Stella Van Lane There are dozens of ways in which you could use baking soda around the household. It has a natural effect of regulating pH (numeric scale used to specify the acidity or alkalinity) and helps in maintaining its neutral level. Thus, it can be used for housecleaning, but also as a beauty and health remedy. So, here are some non-conventional ways in which you can use baking soda.
Stove problems
If your stove is dirty, just sprinkle the baking soda over it, sprinkle boiling water. Why boiling? Well, you want the baking soda to dissolve. All you need to do is wait for thirty minutes. Have a cup of coffee. Then scrub the stove and chase way the dirt.
Floor and Furniture Cleaning
Add about a ½ cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water-mop. Rinse clean to remove grime and dirt, and to make your floor sparkle. A bit of baking soda on a damp sponge will rinse off scuff marks off the floor, but also does wonders when it comes to cleaning furniture. Rub lightly with a sponge and then wipe it with a dry cloth. Baking soda is non-toxic, therefore safe to use around children and pregnant women.
Freezer and Refrigerator
Pour 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda in a quart of warm water. Remove all food particles and wash the appliance with soapy water first. After that, rinse with bicarbonate solution to freshen everything up and remove the soap residue, then wipe with a clean, dry cloth.
Laundry
If you use liquid detergent, add a half a cup of baking soda to your laundry, in order to give the detergent a boost and regulate the water’s pH value.
Coffeemaker and Dishwasher
Clean these household appliances by adding baking soda and running an empty cycle.
Garage Oil and Grease
You can clean grease spills and light-duty oil by sprinkling baking soda on the spot and scrubbing the stains with a wet brush.
Natural Mattress and Carpet Freshener
After removing bedclothes for laundry, sprinkle baking soda on the mattress, leave it there for a few hours and then vacuum. It will freshen the mattress up and it will smell strikingly fresher.
Clogged Drains
Baking soda can be used for unclogging sinks. You need 1 cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar. Pour the powder down the drain, then pour the vinegar. The drain should be plugged with a sink stopper and left like that for about half an hour. After that, pour a kettle of hot water after you unplug the sink.
