How to Use Baking Soda

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Scrub hard surfaces.

   Powdered baking soda can clean sinks, bathtubs, shower tiles, kitchen counters, metal surfaces, or even car headlights.
   
   Just sprinkle 2 teaspoons (10mL) onto a damp, clean sponge or rag, and scrub away.
   
   Rinse the area well once clean, to avoid a white residue.
   
   Because baking soda is non-toxic, this makes an excellent replacement for harsh chemicals in houses with young children.
   
   Never use baking soda on aluminum surfaces.
   
   This causes a chemical reaction that weakens the metal.
   
   For stubborn stains, make a paste with water and baking soda.
   
   Apply to the stain, leave on for thirty minutes, and wipe away with a damp sponge.
   
   Rinse well.
2. 2

   Step 2: Scrub burned food off cooking equipment.

   Do you have a casserole dish or pot covered in black, baked-on food? Scrape it clean again by scrubbing with baking soda, a mild abrasive.
   
   For seriously burned surfaces, replace the sponge with a square of sandpaper.
   
   This will scratch the base of the dish as well, but sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do. , Leave baking soda in an open container inside the fridge to absorb smells.
   
   Replace the baking soda every month or so to maintain the deodorizing effect. , Baking soda will remove funky odors from your house as well.
   
   Try keeping ashtrays full of baking soda, plus essential oils to add a sweeter smell as well. , Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and let set for about 15 minutes.
   
   Vacuum up as usual.
   
   The baking soda should absorb unpleasant odors.
   
   Before trying this on an expensive or colorful rug, test this on a hidden location.
   
   If there are signs of color change or fiber damage after vacuuming, do not use the baking soda on the rest of the carpet. , Baking soda can absorb liquids that have soaked into the cracks of hardwood floors.
   
   Vacuum and sweep as usual after leaving it there for a few minutes.
   
   Test for damage by applying baking soda and water to a hidden location first .
   
   Do this in advance, so you know whether you can use baking soda to clean up a spill when it happens.
   
   This is particularly useful for animal urine and other smelly liquids. , Add 2 tablespoons (30mL) of baking soda to the drain, then white distilled vinegar.
   
   Wait for 30 minutes, then run warm water for a couple minutes.
   
   Baking soda can also clear up a slow sink.
   
   Pour 1 cup (240mL) baking soda down the drain, then pour down boiling water.
   
   If you have plastic ABS waste pipes under your sink (black plastic pipes found in most modern houses), let the water sit for 5–10 minutes after boiling to cool it to safe temperatures (below 180ºF/82ºC). , If you live in a hard water area and are tired of the mineral buildup, pour 1–2 cups (240–480mL) baking soda directly into the toilet bowl.
   
   Pour 1 cup (240mL) vinegar down fill tube in the toilet tank.
   
   Once the bowl stops foaming, scrub the bowl well with a brush. , Add ½ to 1 cup (120–240mL) baking soda to any load of laundry as a detergent brightener.
   
   To remove stains from white laundry loads, submerge the clothes in cold water with 1–2 cups (240–480mL) baking soda and 2–8 cups (480mL–1.9L) white distilled vinegar.
   
   Let soak 45 minutes, wring out clothes, and wash as usual.
   
   You can even find recipes online that use baking soda to replace detergent entirely.
3. 3

   Step 3: Keep odors out of your refrigerator and freezer.

4. 4

   Step 4: Freshen rooms with trays of baking soda.

5. 5

   Step 5: Deodorize carpets.

6. 6

   Step 6: Clean up spills from wood floors.

7. 7

   Step 7: Keep sink drains smelling sweet.

8. 8

   Step 8: Clean hard water stains in toilets.

9. 9

   Step 9: Add to laundry loads.

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