Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Clean & Green: The Power of Baking Soda

Once you discover the simplicity of cleaning with baking soda you'll be hooked, I was. There are endless ways to use it all around your home plus your bank account will be very happy!

We started using it initially because it was nontoxic but now I've come to realize its quite economical. Last year I bought a bulk size from Costco (13.5 pds) which should last us for a couple of years. Heres a list of the the ways we've used it for cleaning and also some new ones I'll be trying.

General
Remove Carpet Odor: Shake baking soda over carpet before you go to bed, then vacuum it up in the morning to remove any lingering smells.

Remove Vacuum Cleaner Odor: Your vacuum cleaner canister can be deodorized using baking soda.  Add a small amount to the canister to eliminate stinky odors while vacuuming.

Deodorize Trash Cans: Just sprinkle some in the bottom of your cans when you change the bag. Occasionally rinse them out with hot water. 

Clean Tile Floors: Poor ½ cup baking soda into a bucket of warm water, then mop and rinse.

Baby
Deodorize Baby Bottles: Fill bottle with warm water and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Shake, rinse, and clean thoroughly.

Clean Baby Toys: Add 1/4 cup baking soda to 1 quart water then use the solution to wipe down toys, rinse, and dry. 

Bath
Bathroom Floors: Mix ½ cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water, mop, and rinse.

Drains: To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly followed by hot water.

Toilets: Flush toilet, Pour 1 Cup of baking soda around the sides, leave overnight. Flush in the morning and scrub with a toilet brush. 

Kitchen
Stainless Steel: Wipe with baking soda, rinse, then wipe with a clean damp cloth to polish.

Refrigerator: Leave a box or bowl in your fridge to absorb food orders.

Cups: Remove coffee and tea stains, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and rub into the out the stain (can't wait to try this!).

Food Containers: To remove odor, rinse with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists leave mixture in the container to soak overnight.

Pots & Pans: Help lift cooked-on foods by adding a good amount of baking soda, some dish soap, and hot water to the pan. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes (I leave it overnight), then scrub away. 

Oven Cleaner: Cover bottom of your oven with baking soda about 1/4 inch high. Spray with water until baking soda is thoroughly damp. Remoisten mixture several times throughout the day and before bed. In the morning scoop it out with a rag or sponge and along with all the grime. Then rinse off any remaining white residue.

Dishwasher: Run a cycle in the dishwasher using baking soda instead of detergent to clean out the dishwasher.

Laundry
Laundry Booster: Brighten your whites naturally and remove odors in the wash by adding 1/2-1 cup of baking soda.

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