User login
Navigation
Syndicate
27 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda
Lots of green cleaning power in a little orange box
by Noël-Marie Taylor
by Noël-Marie Taylor
Welcome, Googlers! If you like this article, you may also like the articles Vinegar: (Almost) the Only Cleaner You'll Ever Need, Make Your Own Natural Dishwashing Powder, Natural Cleaning Alternatives and Washing Soda Experiments. You might also want to subscribe to our newsletter--every week there's a coupon for our Shop--and our daily feed by email. See the forms at the right. Thanks for visiting!
here are many non-poisonous products that can be used for basic household cleaning. Next to vinegar, the most useful of these is baking soda.
Like vinegar, baking soda has three major things going for it as a cleanser:
- It's non-toxic. Sure, eaten in large amounts it might make you feel unpleasant, but it's not poisonous.
- It's multi-purpose. The suggestions in this article are only a few of the many ways that baking soda can be used as a household cleanser.
- Best of all, it's CHEAP! The cost of baking soda (especially when purchased in several pound large boxes) is far less than that of any other, specialized cleaning agent.
Baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda, as it is also known) is a naturally occurring material, present in most organic life forms. It can be "made" from sodium carbonate, or soda ash. The soda ash is dissolved in a carbon dioxide rich solution, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) precipitates out.
As its name suggests, baking soda can be used for cooking. It can also be used medicinally, and, as we will discuss in this article, for cleaning.
In the kitchen
The kitchen is the most likely place to find baking soda. Don't stop with using it for baking, though!
1. A box or small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard will keep away unpleasant odors.
2. Similarly, baking soda will keep away garbage odors; sprinkle the bottom of the pail, and then sprinkle again after you put a new bag in.
3. Grease fires can be put out by sprinkling them with baking soda.
4. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
5. To remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture.
6. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
7. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
8. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
In the Bathroom
9.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
10. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
11. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
All Around the House
12. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
13. If there is a smoker in the house, put baking soda in the bottom of each ashtray to keep away some of the stale smoke smell.
14. Baking soda in the litterbox will help prevent odors.
15. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
16. To help remove spills, blot as much as possible. Then clean as you normally would. When finished, sprinkle with baking soda. Vacuum. This will decrease the chance that some of the spilled item will remain in the carpet and cause unpleasant odors later.
17. Children's toys can be cleaned using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
In the Laundry
18. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
19. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
20. Pretreat diapers in their pail with baking soda. This will keep odors from becoming overpowering between washings.
21. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
22. If you keep a laundry hamper, add some baking soda every day to keep the hamper from smelling between emptyings.
Outside the House (Yard and Garage)
23. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
24. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
25. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
26. The children's pool can be cleaned and have mildew removed by washing with baking soda in warm water.
27. Before packing away your camping gear after a trip, sprinkle with baking soda.
If you really get into using baking soda for cleaning, consider buying it in bulk; see if you can join a co-op or if your local natural foods or bulk store can order it for you. After all, it doesn't spoil, and the uses for baking soda are nearly endless!
Noël-Marie Taylor is a freelance writer located in Columbia, Maryland. Her work has appeared in many magazines, including PC Magazine and The Mother Is Me. A stay-at-home mom to two children, she is also the designer of several cross-stitch kits for children.
![[BOOK]](/misc/images/book.gif){kind=small}
![[REMOTE]](/misc/images/remote.gif){kind=small}
Comments
dog urine on woodwork
I have chihuahuas (don't ever get males) and let me tell you they are hard to train...they did their business on the hallway baseboard...I tried everything, washing my floors every day, wiping everything down with bleach, spent a fortune on air freshners...you guessed it..I sprinkled baking soda on the woodwork (it's still there after 3 days) and asked my children (3 young adults who would always complain,,,Mom, that smell!!)..it's gone (I even got down on my knees to put my nose to the baseboard)...I leave it there as long as I don't have company. I always lock my male dogs away when no one can keep an eye on them...hope this helps someone else...
Cleaning with Baking Soad
Another use: great for cleaning copper pans.
Thank you
Thank you for this exhaustive list of natural cleaning methods. I hope it's not a phase, but cleaning (even the laundry) is more exciting these days now that I'm implementing chemical-free cleaning in my home. It's not only safer for my baby and the planet, but saving us money!!!
Additionally I find that I can use the baking soda as a stand alone detergent (no mixing necessary) for a normal load.
Cat urine on rubber mat
We have a rubber mat that levels out 1 piece of furniture in our basement. We put the litter box on there, and the cats ended up urinating on it when we went away and our friend did not clean the box as often as they liked... We were unable to remove the mat due to the furniture, and no matter how much we cleaned it, every time it got wet it smelled horribly. It also had a general urine smell that was unpleasant the rest of the time.
After trying everything, I sifted (heavily) baking soda all over it and let it sit. It pulled all the urine and odor out of the carpet after 2 applications. It was difficult to vacuum however, due to the bottom-most layer becoming very paste like. I did find that the small tip normally used for cleaning corners and crevices did the job with a little effort.
Refrig cleaning
just got a new frig and they say to clean the inside with baking soda. Got the soda but no mixing instructions for powder and water. suggestion?
cleaning frig with baking soda
You can just make a paste with the soda and water, add enough water to make a consistency like frosting. I make a natural 'soft scrub' with baking soda, water and a little dish soap or dr. bronners. it's great! and cheap.
Baking soda
Never clean pet messes up with bleach, it has amonia in it which is also in urine, pets will smell the amonia and think that's the toilet. I'm glad you found baking soda to work it's amazing stuff along with vinegar too.
Male Dog Problems
Hello,
Also you may want to buy small baby diapers. Turn the diaper side ways and put on the male chihuahua. Secure with tape. This will prevent the dog from lifting his leg on your wall. My mom breeds Yorkshires and all males wear diapers.
Good Luck
Baking Soda on Body Odor
Baking soda is very essential in getting away from the embarrasing body odor caused by the bacteria on our armpit's sweat. after bathing, apply baking soda on your underarm and for sure that you will get rid of the embarassing odor of your armpit.. you can also dilute it in water and use it as your deodorant.. it's safe, effective, cheap and eco-friendly.. try it now..
can i ask if baking can make
can i ask if baking can make your armpit white?,..
Ive been given a second hand
Ive been given a second hand washing machine and it smells of damp when you open the door. Will Baking soda get rid of the smell?
I have had this same problem
I have had this same problem with my washing machine. baking soda will help, try bleach and baking soda wash on hot water (empty). be sure to open the lid when finished to let it dry good. i have to leave mine open when not in use to keep the smell from coming back. i was told by a appliance repair man that the main cause was my use of liquid detergent, so i have switched to powder and it also helped. i didn't realize that liquid det. had oil in it and can cause bad build up in the machine that will mildew. hope this helps.
baking soda
How do i remove stains from the lounge suite while the family is away
Sticky Labels
I have found that baking soda paste is just the thing to take the sticky residue of jars and such when you peel off a label. Just rub it over the sticky part and rinse away. Most comes off very easily but it may take several applications or scrubbing.
using baking soda to clean soot from ceilings
I had a kerosene heater that smoked up my house. A professional cleaning service cleaned the house but now several years later, I have painted the ceiling with 2 coats of primer - Kilz and a coat of paint. After 6 months black marks became apparent on the ceiling rafters. Can you provide any advice for cleaning the ceiling with baking soda and how effective that may be before I paint once again?
Thanks,
Baking soda and homemade laundry detergent
I have been making my own laundry detergent now since about the beginning of the year, saving at least $10 a month! However, I did notice my whites getting dingy and a film built up in the washer tub and agitator. After doing a little research, I learned this is common in areas with hard water. I used something called "washer magic" to clean the washer (it's mainly citrus oils and did a great job), and it took off all the film. Today I purchased a 50# bag of non food-grade baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) at the local feed store and am using 1/2 cup per load to soften the water. I immediately noticed a difference in the load of towels I did...I had noticed that my dishtowels didn't seem as absorbent as they used to, even though I do not use fabric softener on them. After washing towels with the baking soda, my dishtowel was nice and thirsty again, plus the towels smelled nice and fresh.
The 50# bag of soda only cost $12 (and some change), which if I figured right is like 50 small boxes of baking soda. The cheapest baking soda around this area is like 47 cents a box. So, I've essentially got $23.50 of baking soda for $12. I love saving money!!
***YOU SHOULD NOT USE THIS FOR BAKING*** only use food-grade baking soda for baking!
May I put picture links on my blog to yours??
Hi Noel-Marie,
Please may I put picture links on my blog to this page about baking soda and also your vinegar pages...they are both excellent sources of info and I want to encourage my readers to clean green.
Thanks in advance for considering this, Patricia
Hi
This is Lynn, and I'm the one who'd give permission. That's fine, as long as there's a link to us.
Cleaning carpet stains
I recently read somewhere on the web that you can remove carpet stains using a paste made from baking soda and vinegar. Firstly, I would try this on a "test" spot...say in a closet first. I don't have an actual recipe. I just poured a bit of baking soda and vinegar in a bowl to make a wet mixture. I poured the mixture on several carpet stains and worked it into the carpet. Then I used a steam vacuum and cleaned it up. The next day I noticed white spots....some of the baking soda was still in the carpet and so I shampooed this area of the carpet with a soap solution. The stains are gone...no white spots! I have tried everything you can imagine to get various carpet stains out and have had no luck until I tried the baking soda and vinegar mixture.
Post new comment