10 Amazing Cleaning Uses for Baking Soda Around the Home

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is an alkaline compound that produces small bubbles of carbon dioxide gas when mixed with an acid like vinegar, lemon juice, or buttermilk. This makes it ideal for baking cakes, bread, and cookies to achieve a soft and fluffy texture. However, the uses of baking soda go beyond your favorite recipes; thanks to its mildly abrasive texture and chemical properties, it’s also excellent for cleaning. Below is a detailed guide on how to use baking soda for cleaning.

10 Magic Cleaning Solutions with Baking Soda

General Cleaning Power: Baking soda adds extra cleaning strength to a damp sponge, especially when scrubbing bathtubs, sinks, toilets, and stubborn residues.
Removing Kitchen Grease: Sprinkle baking soda on dirty pots, pour hot vinegar over it, leave for 30 minutes, then scrub and rinse. Repeat if necessary.
DIY Kitchen Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda with enough hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Use it to polish appliances, remove water stains from cookware, clean grease on baking trays, and scrub tile grout.
Deodorizing Fabrics: Sprinkle baking soda on furniture fabrics, leave for 20 minutes, then vacuum. Baking soda absorbs odors and lifts light stains.
Degreasing Floors: Sprinkle baking soda on greasy spots and scrub with a damp brush.
Cleaning Kitchen Surfaces: Make a paste from equal parts baking soda and lemon juice with a little water. Apply, scrub, and rinse. Useful on gas stoves, colored marble, and greasy kitchen surfaces.
Microwave Cleaning: Baking soda removes grease, odors, and stuck food particles from the microwave.
Burnt Pot Marks: Sprinkle baking soda on burnt spots, scrub with a damp sponge, and rinse. Add a little dish soap for extra cleaning power.
Drain Cleaning: Mix baking soda and white vinegar, pour into drains, then flush with hot water—safer than harsh chemical cleaners.
Cleaning Toothbrushes: Soak in a cup of baking soda and warm water overnight, then discard the water.

More Uses of Baking Soda for Cleaning

Coffee and Tea Pots: Mix ¼ cup baking soda with ¼ liter warm water, scrub the pot, and rinse.
Faucets and Door Handles: Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, scrub with a stiff brush, then rinse or let dry before wiping.
Bathroom Cleaning: Make a paste with baking soda and water, scrub surfaces, then wipe with a damp cloth after 20 minutes.
Carpet Stains: Sprinkle baking soda on the stain, spray with a vinegar-water solution, leave for an hour, scrub, and vacuum.
Grill Cleaning: Place the grill in a bag with 2 cups vinegar and 1 cup baking soda, shake, leave overnight, rinse, and dry. Alternatively, apply a baking soda paste, scrub with foil, rinse, and dry.
Wall Cleaning: Wet a sponge, dip in baking soda, scrub walls, then wipe with a damp cloth.
Electric Appliances: Scrub the base of irons or washer interiors with a baking soda paste, let dry, then wipe with a vinegar-dampened cloth.
Laundry: Add baking soda to wash water to soften fabrics, remove odors, and lift sweat stains.
Plastic Toys: Scrub with a baking soda paste or spray, then rinse and dry.
Silver Jewelry Polishing: Line a bowl with aluminum foil, sprinkle baking soda and salt, and pour in boiling water.

Deodorizing Your Home with Baking Soda

Mix ⅓ cup baking soda with a few drops of essential oil in a jar, cover with cloth or paper, tie it, and hang. Shake when the scent fades.
Place a cup of baking soda in the fridge or cabinets, replacing it periodically, to neutralize odors.
Sprinkle baking soda in shoes, leave overnight, then remove.

Cleaning Upholstery with Baking Soda

To remove odors from food spills, pet hair, or dead skin cells:

Vacuum your sofa regularly.
Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda and leave for 20 minutes.
Use a fabric attachment to vacuum.
Allow the sofa to dry.