Baking soda is something that everyone has in their cupboards to use in baking but it has so many other uses as well. Did you know that more than 100 tons of baking soda was used to clean the Statue of Liberty’s inner copper walls during its 1986 restoration? If it is good enough for the Statue of Liberty just think of the ways that it can be used in your home!
- Use it to clean off sticky grease on pans or kitchen equipment (ex. waffle maker). The baking soda acts like an eraser to clean off the grease.
- To clean a drain, pour ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of salt down the drain. Follow with ½ cup of vinegar. Cover the drain and let it work for at least 15 minutes. Finish by pouring a tea kettle of boiling water down the drain.
- Make a paste of baking soda and water in a small container. Apply the paste to your tooth brush to make your own toothpaste.
- Sprinkle baking soda liberally over dry carpet to remove odors. Leave it on overnight and then vacuum in the morning.
- If your plastic food containers have picked up a strong odor wash them in hot water and baking soda. Next sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda inside the container. Cover and let it stand for at least one hour or overnight. Wash as usual and the odor should be gone.
- Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge to erase crayon, pencil, ink and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Rinse when the mark is removed.
- Are you getting black marks on your floor from your shoes? Rub the area with a paste of baking soda and water. Rinse and wipe dry.
- If you have a small grease fire in your kitchen pour baking soda on it to help put it out.
- Sprinkle baking soda on baked on pans. Then add a little hot water and dish soap. Let it sit and absorb for several minutes then use a kitchen dish scrubber to remove the baked on food.
- Do you have an oil spot in your garage? Sprinkle a mixture of baking soda and salt over it, let it soak to absorb and then sweep to remove.
- Adding ½ cup baking soda to top loading machines or ¼ cup to front load washers help you to reduce the amount of bleach you need by half in your laundry.
With so many uses for both cooking and cleaning I keep a several containers of baking soda handy!
Have a question. Is there a difference between “laundry” or cleaning Baking Soda and then what you find in the baking isle?
Hi Rachel, this is the answer to your question–from the Arm and Hammer website. “Baking Soda is made of 100% Sodium Bicarbonate. Super Washing Soda is made of 100% Sodium Carbonate. While they sound similar, they are not the same. Both products can be used to improve liquid laundry performance for cleaner, fresher clothes. Both products can also be used for cleaning around the house. Baking Soda can be used in baking, as a dentifrice and as an antacid, Super Washing Soda cannot. Super Washing Soda should never be ingested. Be sure to check product packaging for specific uses and recommendations.”
Baking soda is the best cleaning agent. I used it to clean limescale/Calcium buildups on my bathroom taps and got impressive results. Thanks for sharing.
Regards, Tapron
Hi, Happy for your success and thank you for your positive feedback.