t like cleaning in the buff *wink*, and I hate how nasty the stuff is – the smell, and what it does to work. I’m always looking for work-arounds when it comes to bleach.
Ooooh, this looks super fabulous. I must try it immediately! I absolutely love, love, love, your Happy Hausfrau tips. Keep them coming, Miss Myndi!
Happy cleaning. Loves ya, Tameri-girl.
Brilliant. I’m using this, although my girls have perfect aim. 😉
Rub it in, why don’tchya? *grin*
Now that this problem is solved, all you mothers who have girls, start teaching them to raise the toilet seat when they get through.
*snicker* We’ll get right on that, David. *snicker*
I love your Happy Hausfrau posts, Myndi! And you really make me want to Pinterest my ass off. 🙂