@bsolute Spring cleaning tips – 新年大扫除 – 生活小学堂 – 狮城有约

People start planning for spring cleaning in Singapore as the flowers start blooming and environment become warmer. But most of them do no care much about the ingredients of the cleaning products they are using for this purpose. Most of the regular cleaners available in the market contain various types of harmful ingredients including volatile organic compounds that produce harmful gases when used indoor. For this reason Irritant or Poison is printed on the label of these cleaning products as they may cause headaches, irritation in the nose and throat, skin problems, dizziness and nausea if exposed to them for long.

Many people search for safe and easily available spring cleaning products in Singapore for this reason. Some of them use various types of home made cleaning products these days that contain vinegar, lemon and/or baking soda as their main ingredients. All of these natural products work as the best and safe cleaners as they are also used in various food items to increase their taste and flavour. People also prefer to use these natural products for spring cleaning their home due to their biodegradable and non-toxic properties. Most of the DIY cleaning and beauty products contain baking soda as their main ingredient due to its smell fighting, oil absorbing and gentle abrasive features.

Brief information about the use of baking soda and other safe, natural and home made cleaning products like lemon and vinegar for spring cleaning is provided here under for your consideration. You can use baking soda for cleaning various things in your household ranging from unclogging the drains to cleaning your smelly hands.

Cleaning clogged drains: Regular cleaners can be very harmful for this purpose as they have many toxic elements which can affect the entire environment if used excessively to unclog the drain. You can pour a cup of baking soda along with a cup of vinegar down the drain to unclog it safely and effectively. You will have to plug the drain with a rag to retain this solution in it for minimum 15 minutes to react with the debris clogging it. Then rinse the drain thoroughly. If the problem still exists then you can repeat the process until it is completely cleared.

Kill bad smells: Acidic elements in any household can cause various types of bad smells which can be removed to a great extent by using baking soda due to its pH balancing properties. You can keep baking soda in an open container in the space having bad smell, whether it is a cabinet or fridge, to make it odour free. You can repeat it twice a year to keep your free from bad smells.

Clean pots without rubbing: Sometimes certain pots have daunting stains which cannot be removed without rubbing them extensively. Such stains can be removed easily by using the water solution of 2 teaspoons of baking soda. You should dip the stained surface of the pot into this solution and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Now scrape the crusty stuff on the pot with a wooden spatula to get a clean pot without rubbing.

Carpet cleaning: Sprinkling baking soda before vacuuming your slightly mildewed carpet can help in cleaning it effectively. You can also use its water solution to scrub out the stains from your carpet. It can be vacuum cleaned after drying the powder.

Mattress freshening: Baking soda can also be used to freshen your mattresses due to its smell fighting feature. While making your bed you can just sprinkle the powder on your mattress to make it dour free. You can later on vacuum it while changing the sheet of your bed.

Clean tiles, linoleum floors and counters: You can clean all types of surfaces including linoleum floors, counters and tiles, without using harsh chemicals, by applying the paste of baking soda with water as it works as an effective scrub on them.

Clean the fridge and oven: Instead of using toxic regular cleaners to clean your household appliances like oven and fridges etc. you can clean them by using non-toxic solution of baking soda in water. You should spread this solution into your fridge and oven and leave there at least for 12 hours or overnight. After that you can scrape out the dried powder with a spatula and use a rag to wipe clean them finally.

Toilet cleaning: You can clean your toilets easily just by sprinkling baking soda on them and flush it after scrubbing. It can greatly clean porcelain items due to its abrasive properties. You do not need to worry about anything at all.

Grout cleaning: You can clean off the grime and residues from the grouts by applying baking soda with an old toothbrush.

Deodorant: Baking soda can also be used in various types of homemade personal care and beauty products due to its smell fighting properties. It can prove to be an effective deodorant.

Linen whitening: You can whiten your clothing, sheets and towels without using any harmful whitening agent just by using the mixture of baking soda and lemon juice in equal quantities. It whitens your clothing with its mild bleaching properties.

Get rid of onion smell from your hands: Though you can use any hand soap to get rid of onion smell from your hands but baking soda can also be used as a good and chemical free alternative for this purpose. You can rub the paste of baking soda in water on your hands after chopping onion and scrub before rinsing them with cold water.

Thus baking soda along with lemon and vinegar can be used for spring cleaning as effective home made cleaning products.