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Baking Soda Uses: How To Use Baking Soda To Clean Your House, Get Rid of Horrible Odors and Annoying Stains
Let me tell you about my first time.
You see, I bought this stainless steel teapot. Just big enough for two cups of tea for whenever I was in a lounging mood. It was perfect until the stains on the inside just refused to come of easily. I mentioned this in passing to a friend and the advice I got was to use baking soda.
Growing up there were a few things where I saw baking soda being used -- open in the refrigerator, cleaning teeth, and volcanic eruptions when paired with vinegar. Why would I put that into my precious teapot.
Why not - I gave it a shot.
I sprinkled a 'lightish' layer of baking soda in the bottom of the teapot and then sprinkled some water on to that. I let it sit for a few hours (maybe it didn't need that long). Anyway - checkout the result. Now I can see myself smiling from ear to ear when I look at it...
I haven't looked back since. Now, my first thought when it comes to cleaning anything is - can I use baking soda on that.
Every home must always have baking soda on deck.
What is Baking Soda?
In her book, Practical Household Uses of Bicarbonate of Soda, Margaret Briggs explains that baking soda (a.k.a. bicarbonate of soda) has many other names.
You may also know it as Sodium bicarbonate, Saleratus, Bread soda and Sodium hydrogen carbonate.
Briggs gets into the chemistry of it all and lets us know that the chemical formula of the white chemical compound is NaHCO3.The elements of which are Sodium (Na), Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O).
Baking soda is also crystalline in appearance but often looks like a powder. As a solid, it is not totally soluble in water.
Here is the best part - it is alkaline in nature and can therefore help to neutralize any acidic compounds (one of the reasons it cleans so well for cleaning and can absorb odours rather than mask them).
How does Baking Soda Work?
Anywhere there is an odor to neutralize, or a stain to get rid off - baking soda is definitely one way to go. Some of the properties which make it such an all-rounder are:
- It is a mild abrasive which allows it to break down bonds of molecules that stain clothing.
- Because it is an alkaline compound it can neutralize bad odors in your home which tend to be acidic in nature.
- When paired with other ingredients such as vinegar, the combination provides enhanced cleaning power. For example, carbonic acid is created when baking soda is mixed with vinegar, which can break down tough stains and provide endless entertainment for model volcano makers.
What are the Baking Soda Uses For House Cleaning?
Baking Soda Uses For Carpets
For an old urine stain on carpet...
- Pour apple cider vinegar on the stain.
- Sponge this out using water and then blot dry.
- After it is completely dry, sprinkle baking soda on and around the spot and leave for twenty-four hours.
- Vacuum up the baking soda.
Baking Soda Uses For Cleaning a Kitchen
- To remove juice stains from your countertop, sprinkle a little baking soda onto a damp sponge or cloth. Rub the juice stain with the cloth using a circular motion. For stubborn juice stains, pour the baking soda onto the stain - let it sit for a few minutes and then use a damp cloth to rub this in a circular motion.
- Sprinkle baking soda into the bottom of pots and pans, with burnt-on food. Add hot water and then leave this overnight to soak. The burnt-on food will come off very easily. Wash as usual.
- In a bucket, add some baking soda to your wash water to clean the inside and outside of your refrigerator. This removes odors and makes your fridge smell fresh.
- Use baking soda mixed in warm water to clean your kitchen garbage pail. Sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of the garbage bag to remove odor.
- To remove grease spills or black scuffmarks off the kitchen floor, baking soda cleaning does a great job. Just sprinkle baking soda on the spill or stain and rub with a damp, warm cloth.
- Clean silverware by making a paste of one part water to three parts baking soda. Use a soft cloth to rub the paste onto the silverware. Wash the silverware in warm water and then use a soft cloth to dry.
- To get rid of food stains, such as spaghetti sauce, from inside a plastic storage container - rub a paste of water and baking soda into the stain.
Baking Soda Uses For Cleaning a Bathroom
Here are four grout stain removal recipes to try out...
- For cleaning grout, in a bucket or bowl, mix one part bleach and one part baking soda together. Generously pat this paste onto your grout and leave it sit for a few minutes. Use a grout brush, cleaning brush or old toothbrush to scrub the grout. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Another great, grout stain removal solution is one cup of warm water and three cups of baking soda. Mix these together in a bowl until smooth and apply the paste onto your stained or dirty grout. Scrub with an old toothbrush, sponge or grout brush and rinse thoroughly.
- Combine baking soda with a small amount of white vinegar and use a small brush or old toothbrush to scrub your grout, and then rinse with warm water.
- For stubborn stains on light coloured grout, make a paste of baking soda and straight peroxide. When the bubbling stops, apply this mixture to the stain and leave it on for approximately ten minutes. Scrub with a small brush and rinse.
Here are two baking soda uses for cleaning the rest of the bathroom...
- Weekly, pour a half cup of baking soda down your bathroom drains and then run the hot water. This helps keep your bathroom drains from clogging.
- Make a paste of one part water to three parts baking soda and apply this to stubborn stains. Let it sit for a while and then scrub with a soft brush. Rinse this off using hot water.
- Baking soda works great for cleaning fibreglass bathtubs and shower stalls. Just sprinkle onto a damp surface, scrub and rinse. This mixture is safe to use on your bathroom faucets as well.
Miscellaneous Uses
- Sprinkle a layer of baking soda in the bottom of the cats litter box to prevent odors.
- When doing laundry, add half laundry soap and half baking soda to the wash water. This will keep your clothes smelling fresh.
- To remove mildew when cleaning a child's pool, use baking soda mixed in warm water. Rinse out using the hose.
- Cleaning lawn furniture is quick and easy using a quart of warm water with a quarter cup of baking soda dissolved in it.
- Add a half cup of baking soda to your laundry to make the bleach more effective.
I'm sure that you see by know that baking soda is a must have in your home. So, if you do a lot of baking soda cleaning, buy it in bulk, not only to save money but for convenience.
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