Baking soda

Is there anything baking soda cannot be used for? From making cakes rise to teeth whitening and facial scrubbing, it gets the job done. But did you know baking soda is also excellent for absorbing bad odors? Place some baking soda in your refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, garbage can, ashtray or even car interior to fight bad smells. In addition to its odor-absorbing qualities, baking soda also makes a versatile cleaning product. As baking powder crystals dissolve in water, make a paste by adding three parts baking soda to one part water and go on a cleaning spree. The slightly abrasive solution will effectively remove greasy stains without leaving the surface all scratched. Therefore, it is wonderful for cleaning silver pieces. But if you think this is where it ends, think again. Unclogging drains is no problem for this great all-rounder. Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, let it sit for a while and rinse with hot water. Above all, baking soda is completely non-toxic and therefore very safe to use around children.

Washing soda / soda crystals

Soda crystals are well known for their use as a degreaser when dissolved in hot water. In this capacity, washing soda is suitable for cleaning the oven, removing greasy stains from cotton or linen clothing (don’t use on silk or wool!) or getting rid of burnt-on residue on your favorite barbeque or pots and pans. Just make sure you keep away from aluminum items. It can, however, be used to remove tarnish from other metals like gold or silver. As  a general stain remover, it has many sides. It can get brown stains out of your favorite mug as easily as it keeps your best clothes clean. Even the most stubborn grass, ink, wine, blood or coffee stains on your clothes or carpet can be treated by putting some washing soda paste directly on the stain. On top of it all, washing soda kills moss and keeps your waste pipes clog-free, just like baking soda does. What more do you want? Keep in mind that, unlike baking soda, soda crystals are not edible.

Vinegar

Like all of the above, vinegar is a multi-purpose cleaner. It can be used in the laundry room, bathroom as well as the kitchen. I like to have it at my disposal for cleaning at all times by keeping it in a spray bottle. You will see this makes it so much simpler to just grab and use it everywhere. You could optionally make a second one with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution for window cleaning. But what more can vinegar do for you? A lot actually. In the bathroom, it is often used to decalcify shower heads or to keep surfaces free from soap residue. As a kitchen cleaner, it is excellent for surfaces like the counter, stove, cupboards or refrigerator. Apart from that, you will be amazed by its odor eliminating qualities. Use it on your hands after chopping onions or heat a bowl with a 50/50 water and vinegar solution to keep your microwave clean and fresh smelling. When talking about stain removal, vinegar is best for fresh stains on clothing or spills on carpets. It will also protect colors and keep them bright when added to the laundry.

Do you use baking soda, vinegar or soda crystals in your daily house cleaning activities or have any more tips on how to use them? Feel free to share with us some of your cheap and eco-friendly cleaning tips in the comment section below!

Denise

(image credit: sam powers)