Baking Soda Cleaning Tips

Below is a video which gives baking soda cleaning tips, and is a great summary of some of the many uses of baking soda around the home.

Baking soda, also known by its scientific name of sodium bicarbonate, is a naturally occurring substance which is both slightly abrasive, and also mildly alkaline in nature.

In addition, baking soda is great at absorbing both odors and oils.

All of these these characteristics have been used for years in homes for basic cleaning, stain and odor removal.

Some of the uses for baking soda for cleaning that are mentioned in the video include:

Homemade Soft Scrub:

Making a baking soda paste for a gentle abrasive cleaner for hard surfaces, including metals. (I like to add a little dish soap to mine to make your own paste for all purpose cleaning.)

Homemade Soft Scrub

Absorbing odors:

Absorbing odors, in the refrigerator, in stinky shoes, and for the garbage can.

Pest Control:

Pest control - by combining baking soda and salt in equal parts and placing this mixture in areas trafficked by ants in your home.

Drain Maintenance:

Unclogging drains, and cleaning drains.

Laundry Booster:

Adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to each load of laundry, as a laundry booster.

Cleaning Hairbrushes:

To remove oil and dirt from hairbrushes, by soaking the brush in a cup of warm water with one teaspoon of baking soda.

The video also discusses some health related uses for baking soda, but that is really not the focus of this website, so I'll just let you watch the video for those baking soda use tips.

Here is the video for full details:

Baking Soda {Refferal Links}

Do you have your tips to share? You can share your own uses here, or read others that have already been submitted.

You can also read my article on the uses for baking soda around your home, including more about the chemical properties of this naturally occurring substance that make it such a good cleaner and deodorizer.

Second photo courtesy of ecokarenlee

Use As Scouring Powder For Non-Stick Pans & Dishes

by SR101 Reader

I don't use any metal to scour or clean my pans or dishes.

My Aunt taught me if you put metal to a pan it will cause it to stick!

Instead I use baking soda as cleansing powder. It is safe to eat, cheap and very effective.

I thought it was a stretch but I was wrong. It is the best scouring powder I have ever used and it doesn't scratch.

I use a dish rag or a microfiber cloth and a little baking soda and it works just as well as scouring pads but with out damaging the pan, dealing with the rust from metal scourers such as Brillo pads and the cost is minimal.

Also one less thing to buy or put on a list.

Photo courtesy of LizMarie_AK, from Flickr CC

Absorb Carpet Odors From Pets & More

by Katy

Katy says:

When I had carpet I would sprinkle the carpet with a dusting of it - wait half an hour- come back and vacuum.

It helps get pet odor out of carpet.

Taylor says:

Thanks for this tip Katy.

You're right, baking soda is great for absorbing odors.

This technique that you described won't remove pet odors from actual accidents, like if they urinate on the carpet, but for just general smell this can work wonders.

Letting the baking soda sit on the carpet for 30 minutes is good, but overnight can work wonders, assuming you can let it sit for that long without getting disturbed.

You can read more about making your own carpet deodorizer here if you'd like to also mix it with essential oils for a nice scent.

Photo courtesy of Marcin Wichary

Use An Old Parmesan Cheese Shaker For Dispensing Baking Soda As A Cleaning Scrub

Baking soda is very handy as a cleaning scrub, because it is a gentle abrasive.

You can buy a nice metal shaker with large holes that you can fill with baking soda and sprinkle on counters, etc. for a quick easy way to dispense it. (Try shaking it directly from the box sometime and you'll soon see the advantage of using something to sprinkle it in a more controlled way.)

However, if you don't want to pay for something new a reader, Angela, suggested: "Save your next empty Kraft parmesan cheese shaker to store baking soda in under your kitchen sink. Keeps it dryer than in the box and you can see when you're running low!"

Further, if you'd like to find out some scouring powder recipes using this cleaning agent I've collected quite a few at the link.

Further, another reader, Bridget said, baking soda is "my favorite bathroom cleaner, especially if you use orange peel and a bit of sea salt!" That sounds like it would smell heavenly!

If you've got more ways to use this ingredient in counter scrubbers I'd love to hear them! You can share them with me here.

Photo courtesy of wachovia_138

Cleaning With Baking Soda - Use It As An All Purpose Cleaner

by Jessica

Jessica shared her favorite all purpose cleaner with me, and instead of being a specific product it is something we all most likely have in our home or refrigerator right now -- Arm & Hammer Baking Soda.

Jessica says:

When it comes to cleaning I like to use Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda.

There are no chemicals so it's safe to use around our baby, no strong fragrance, costs about $1.00 and it works!

My latest favorite uses for cleaning with baking soda is the baby's highchair. After feeding the tray is always a mess and some food can become stuck on. A sprinkle of baking soda and a damp washcloth takes any food residue away in just a few scrubs.

It's also great for in the bathroom where stains can appear fast. In the bathtub it quickly removes the dreaded 'ring around the tub' and equally gets rid of dried on toothpaste in the bathroom sink.

It's also a great no chemical cleaner for the aquarium! When thick algae accumulates in the nooks and crannies of decorations, I use a little A&H Baking Soda on an old toothbrush and it restores the plastic decorations to looking like new.

In addition, burned on food on the glass cook top on our stove is no match for A&H Baking Soda either and it doesn't scratch the glass.

I also use it to clean my tables, porcelain and fiberglass sinks, toilets, tile floor, metal ionic air purifier, and plastic computer cases.

Taylor says:

Thanks Jessica for sharing all your baking soda cleaning tips for the home.

This naturally occurring product is quite remarkable, with all its cool scientific properties which make it a great cleaner, laundry booster, stain and odor remover. You can read more about these scientific properties in my article about the uses for baking soda.

I'd love to hear even more ways other people use baking soda for cleaning their homes. You can share your uses here, or read lots of other ideas already submitted.

Further, here are a bunch of natural household cleaners reviews for all purpose cleaning that you can check out if you're interested.

Baking Soda {Refferal Links}

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Lots Of Homemade Cleaners Recipes

General Purpose Cleaner Reviews

Cooktop Cleaner Reviews

Tips For How To Clean Stove Top

How To Clean Fiberglass

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