During a recent trip to the grocery store, I had baking soda on my shopping list. When I got to the aisle it was located in, I ended up grabbing 3 boxes instead of one.
Do you know why? Well, because there are so many uses for baking soda other than a leavening agent for baked goods. Many of us already know that you can use a box of baking soda in your refrigerator to keep it fresh smelling, but there are many ways you can use baking soda while you are freshening and even cleaning other parts of your home. Here are some things I use it for, or plan to use it for:
1 – Use it to freshen your carpets.
Sprinkle baking soda directly onto the carpet. Allow it to sit for at least a half an hour and then vacuum it up.
2 – Use it to clear a clogged drain.
Measure out a cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Next, measure out a cup of vinegar and pour it down the drain. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then flush the drain with boiling hot water.
3 – Use it to clean your fresh fruits and vegetables.
Instead of spending money on expensive fruit and vegetable cleaners, use baking soda to clean any insecticides, dirt, and even wax. Simply make a wash by filling a large bowl with cold water and about a ¼ cup of baking soda. Wash your fruits and vegetables and then rinse them with clean water.
4 – Use it to clean and deodorize plastic containers.
Make a paste using baking soda and water and scrub the sides of plastic containers that are stained from red sauces, etc. or that are smelly from onions, etc.
5 – Use it to scrub crayons and scuffs from walls.
Mix some baking soda with water to form a thick paste. Put it on a washrag or sponge and use it to wash crayons and scuff marks off of walls.
6- Use it to clean a barbeque grill.
Use a mixture of about 2 parts baking soda to one part water to create a paste. Either dip your grill brush into your paste or dab the paste directly on the grill and scrub away!
7- Make a scrub out of it.
Sprinkle baking soda in sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and all of your kitchen appliances and use it like you would a dry cleanser. Scrub with a damp cloth of sponge and then rinse clean.
8 – Use it to clean stinky shoes.
For a one time cleaning, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda into foul smelling shoes. Let it sit over night and then empty. If the shoes are really bad and need continuing treatment, consider filling a pair of old socks, or something similar, with baking soda and place them inside of each shoe whenever you are not wearing them.
9 – Add an extra boost to your laundry detergent.
If you want to get your clothes brighter and more fresh smelling, consider adding about a half a cup of baking soda to the load next time you do laundry along with your regular laundry detergent. It may also act as a fabric softener if you add it to the rinse cycle.
10 – Use it to freshen and clean your garbage can.
To keep your garbage can smelling fresh, sprinkle some baking soda in it. For those times when it needs a thorough cleaning, use baking soda along with some dish soap to scrub it out.
11 – Use it to remove grease from pots and pans.
Sprinkle baking soda in the pots and pans and let it sit for several minutes and then scrub with hot soapy water.
12 – Use it to freshen up your sponges.
While I usually throw my sponges away if they get smelly, sometimes I hate to because it is a newer sponge. The perfect solution is to mix up a bowl of about 2 – 3 cups of water and add 2 – 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir the solution and place it in the microwave for two minutes. Once that time is up, stir the solution again and place the sponge in it. Let the sponge sit until the water cools enough that you can remove it.
13 – Use it to clean and deodorize your shower curtain.
Use a damp sponge or wash cloth sprinkled with a generous amount of baking soda to scrub a vinyl shower curtain. Rinse it off and then hang it up to dry.
14 – Use it to clean baby toys.
Get baby toys nice and clean without using any chemicals, simply sprinkle baking soda on a wet cloth or sponge and wash away and then rinse it clean. You can also soak them in a mixture of water and baking soda. Use about a teaspoon of baking soda with a cup of water.
15 – Use it to freshen a cat’s litter box.
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda into a cat litter box to freshen it up and help eliminate odors.
Of course, there are many other uses for baking soda than these but they are my favorite cleaning tips. Do you have any favorite ways to clean using baking soda? Please share them in the comments!
Hi, great page. Just wanted to add another tip I find really handy – regularly clean your vacuum head to help stop grime building up and transferring to your carpet! Make sure it’s fully dry before using though as it could make it worse. Also, for people who are not able-bodied like me who can’t get family to help then I’d like to suggest using a company to do it – but look for the ones who have good feedback and don’t use harsh chemicals.
Baking soda and white vinegar are the king and queen of my house. They have a lot of use when it comes to cleaning my entire house. Thanks for sharing. I learned some great tips here.