Natural cleaning is a fairly new fad, but I've been doing it for almost 20 years. I'm thankful for the Internet so I could learn more about cleaning with baking soda and other natural cleaners.
Part of why I used natural cleaners was necessity. We didn't have a lot of money when we got married. We also lived in a teeny little house, so I didn't have a lot of room. Each cleaning product had to do double (or triple!) duty.
My son has asthma and had a lot of breathing problems as baby and toddler. I has asthma as a kid and through to adulthood, but it was diagnosed until I was an adult.
One of the first thing the doctor suggested was to use natural cleaners and limit chemicals. So I scoured the Internet for the limited information that was available and made notes and recipes.
I always have baking soda and vinegar available for cleaning because I can clean just about anything with it.
CLEANING WITH BAKING SODA
IS BAKING SODA GOOD FOR CLEANING?
Absolutely, yes! It's my second most used natural cleaner behind vinegar.
Baking soda's actual name is sodium bicarbonate. It's a salt, so it's formed by an ion with a positive charge and an ion with a negative charge.
It's slightly basic on the pH scale, which is why cleaning with baking soda works so well.
ABSORBING ODORS
One of the reasons I like baking soda so much is because it absorbs odors. You can use it in the fridge, the freezer, or make a DIY baking soda air freshener to naturally make your home smell better.
ABRASIVE
I also use baking soda a lot because it's a mild abrasive. It can really get into the little crevices to get them cleaned out.
It's great on textured surfaces, like a fridge handle. I also use it on flat surfaces like my counter. The abrasiveness will get off sticky food and other messes.
This is why I like to use it in my baking soda cream cleanser recipe.
Baking soda releases carbon dioxide when it's heated to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Normally, you wouldn't do this in your daily cleaning, but this does mean that it can be a natural fire extinguisher.
The carbon dioxide that it releases chokes the oxygen that the fire uses as fuel, so the fire goes out.
Yes, but not all the time. Baking soda is basic and vinegar is an acid. When you combine them, they bubble up and cause a fun reaction, albeit a messy one.
For really tough messes, like the inside of the oven door, I'll sprinkle a baking soda and water paste and let it dry. Then I'll spray with vinegar when it's time to clean. This seems to work better than using either one alone.
This fizzing can also help unclog a drain naturally.
For most cleaning, though, you won't combine them. Nothing bad will happen, but you'll have a mess to clean up.
Baking soda is a great stain remover because it's abrasive and basic.
It works great on the following stains:
I usually just mix baking soda and water to make a paste and use it to scrub. You can also mix it with vinegar as mentioned above.
I also mix it with dish soap to clean tough grime on my pots and pans. (If you're looking for a natural dish soap, I really like Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena.)
Plastic storage containers can absorb odors from food and the fridge. Sprinkle baking soda inside the container and use a damp sponge to clean.
If the odor persists or there are heavy stains, add 1 tablespoons of baking soda to a cup of water water and let it soak.
Eliminate odors and most stains by using glass storage containers. If you're looking to eliminate or reduce plastic use, these glass food storage containers are a great deal.
Food odors can penetrate the fridge and other foods. There are few things worse than putting butter on your toast and realizing that it tastes like last Tuesday's tacos.
Set a bowl of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors for fresher tasting foods.
If you buy produce that has a waxy coating, use baking soda and water to buff off the wax before eating.
Sprinkle baking soda on your counters and use a damp sponge to scrub. This works great for dried on foods.
I don't use it on my stainless appliances. Be careful using baking soda if you have expensive countertops. I do not, so I don't know what surfaces it can damage.
If your trash can smells funky, sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom to absorb odors. Do this once a week to keep it fresh.
I have a flat top stove. I use baking soda and water to remove grease and food to keep it looking new.
Sprinkle baking soda in your oven and wipe with a damp sponge. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then spray vinegar on it and wipe up.
Combine 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon water to make a paste. Use a microfiber cloth to rub silverware. Rinse well.
If you have grease or stuck on food, sprinkle baking soda on your pots and pans and then scrub. Sometimes I let it soak to get more grime off.
Baking soda is an excellent soap scum remover. Sprinkle on the tub or sink and use a microfiber cloth to wipe.
You can also sprinkle it on grout to clean it. Use a toothbrush to scrub the small lines.
Oils from your hair and products can build up on your brushes and combs. Soak them in 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 cup of water overnight. Rinse well.
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to a gallon of hot water to mop your floors. I sometimes add a squirt of dish soap too.
If your drain is slow, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar in and wait for about 10 minutes. Flush with hot water for several minutes.
Sprinkle baking soda on furniture or carpets. Let sit at least 15 minutes. I generally let it sit for hours or even overnight for best results. Vacuum the baking soda off of the fabric or carpet.
I like these ecofriendly cardboard containers to get a more even application.
If there are fingerprints, grime, or even crayon marks, sprinkle baking soda on a sponge and carefully scrub.
Add baking soda to laundry to brighten colors and whites. Add a cup to a load with the liquid detergent. I put it on the bottom of the drum in my front loader.
If your shoes stink, sprinkle baking soda in them and let them sit overnight. Tap the baking soda out and into the trash.
Clean your patio furniture with baking soda water. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water and use a sponge to clean them.
If you get an oil stain on your driveway or garage floor, sprinkle baking soda on the oil and let it dry. Sweep up with a stiff broom.
Clean your grill by sprinkling baking soda on it and scrubbing with a brush. Rinse well.
Clean chrome with a paste of water and baking soda. Use a microfiber cloth to clean. Rinse well.
If your dog smells but you don't want to give him or her a bath, sprinkle baking soda on them and work in with your fingers. Brush out the baking soda.
Add baking soda to the litter box to absorb odors.
If your pet has a bed, sprinkle baking soda on it and let sit for 15 minutes. Vacuum off the baking soda.
Do you do any cleaning with baking soda? What's your favorite way to use it?
CARBON DIOXIDE
Baking soda releases carbon dioxide when it's heated to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Normally, you wouldn't do this in your daily cleaning, but this does mean that it can be a natural fire extinguisher.
The carbon dioxide that it releases chokes the oxygen that the fire uses as fuel, so the fire goes out.
CAN YOU MIX BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR TO CLEAN?
Yes, but not all the time. Baking soda is basic and vinegar is an acid. When you combine them, they bubble up and cause a fun reaction, albeit a messy one.
For really tough messes, like the inside of the oven door, I'll sprinkle a baking soda and water paste and let it dry. Then I'll spray with vinegar when it's time to clean. This seems to work better than using either one alone.
This fizzing can also help unclog a drain naturally.
For most cleaning, though, you won't combine them. Nothing bad will happen, but you'll have a mess to clean up.
WHAT STAINS DOES BAKING SODA REMOVE?
Baking soda is a great stain remover because it's abrasive and basic.
It works great on the following stains:
- Odors
- Blood
- Sweat
- Fruit
- Vomit
- Wine
WHAT DO YOU MIX WITH BAKING SODA TO CLEAN?
I usually just mix baking soda and water to make a paste and use it to scrub. You can also mix it with vinegar as mentioned above.
I also mix it with dish soap to clean tough grime on my pots and pans. (If you're looking for a natural dish soap, I really like Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena.)
- Nontoxic sticker remover
- Homemade powdered laundry detergent (no grating)
- Castile soap concentrate for mopping and cleaning
CLEANING WITH BAKING SODA
KITCHEN
STORAGE CONTAINERS
Plastic storage containers can absorb odors from food and the fridge. Sprinkle baking soda inside the container and use a damp sponge to clean.
If the odor persists or there are heavy stains, add 1 tablespoons of baking soda to a cup of water water and let it soak.
Eliminate odors and most stains by using glass storage containers. If you're looking to eliminate or reduce plastic use, these glass food storage containers are a great deal.
FRIDGE
Food odors can penetrate the fridge and other foods. There are few things worse than putting butter on your toast and realizing that it tastes like last Tuesday's tacos.
Set a bowl of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors for fresher tasting foods.
REMOVE WAX FROM FOODS
If you buy produce that has a waxy coating, use baking soda and water to buff off the wax before eating.
COUNTERS
Sprinkle baking soda on your counters and use a damp sponge to scrub. This works great for dried on foods.
I don't use it on my stainless appliances. Be careful using baking soda if you have expensive countertops. I do not, so I don't know what surfaces it can damage.
TRASH CAN
If your trash can smells funky, sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom to absorb odors. Do this once a week to keep it fresh.
STOVE TOP
I have a flat top stove. I use baking soda and water to remove grease and food to keep it looking new.
OVEN CLEANER
Sprinkle baking soda in your oven and wipe with a damp sponge. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then spray vinegar on it and wipe up.
POLISH SILVERWARE
Combine 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon water to make a paste. Use a microfiber cloth to rub silverware. Rinse well.
POTS AND PANS
If you have grease or stuck on food, sprinkle baking soda on your pots and pans and then scrub. Sometimes I let it soak to get more grime off.
BATHROOM
SOAP SCUM
Baking soda is an excellent soap scum remover. Sprinkle on the tub or sink and use a microfiber cloth to wipe.
GROUT CLEANER
You can also sprinkle it on grout to clean it. Use a toothbrush to scrub the small lines.
BRUSH CLEANER
Oils from your hair and products can build up on your brushes and combs. Soak them in 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 cup of water overnight. Rinse well.
GENERAL CLEANING
FLOORS
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to a gallon of hot water to mop your floors. I sometimes add a squirt of dish soap too.
UNCLOG DRAINS
If your drain is slow, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar in and wait for about 10 minutes. Flush with hot water for several minutes.
REFRESH CARPETS AND FURNITURE
Sprinkle baking soda on furniture or carpets. Let sit at least 15 minutes. I generally let it sit for hours or even overnight for best results. Vacuum the baking soda off of the fabric or carpet.
I like these ecofriendly cardboard containers to get a more even application.
SPOT CLEAN WALLS
If there are fingerprints, grime, or even crayon marks, sprinkle baking soda on a sponge and carefully scrub.
LAUNDRY BOOSTER
Add baking soda to laundry to brighten colors and whites. Add a cup to a load with the liquid detergent. I put it on the bottom of the drum in my front loader.
STINKY SHOES
If your shoes stink, sprinkle baking soda in them and let them sit overnight. Tap the baking soda out and into the trash.
OUTDOORS
PATIO FURNITURE
Clean your patio furniture with baking soda water. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water and use a sponge to clean them.
OIL STAINS
If you get an oil stain on your driveway or garage floor, sprinkle baking soda on the oil and let it dry. Sweep up with a stiff broom.
GRILL
Clean your grill by sprinkling baking soda on it and scrubbing with a brush. Rinse well.
CHROME
Clean chrome with a paste of water and baking soda. Use a microfiber cloth to clean. Rinse well.
PETS
DRY SHAMPOO
If your dog smells but you don't want to give him or her a bath, sprinkle baking soda on them and work in with your fingers. Brush out the baking soda.
LITTER BOX
Add baking soda to the litter box to absorb odors.
PET BEDS
If your pet has a bed, sprinkle baking soda on it and let sit for 15 minutes. Vacuum off the baking soda.
Do you do any cleaning with baking soda? What's your favorite way to use it?
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