15 Everyday Household Uses for Baking Soda
We all know that baking soda is good for a variety of things. You may throw it in your refrigerator to soak up smells. This works well if you made some delicious fish, but you don’t want that scent to change the flavor of other things in your fridge – who wants fishy pasta? It’s also great for a number of things in the bathroom including cleaning your teeth. You don’t need to pay for toothpaste or whitener when you have a box of baking soda on hand!
With all these uses, you may think that baking soda is beginning to run out of uses, but you’d be wrong. You can also use this miraculous ingredient in several household uses. It may be the best cleaner you have in the house! We’re going over 30 of the most useful things you can do with your box of baking soda so you can stop spending tons of money on harsh cleansers.
Removing Plastic from Toaster or Iron
Plastic on a toaster, iron, or another heat source can feel impossible to remove. Above all, don’t try to pull it off with your hands or scrape it with another utensil. Instead, allow it to cool and reheat it until it’s just a little soft.
Unplug the device (if possible) and scrub the area with soapy water. Next, gently rub a baking soda paste on the spot until the plastic comes up.
Removing Coffee Stains
Coffee is a necessity of life, which means coffee stains are also a necessity of life if you aren’t sure how to get rid of them. You could buy a special cleanser or just grab baking soda.
Whether on a countertop or in a glass, sprinkle some baking soda on the area and let it soak with boiling hot water for a bit. If the stain is particularly stubborn, you can let it soak overnight.
De-Crusting Roasting Pans
Nothing is worse than a roasting pan that’s caked and crusted over with food. It can be tough to remove it on your own, but that’s where baking soda comes in to save the day.
You can sprinkle it all over the pan and pour some hot water over the powder. Make sure it’s about two inches thick. Then, let it sit for a couple of hours and scrub it all away.
Cleaning Stovetops
Stovetop a mess? You can sprinkle a bit of baking soda and spritz it with a little vinegar. In 15-30 minutes, you’ll be able to lift any gross, stuck on messes that may have required a bit of elbow grease otherwise.
You can also use hot boiled water, although it may not have the bubbling action to remove super stuck on messes.
Renewing a Mattress
Ever wish you can throw your mattress in the wash with your sheets? Well, you’d need a big washer for that. Thankfully, baking soda is just as good.
Sprinkle some of this miracle ingredient onto your mattress and let it sit for a few hours. Once ready, vacuum the powder up, and it’ll smell like the day you first bought it (if not better).
De-greasing the Oven
Grease in the oven can be hazardous as well as unsightly. A thick paste of baking soda and water should be able to remove it with a little elbow grease.
Afterward, rinse the area with soap and warm water and everything should be a-ok. You also don’t have to worry about a horrible taste or chemicals like with traditional oven cleaners.
Unclogging a Drain
It’s time to get the full function of your sink or bathtub! If it’s not draining like it should, you can toss one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of household vinegar.
Quickly plug it with a drain stopper and let it sit for 30 minutes. Once the timer is up, pour hot water down the drain, and it’ll be fixed.
Cleaning a Freezer
Freezers can get smelly fast, and they’re a pain to clean, so you want to make sure you do it right the first time. After you’ve cleaned it with soap and water, it may still be a little smelly.
The scent will disappear by mixing two tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water. Rinse it thoroughly, and your freezer will look brand new again.
Removing Wood Stains
Whether it’s a wooden table or cutting board, stains may get you down. Baking soda can lift you back up by lifting the stain. Make a paste by combining water and baking soda. You can also mix lemon and baking soda for particularly rough stains. Then, scrub away and the stains should disappear.
Scrubbing a Bathtub
No more Magic Erasers! You never have to buy another one as long as you have baking soda. This ingredient is just as great to remove soap scum.
Make a paste by combining bleach and baking soda, and you should be able to scrub up anything that shouldn’t be there. Just make sure to wear gloves for safety.
Removing Cutlery Markings on China
Few things are worse than having your fine china ruined by black and grey scrapes from cutlery, but baking soda can fix that! Put a little baking soda on the end of a sponge and the marks should rub out with a little gentle scrubbing.
Getting Rid of Goo
Sticker goo can ruin a surface. Dirt and lint stick to it and just makes the whole area look gross. Baking soda can lift up the glue when combined with a little warm water to make a paste. Some glue may require a bit more scrubbing, but it’s a lot better than buying a special product.
Cleaning a Microwave
Microwaves get gross fast, especially if a ton of people are using it every day. To clean up all the stuck-on food, add a few teaspoons of baking soda to a bowl of water and place it in the center of the microwave.
Heat it for three to five minutes, depending on the crud level. Once the timer goes off, let it sit for another 5 to 10 minutes before opening the door. This allows the heat and baking soda to do its job. Then, open the door and scrub away.
Deodorizing Luggage
After a trip (or if it’s been sitting in storage for a while), your luggage can get pretty smelly. Freshening it up is as easy as dusting a little baking soda on the inside.
Close it up and let the baking soda sit for a couple of days. Once the time has passed, vacuum the powder up, and it’s good to go!
Freshening Air
Febreze can smell good, but it sometimes just adds floral scents on top of whatever you’re trying to cover up. Baking soda can actually help get rid of the scents completely. Mix two cups of water with 1/8 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup lemon juice. Throw it in a spray bottle and spritz as needed.
Defrosting the Driveway
Ice-covered driveway? All you have to do is sprinkle some baking soda on the pathway you need and wait for it to melt. Be careful while you wait to not step on the spots where you sprinkled the baking soda.
Because it melts the ice based on contact, there will be spots that have water on top of the ice which may cause slipping, so be vigilant.
Deodorizing Your Shoes
Adding some baking soda to stinky shoes overnight can help refresh them for the next time you wear them. Be sure to dump the baking soda out in the morning before you wear it next and to be careful around your leather shoes as it may cause the leather to dry out.
Cleaning the Carpet
To freshen up your carpet or rug, just sprinkle some baking soda, let it sit for a few minutes, and vacuum it up. If you want to add some scent to your floors, you can mix a few drops of your favorite essential oils with the baking soda then sprinkle.
If you have a stain in the carpet, you can also mix the baking soda with water and scrub to help remove the stain.
Killing Weeds
For those pesky weeds that keep popping up in your yard and garden, just add baking soda! Sprinkle about a teaspoon on the entire weed, not just the base or center of the plant, making sure all leaves and stems have a light covering of baking soda. Repeat daily if needed.
Whitening Laundry
To brighten up white laundry, add a ½ cup of baking soda with your regular laundry detergent. This can help renew those white shirts or pants that are starting to look a little too worn-in.
For spot treatments on stains, such as around the armpits, make a paste of baking soda and water and scrub the spot to remove it.
Washing Fruits and Vegetables
While baking soda doesn’t disinfect fruits and vegetables, it does help to remove any pesticides that are on the produce. Remember: even organic produce has pesticides. Organic pesticides are just made out of organic material instead of manmade chemicals. Stir a little baking soda in some water, and soak your produce, wash it, and eat!
Polishing Tarnished Silver
Grandma’s silver looking a little tarnished? Wedding rings looking dull? Mix together three parts baking soda with one part water to make a paste. Rub the paste on the silver with a microfiber cloth.
For the finer detailed areas, gently scrub with a toothbrush to get between the cracks. Finally, rinse with water to remove the baking soda, and enjoy your polished silver!
Deodorizing Cat Litter
All baking soda is non-toxic, so it’s helpful to use in any space where you want to be more careful when it comes to cleaning products, including the cat litter. Baking soda can help soak up any gross smells coming from your cat’s urine in the litter box, helping make your home more fresh and clean.
Cleaning Your Toothbrush
Toothbrush looking a little funky? You should probably replace it, but in the meantime, try cleaning it with baking soda. Adding 2 teaspoons to baking soda to a glass of water and soaking your toothbrush bristles-down can help refresh your toothbrush and keep your breath smelling better.
Soothing Bug Bites
A tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to make a paste creates a great anti-itch formula. Add the paste to the bug bite, leave for 10 minutes, wash off, and enjoy itch-free bug bites!
Renewing Sponges
To clean out those gunky sponges, soak them in warm water with about four tablespoons of baking soda. Take them out after a bit, and enjoy your fresh sponges! Also, you should probably replace those things pretty regularly.
De-funking Pet Beds
Smelly pet bed? Hopefully it is machine washable. If it is, go ahead and wash the cover or the entire bed if possible then scrub it with this baking soda mixture. If it’s not washable, just start with the baking soda scrub.
You will need baking soda, salt, warm water, and some kind of scrub brush. Rub it all over the bed, let it sit for a few hours, then brush off and let dry. It should help remove that stinky animal smell out of the bed!
Removing Crayon Marks
Along with having children comes the inevitable crayon marks on the tables and maybe even the walls. To remove these pesky marks, instead of using a magic eraser, wet a sponge and add some baking soda. With a little elbow grease, these marks should start to come off, leaving your walls or your table good as new.
Repelling Ants
Adding equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar to an open container will lure ants in to feast, take it back to their colony, and hopefully kill them off to prevent them from returning again. The powdered sugar is very attractive to ants, while the baking soda is poisonous to the colony.
Making Fluffy Eggs
Do your eggs need a little fluff? Add baking soda! Baking soda is used in tons of recipes from cakes to cookies to add volume because of the way it reacts with the other ingredients and the heat.
Adding about an eighth of a teaspoon, a very small amount, to two large eggs should give you that volume you want in your breakfast.
