Why Baking Soda is Your Home's Best Friend
The secret's out. Baking soda is a pantry staple with superpowers – it's also cheap, non-toxic and cleans like a dream
Meg Padgett
12 March 2017
Houzz Contributor. Meg is a budget-minded DIY lifestyle blogger at Revamp Homegoods (http://www.revamphomegoods.com). Her design philosophy is based on the concept that combining thrifty finds with a little blood, sweat and (sometimes) tears a stylish home can be achieved without breaking the bank
Houzz Contributor. Meg is a budget-minded DIY lifestyle blogger at Revamp Homegoods... More
Fluffy pastries and scrumptious cookies might be the first things that come to mind when you think of baking soda, but this ingredient is far more than a baking staple. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a powerful cleanser that should be a mainstay in your kitchen pantry and cleaning arsenal. This inexpensive, all-natural ingredient is neck and neck with vinegar as one of the most non-toxic and versatile household cleaning agents.
Ready to start cleaning?
All you need is ¼ cup of baking soda dissolved into 1 litre of warm water to tackle many household cleaning chores.
All you need is ¼ cup of baking soda dissolved into 1 litre of warm water to tackle many household cleaning chores.
Bedroom, living room and hall
- Before you vacuum the carpets or clean your upholstery, sprinkle them with baking soda and let it sit for 15 minutes to remove any odours.
- Deodorise your wardrobe by placing an opened box of baking soda on a shelf.
- Clean children’s toys with the aforementioned basic mixture and a sponge. Rinse and let them dry.
- Deodorise stuffed animals with a light dusting of baking soda; let it sit 15 minutes, then dust or vacuum it off.
- Freshen shoes with a light dusting of baking soda on the inner soles.
Kitchen
- Use the basic mixture and a sponge to clean all kitchen surfaces.
- Rid your fridge or pantry of odours by placing an opened box of baking soda on a back shelf.
- Dust your stainless-steel sink with baking soda and scrub for a sparkling shine.
- Deodorise rubbish bins and recycling bins with a sprinkling of baking soda on the inside. Every now and then, rinse the bins with 1 cup of baking soda dissolved into about 3½ litres of warm water.
- Get your silver sparkling with a paste made from 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water.
- For stubborn stains on plastic storage containers, soak for 15 minutes in 4 parts baking soda and 1 part warm water. Scrub, rinse and dry.
- Rid your fruits and vegetables of dirt and insecticides by washing them in a sink full of water and ¼ cup of baking soda, then rinse.
- Remove baked-on residue on pots and pans by sprinkling on baking soda. Add warm water and a little dishwashing detergent, let soak for 15 minutes and wash clean.
- Extinguish small cooking fires by sprinkling baking soda directly onto the fire.
Laundry
- Brighten your clothes by adding 1 cup of baking soda to the wash.
- For extra-fluffy sheets and towels, add ½ cup baking soda to the rinse cycle.
- Banish stains with a paste made from ¾ cup baking soda and ½ cup of warm water. Apply to the stain, rub and launder. For the toughest stains, let the paste sit for one or two hours. (Always check for colour fastness.)
- Freshen babies’ burp cloths by sprinkling on baking soda, rubbing it in and washing as usual.
Bathroom
- Clean floors with a bucket of warm water and ½ cup of baking soda.
- Use the basic mixture to clean your bathroom surfaces or sprinkle dry baking soda on tough-to-clean stains.
- Clean hairbrushes and combs once a month by soaking them in warm water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
- Deodorise and clean the toilet with a sprinkling of baking soda on the inside of the bowl; scrub and flush.
- For rust stains in the shower, sink or toilet bowl, pour in 1 cup of vinegar and ½ cup of baking soda. Scrub and rinse.
Outdoors
Read more:
7 Tricks to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
10 Things Every Cleanliness Freak Can Relate to
Tell us:
Do you have any other clever cleaning trick? Share your tips in the comments section below.
- Before storing your outdoor furniture for the winter, clean it with baking soda and a wet sponge.
- Clean grime and mildew off pool toys with the basic mixture.
- Blast oil and grease stains in the garage or driveway by pouring baking soda directly on them. Scrub with a wet brush and rinse.
Read more:
7 Tricks to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
10 Things Every Cleanliness Freak Can Relate to
Tell us:
Do you have any other clever cleaning trick? Share your tips in the comments section below.
Related Stories
Decorating Ideas
35 Serene Puja Room Designs
Take a leaf out of these elegantly designed, beautiful prayer rooms on Houzz
Full Story
Decorating Guides
Turn One Room Into Two With These Genius Ideas
Carve out an extra room within your home with these fab room-splitting tips and tricks
Full Story
Small Spaces
7 Stylish Ways to Dry Your Laundry In a Small Apartment
Has your drying rack become a perpetual eyesore in your home? These dapper laundry drying solutions have you covered
Full Story
Decorating Guides
7 Types of Glass That Allow in Light & Privacy
These glass products and treatments will increase privacy without losing natural light
Full Story
Most Popular
Which False Ceiling Material is Better: Gypsum or POP?
Here is all you need to know about the difference between gypsum and POP before you commit to a ceiling
Full Story
More Room Guides
No Space for a Walk-In Wardrobe? Think Again
By Laura Wheat
Think again with these tips for maxing your clothing capacity and adding a dressing room feel
Full Story
Dining Rooms
12 Breakfast Nooks Cool Enough for a Dinner Party
By Susan Redman
Forget eating side-by-side at a breakfast bar or supping at a long dinner table – the cosy kitchen nook is a far more hip way to dine
Full Story
Decorating Ideas
Indoor Plants You Just Can't Kill
These greens can up your decor game and refresh the indoor air but do not demand much in return
Full Story
Decorating Ideas
10 Must-Have Elements in an Inspiring Home Gym
Make your workout zone a space that inspires you to get your sweat on
Full Story
Decorating Guides
False Ceiling: Yes or No?
If you are in two minds about installing a false ceiling, this should help you make up your mind
Full Story
Doesn’t anything cleaned with a baking soda mix have to be rinsed? My only concern , also, is that baking soda does not disinfect...
mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, about a liter or so of water and a piece of aluminum foil...bring to a boil drop your silver in the pot for under a minute and the results are amazing!