It cleans, disinfects, removes bad odors, and is not dangerous for health or the environment. Can you ask for more?. The antibacterial and hygienic power of baking soda has made it one of the most widely used household cleaning products.
It is present in many of the most popular home cleaning tricks. And it is that, in addition to going super well to remove dirt and bad odors, it is not harmful to health or the environment and, therefore, is a very effective alternative to avoid the most toxic cleaning products.
Table of Contents
1. Clean surfaces
Baking soda works great for cleaning all kitchen or bathroom surfaces. Sprinkle it on a slightly damp sponge or cloth and rub the surface in question. Then rinse with another clean and dry well.
Deeper. If you want to do a more thorough cleaning, mix a little baking soda with liquid soap, apply it to what you want to clean, leave it to act for 5 minutes, scrub, rinse and dry.
2. Mop the floor
Another of the uses of baking soda is to clean ceramic floors that are not waxed. Removes dirt without leaving marks or scratches.
How to do it. Add half a cup of baking soda to a bucket of lukewarm water. Use this solution to mop the floor. And then rinse and let dry. In a bucket of warm water. Mop and rinse to achieve a shiny level.
3. Clean carpets and remove bad odors
As it is highly absorbent, baking soda is ideal for cleaning things that cannot be washed with water like most rugs.
How to do it. It is as simple as sprinkling it on the carpet, leaving it to act for at least half an hour to absorb dirt and bad smells, and then vacuuming to remove it along with the mud.
Discover here all the tricks to have the rugs without stains or marks.
4. Clean upholstery
As with rugs, baking soda also works great for cleaning, disinfecting, and removing bad odors from upholstery that cannot be washed or unsheathed.
How to do it. Sprinkle the baking soda over the entire surface, paying particular attention to the recesses of the joints and seams, leave it to act for a minimum of half an hour, and then vacuum.
5. Sanitize pet cushions and blankets
If you have cats or dogs at home, you can use baking soda to clean their utensils to rest or sleep.
How to do it. If they are not washable, you can apply it directly to the cushions, blankets, and booths, shake them well or vacuum. And if they are washable, leave it to work for a few hours and then wash it in the washing machine to finish cleaning it thoroughly.
6. Polishing silver
Also, baking soda is one of the products that you can use to clean silver with what you already have at home.
How to do it. Mix a little baking soda with a bit of water to form a paste. Using a cloth, rub the silver with this paste. And then wipe with another clean cloth.
7. Disinfect vegetables
You can also use it so that the vegetables are correctly washed and free of impurities.
How to do it. In the water-filled sink, soak the vegetables for a few minutes along with a little baking soda. And then rinse them off and ready to eat.
8. Remove bad smells from garbage cans.
Apart from cleaning them, like other utensils and surfaces in the house, baking soda is handy in removing bad odors from garbage cans and recycling, responsible, in many cases, for those bad odors that take over the house and we don’t know where they come from.
How to do it. Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the container where you deposit the garbage or things to recycle and it will absorb bad odors. But remember to clean and renew it periodically, it does not work forever.
9. Clean and deodorize the fridge.
Use it both to clean and to deodorize the fridge. Like most white goods, they can break when you clean them with conventional cleaners; it is always recommended to do so with baking soda diluted in water. But, also, it serves to absorb bad smells.
How to do it. Clean the fridge and freezer inside and out with a cloth dampened with water and baking soda, rinse and dry. And to remove bad odors, leave a container inside the fridge with a handful of baking soda.
10. Sanitize the hood, oven, and microwave
It is also very suitable for cleaning the hood, gas hob, oven, and microwave.
How to do it.
Clean the surfaces and interior of the microwave and hood with a cloth dampened with water and baking soda. If they are made of steel, try to make it very diluted and test it in a dark place to verify that it does not leave scratches.
Use it to clean the grills and burners on the gas hob. Dip them in water and vinegar, another powerful household cleanser. Then rub them with baking soda. And finally, rinse and dry them.
Rub the inside of the oven with a mixture of baking soda and water. Leave it on overnight, and the next day remove, rinse, and dry.
11. Clean the dishwasher
You can use it both to clean the dishwasher inside and out and to eliminate bad odors.
How to do it. To clean, dilute it in water and rub with a cloth moistened with this solution, rinse and dry. Remove the bad smell, add it to the wash, and leave a container with a little bicarbonate between washing and washing to absorb the odors.
If you want to know more, discover the mistakes we make when putting the dishwasher.
12. Clean and deodorize pipes
Use baking soda to keep pipes in good condition and to mitigate bad odors that often give off.
How to do it. Both to clean up the pipes and to prevent them from giving off bad smells, at night, pour down the drain half a cup of baking soda diluted with a little water (it remains as a thick paste). Let it act overnight and, the next day, run warm water to finish dragging it.
13. Brush brushes and combs
If they’re made of materials that can’t be washed, you can use baking soda to remove grease, epidermal debris, and dirt that builds up on brushes and combs.
How to do it. Sprinkle baking soda on them and let it sit for a few hours. Then shake them well and, to finish removing all the remains, rub them together or with a toothbrush that you have reserved to clean.
And in the case that they are made of plastic or washable materials, you can immerse them in a solution of water with bicarbonate and, after a few hours, rinse and dry.
14. Clean the shower curtain
It is also instrumental in cleaning and disinfecting shower curtains, one of the dirtiest places in the house.
How to do it. You have two options: rub it directly with a sponge or a cloth moistened with water and bicarbonate and then rinse it with the shower; Or, submerge it in a container filled with water and bicarbonate and leave to act for a few hours before rinsing.
15. Remove bad smells from sponges
Use it to keep bath sponges and scouring pads from smelling like hell.
How to do it. Soak them for several hours in a solution of water and baking soda (4 tablespoons of baking soda for every liter of water). Then rinse them and let them dry hanging or hanging so they lose all the moisture.
16. Clean the mattress
If you have ever wondered how to clean a mattress, baking soda is the essential product to carry it out.
How to do it. Sprinkle the baking soda over the entire surface (and especially where some liquid may have fallen, such as urine leaks), and let it stand for two or three hours.
After this time, remove the baking soda with the help of a vacuum cleaner. If you don’t have it, you can push it to the floor with a hairdryer, or remove it with a clean cloth or brush.
17. Remove dirt from stuffed animals
If they can’t be washed, brush them up with baking soda.
How to do it. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire stuffed animal, leave it on for a few hours; and finally shake it well or vacuum it.
18. Enhance washing
Baking soda has been proven to help make clothes cleaner, fresher, and more radiant.
How to do it. Before washing, add half a cup of baking soda to the drum or detergent drawer.
Also, it is instrumental in cleaning the washing machine. Mix 50 ml of white vinegar, 250 ml of water, and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Pour all the ingredients into a sprayer, shake them well, spray on the surfaces of the washing machine, wipe with a damp sponge and dry with a cloth.
19. Remove stains and bad smells
If you don’t have a stain remover on hand or don’t want to use harmful health cleaners, do so with baking soda.
How to do it. You can apply it directly dry on the stains or areas where sweat accumulates, and leave it to act for a few hours before washing. Or add half a cup of baking soda to the liquid detergent or during the rinse cycle—more tricks to remove the most difficult stains, here.
20. Clean the iron
If it has gotten dirty and you do n’t know what to do to clean the iron and leave it looking like new, take advantage of the benefits of baking soda.
How to do it. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water (better if it is distilled so that it does not have lime and other impurities) until it has the consistency of a watery but dense paste.
Apply it to the base of the skillet. Let it act for a few minutes. Then remove it with a clean, slightly damp cloth. And finish off with a clean, dry cloth.
