Hey there, green goddesses of clean! Nicole here to share my all-time favorite way to make homemade cleaners: with good ‘ol baking soda. This pantry staple is a natural cleaning powerhouse. It cuts grease, deodorizes, scours away stains, and polishes when mixed with other household items like vinegar and lemon. Ditch the toxic cleaners and whip up these simple soda-based solutions instead!
As a professional organizer and declutterer not to mention busy working woman, mother and wife, I’m always looking for green cleaning methods that get the job done without nasty chemicals. These DIY baking soda cleaners do just that while being safe for people, pets and the environment. Read on for what to mix up and how to use these magic cleaning potions all over your home.
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All-Purpose Cleaner
My favorite grease-cutting solution combines baking soda with the acidity of vinegar or lemon juice. Just mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice in a spray bottle, adding water to fill. Shake before each use.
I recommend these glass spray bottles from Amazonhttps://amzn.to/45AHx1Y – very eco-friendly and inexpensive, too!
Spray down countertops, appliances, tables, backsplashes, and anything else that needs cleaning and degreasing. Let it bubble up for a few minutes before wiping away. The soda scrubs while the acid cuts through oils and residue. It’s safe enough to use on most surfaces and leaves everything sparkling!
For bonus deodorizing power, add 5-10 drops of essential oil like lemon or lavender to the mix. This makes the kitchen and bathroom smell as clean as they look.
Gentle Scrub
Baking soda’s abrasive-yet-gentle texture makes it ideal for scrubbing away tougher grime and stains without damaging surfaces.
For cooked-on crud, sprinkle baking soda directly onto the affected area – think baked on pans, hardened food in microwaves, greasy oven doors. Add just enough water to moisten into a paste and let sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a damp cloth or scrub brush. Rinse and marvel at the results!
In the bathroom, make a paste with soda and lemon juice to scour soap scum and hard water stains from tile, fixtures, tubs and toilets. Those surfaces will shine like new!
Let baking soda work its abrasive magic on any dirty spot. It cleans without scratching delicate materials.
Freshen Laundry
To make clothes fresh without harsh detergents or bleach, add 1/2 cup baking soda to the drum of your washer during the rinse cycle. It neutralizes odors and helps rinse away residues that make fabrics dingy.
For serious stale smells in towels or athletic wear, soak items overnight in a tub with 1 cup baking soda before washing as usual. Works like a charm to remove lingering stench from clothes. No funky smells in this laundry!
You can also scrub soda directly onto clothes before washing to lift stains and deodorize in a gentle, eco-friendly way. Just wet the stain, sprinkle on soda, let sit briefly and toss in the wash.
Polishing Power
Harness baking soda’s mild abrasiveness to polish metal fixtures, jewelry, chrome and more.
Make a paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto surface with soft cloth. Rinse and dry with a microfiber cloth – the shine will astound you!
For silver pieces, line a container with aluminum foil shiny side up. Fill with hot water and add a spoonful of baking soda. Place silver atop the foil and soak for 5-10 minutes. Tarnish wipe away for gleaming results.
Baking soda brings metals, chrome and jewelry back to their sparkling glory without harsh chemicals – and a whole lot of elbow grease. Such a satisfying cleaning technique!
There you have it – homemade cleaners that get incredible results with simple baking soda. Whip up these recipes and let the baking soda work its magic all throughout your home. Why use toxic chemicals when pantry staples get the same dazzling clean?
Have any other soda-based cleaning tricks? Share below! And stay tuned for more cleaning, organizing, decluttering and downsizing tips and inspiration.
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