Admin on April 10, 2015 1 Comment Every homeowner has their favorite staple cleaning items to use around the home. Some people stick to their store-bought chemical cleaners while others have home-made favorites, both of which have their perks and faults. If you have not yet invested in baking soda as part of your staple items, then it’s time to give it a try. Almost everybody has baking soda in their pantry, as it’s often used in recipes for food such as cookies and pancakes. It turns out baking soda can actually be used for a variety of household chores. Most homeowners want cleaning solutions that are safe, can be used for a variety of purposes and are affordable. Baking soda is all of those things and more. There are three basic cleaning categories that this versatile product can be grouped into: cleaning smells, cleaning grime and cleaning yourself. If you have something that needs cleaning, chances are that baking soda can be used in some way to help. 1. Clean the Smells One of the most common ways that baking soda is used beyond cooking is as a deodorizer. If you can think of an area of your home that needs a little help with scent management, baking soda may be able to do the job. For the most part, all you need to do is sprinkle some baking soda in the area where the smell resides. For example, if an odor is persisting from your kitchen or bathroom garbage pail, just pour some baking soda on the bottom. You can replace it whenever you change the liner or as you see fit. Pouring the baking soda into a container and putting it in cupboards, pantries, refrigerators or freezers also helps to stave off odors. Make sure you contain the baking soda within something easily disposable, or else prepare to break out the vacuum. If you have pets, baking soda is also great for managing the smell coming from the litter box, pet odors in your furniture and odors in your carpet. For the litter box, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom before pouring in the litter. You can also sprinkle it on top as needed until it’s time for a change. For the carpet and furniture, pour baking soda and let it sit for 15 minutes to several hours. Vacuum it up, and the odor should be less noticeable or gone completely. If your home odors are persistent and baking soda does not get rid of the smell completely, consider investing in an air purifier to clean your air and dispel bad smells. Baking soda is also great for absorbing odors in lunch boxes, shoes and more. Just sprinkle a little inside and let it sit and absorb the odor. Pour out and vacuum up any leftover powder before the next use of the item. Additional places you might choose to use this product for odor absorption include: Laundry hamper Camping gear Cars Clothes and linen closets Pet beds 2. Clean the Grime Whether it’s dirt, oil or grease, baking soda can help to get all kinds of stains and grimy pains out of different parts of your house. There are three main recipes to keep on hand around your house: Mix three parts baking soda to one part water to create a paste Mix ¼ cup baking soda with one quart of water to create a cleaning solution Mix ½ cup baking soda followed by ½ cup vinegar for a bubbly solution to clean drains These three recipes will likely be used a lot around your home if you get into using baking soda. The paste can be used to clean sinks, tubs and jewelry. The cleaning solution can easily be used to sanitize items such as combs, brushes and children’s toys. The bubbling solution, while great for volcanoes for science class, is perfect for helping to keep the drains in your sinks and tubs clear. Grime can often make it much farther than your kitchen or bathroom fixtures, however. Baking soda is also useful for absorbing motor oil out of the driveway pavement. Do you have a stubborn stain on your child’s shirt? Dry gently blotting it with a baking soda paste. You can even replace half of your standard measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to help your laundry to come out fresh. Baking soda is also safe and effective enough for you to use to clean the wax off of fruits and vegetables before eating. 3. Clean Yourself In addition to absorbing offensive odors and cleaning various parts of your home, baking soda also happens to be a relatively safe option for keeping yourself clean. Some people wish to avoid many of the harsh chemicals found in products such as deodorant and shampoo. Baking soda can be applied to your armpits to help absorb odor throughout the day. Just reapply as needed. You can also use baking soda for washing your hair and brushing your teeth. The powder is perfect for stripping away the harsh products you might use to style your hair during the day. For brushing your teeth, just create a paste with the powder and little bit of water and brush away. Baking soda is also great for your hands and your feet. You can use it to scrub away dirt ground into your hands by using a paste along with your normal hand soap. Drop a few tablespoons of baking soda into a small tub of warm water and soak your feet. If you feel up to it, you can even put half a cup in the bathtub and soak your body, which is perfect for softening your skin and washing away oil and sweat. This is also a great method to heal your skin if you are suffering from bug bites or skin irritation. A Powder of All Trades Although baking soda is often used for baking purposes, it can be used for so much more. These days, many homeowners—particularly those with children around the house—are looking for safe, non-toxic cleaning solutions that work to get fixtures clean and keep foul odors away. It can even be used in life-threatening situations, like if you need to quickly put out a difficult grease fire in your kitchen. You don’t necessarily need to invest in an expensive cleaning product full of chemicals that you have never heard of. Baking soda can be used to clean just about anything, from your teeth and your laundry to your drains and your carpet. It’s safe and it’s affordable. If you have not yet recognized the power that baking soda has, it’s time to find out.
