Home is closest to the heart. People invest their life’s savings to be able to buy a home that depicts their taste and class. Your home is like a little baby that needs constant care and attention. For it to be able to retain its charm and beauty, it’s mandatory that it should always be kept clean and spotless. Homes with dirt and stains lingering around are not only repulsive, but also say a lot about the owner of the house. While you can always use a vacuum cleaner or electric brusher to swipe the floor clean, they do not always produce effective results. As a matter of fact, why spend so much money when you can clean your house with things that are generally used at home. Do you realize that packet of baking soda sitting idle in your kitchen cabinet can work wonders for your house cleaning project? Yes, baking soda is one of the most effective cleaning agents.
How to use baking soda for house cleaning? Read on to know better.
1. Toilets need attention. There is nothing more repugnant than a dirty toilet. While sinks and commodes are usually given a stain-resistant finish, they are unable to stay stain-resistant throughout life. If you get hard water supply in your house, your toilet is even more susceptible to discolouration and yellowing. While acid cleansers will clean the dirt, they will add to corrosion and damage. Instead, use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean your toilets. Baking soda reacts with stains to form glycerol and with the vinegar to create carbonic acid. Both carbonic acid and glycerol are strong cleansing agents and are used in soaps and detergents.
2. Your kitchen needs a makeover: Gas stoves and kitchen sinks, especially those made from steel, lose their shine after a couple of years of usage. This makes the whole kitchen look dull and old. To get the shine back in your kitchen, make a paste of baking soda and water. For every three spoons of baking soda, mix one spoon of water. Rub this paste over your kitchen sink, stove and utensils and leave it to dry. Once the paste has dried, rub it off with a soft cloth soaked in warm water and be surprised to see the results.
3. Carpets should be spot-free: Carpets are precious. There are people who spend crazy amount of money in Persian carpets and are heartbroken when it is ruined by a greasy stain. If you are one of those, do not worry. Baking Soda can remove craziest of strains without affecting the fabric of the carpet. To remove stains, mix baking soda with vinegar. To half a cup of vinegar, add about two spoons of baking soda. Rub this mixture over the stain and leave it to dry. Once dried, clean it with a hoover. For dirtier and stronger stains, add borax to the mixture.
4. Let your clothes shine: Very often, even after using loads of detergent, clothes do not come out completely clean. Don’t worry! Baking soda can actually make detergents work more efficiently. Not only does baking soda react with stains and dirt on clothes, it also softens the water. Hard water supply can leave your clothes dull and lifeless. Baking soda acts as a bleach and maintains the attractiveness of clothes. All you need to do is add half a cup of baking soda to your load of laundry and wait for your whites to look even more whiter.
5. Get healthier and fresher greens: You know by now that baking soda paste can be used to clean almost anything — from refrigerator to stoves and slabs. However, did you know that baking soda can help keep vegetables and fruits fresh? Next time you buy vegetables and fruits, clean them with baking soda water. This will not only completely remove the dirt from them, it will also keep your vegetables and fruits fresh for a longer period.
6. Use it to unclog drains: If there is a home owners desperately hate, it is clogged drains. If you have kids, unclogged drains must be a common thing in your house. Kids put their plates full of food directly into the sink. The wasted food gets accumulated in the drain and chokes it. This means a kitchen sink full of dirty water! Baking Soda can very easily unclog drains. To clear a drain, pour a cup of baking soda into the clogged drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Let it stay for 10-15 minutes. Next, use warm water to squeeze out disintegrated waste clogging the drains.
7. That weird smell must go: Pungent smell is a big turn off, especially if it’s originating from someone’s shoes. Likewise, though pets are adorable, they have a peculiar smell that can irritate visitors. And so is the case with your kid’s stuffed toys that haven’t been washed for months now. The good thing is baking soda can help drive weird smells away. All you need to do is sprinkle some baking soda and let it dry. When the baking soda dries, it absorbs into it dirt and dust. Use a vacuum cleaner or a mop to remove the accumulated dirt and feel fresh again.
8. Give some attention to your machines: Do you know you can get extra life out of batteries if you clean them with baking soda? Do you also realize that those oil stains you have in your microwave can be cleaned with a baking soda paste? Your cabinets and closets scream for attention. Similarly, you get your car washed from time to time, but it still needs care. Its chrome surface needs a special cleanser. Likewise, its lights, windows, seats and mats need care too. With baking soda, you can clean so many things around the house — from your car to your television, cabinets and much more.
Baking soda is an easy and quick solution to many problems. As a home maker, you can get so much done with it. What’s more, it’s cheap and effective and will save you a lot of money.
