The principle is the same as for shop-bought tablets: an acid and a base that stay inert while dry and react as soon as they touch water. The fizzing lifts deposits, and the citric acid deals with limescale.

The only tricky part: moistening the mixture without setting off the reaction too early.

What you need

100 g baking soda
50 g citric acid
1 tablespoon water, in a spray bottle
A few drops cinnamon, orange or fir essential oil
Silicone moulds

The method

1

Mix the baking soda and citric acid in a dry bowl.

2

Add the essential oil and mix.

3

Spray in the water very gradually, two sprays at a time, stirring in between. The mixture must not foam: if it does, the reaction has started and the tablets will lose their effect. Aim for the texture of wet sand.

4

Press firmly into the moulds and leave to dry for twenty-four hours before turning them out.

Use and storage

Drop a tablet into the bowl, leave for a quarter of an hour, brush and flush.

Keep them in an airtight jar, away from bathroom humidity. Otherwise they will react on their own in their box.

Septic tanks

These tablets are safe for septic tanks: no bleach, no quaternary ammonium, nothing that kills bacteria.

The doses for our products are on their packaging, and that is what counts. If swallowed or splashed, call the Poison Centre on +32 70 245 245 and keep the packaging to hand.

The ingredients