Cleaning With Baking Soda: Its Magical Applications in The Home

Baking soda is something that we all have in our home. We use it in the kitchen for baking, and probably have a box in our fridge to get rid of food smells. You may be surprised to learn, however, that it’s also got enough awesome properties to make it a cleaning superhero!

Cleaning with baking soda is an easy, cheap and all-natural solution to some pretty grimy messes. Let’s take a closer look at the magical applications that baking soda has in every part of your home.

In the Kitchen

You’ve probably already got baking soda in your kitchen, so this is the best place to start. Baking soda is good for so much more than baking cookies.

You can use baking soda to clean your greasy oven – just mix some with enough water to create a paste and brush it on to the interior of your oven.  Let it dry – overnight is good – and spray it with vinegar. Let it foam and wipe it away and all the grease and grime will come with it.

It can also be used to unclog a slow drain.  Simply sprinkle a few spoonsful into your drain, then pour down some heated vinegar. You should be familiar with this reaction – it’s been a staple of elementary school science fairs for decades.  Follow the vinegar with boiling water and you’re good to go.

If your cutting boards pick up odors, cleaning with baking soda deodorizes them so you have fresh surfaces for cooking.

In the Bathroom

Your bathroom is probably one room that can use a good cleaner, and thankfully you don’t have to go to the store to find a good one – all you need is that box of baking soda that you used in the kitchen. Sprinkle some baking soda on your scrubbing sponge to give you an extra bit of help for those tough to clean surfaces like tubs and toilets.

For stubborn or hard to clean tile grout, mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide and spread it on the grout.  Leave it sit for a few minutes, then scrub away and your grout will look as good as new. Mix your baking soda with vinegar and Dawn dish soap and it’s even good enough to clean black mold out of your shower.

In the Living Room

You probably keep your living room pretty clean in case company stops by, but even this space can benefit from a little bit of baking soda.

Before you go to bed at night, sprinkle some baking soda over your carpets and leave it to sit.  In the morning, run the vacuum to deodorize your carpets. Sprinkle some in the bottom of your garbage can to keep them from getting smelly – just make sure you change it out frequently because even baking soda can only go so far.

You can throw out those artificial air fresheners in no time if you’re pairing this baking soda routine with the floral aroma of some home-grown potted plants.

In the Bedroom

If you’ve got carpet in your bedroom, refer to the living room section above. It can also be used to clean and deodorize mattresses – sprinkle, leave for a few hours, then vacuum up before you make the bed again – and any other upholstered furniture that you have in the bedroom.

Keep a box or bag of baking soda in your closet, especially near your dirty clothes hamper, to soak up any unpleasant scents.  For smelly shoes, sprinkle some baking soda into them and let them sit.  You don’t even need to clean them out before you wear them again. Just shake out any excess powder and you’re good to go.

In the Garage

Spilling chemicals in the garage is the last thing you want to worry about.  If you’ve run out of cat litter or other absorbent materials to clean up an oil or chemical spill in your garage, just break out the baking soda. Cover the spill, let it sit to absorb the liquid, then sweep it up or vacuum it up with your shop vac.

It’s also a great tool for cleaning your hands after a long day of working in the yard or the garage. Sprinkle your hands with baking soda, scrub and rinse.  Not only will it get rid of the dirt and grime, it will help to get rid of any smells your skin had picked up during the day.

You can even use baking soda to douse small fires that might break out – just dump it over the fire and call it a day.  It’s a great option for grease fires, which you shouldn’t use water on.

Cleaning With Baking Soda is Magical

Cleaning with baking soda is a nearly universal solution for every mess.  It’s good for so much more than cooking.  Pick up a few extra boxes the next time you go to the grocery store – you never know when you’ll need a powerful but safe cleaning tool in your arsenal.