Baking soda: It works for me!
As most of you know, I'm somewhat health conscious and always looking for frugal ways to reduce chemicals in our home. We switched over to Basic H for all of our household cleaning over a year ago and I've been very pleased with it and am especially happy to know my babies are breathing in fewer harmful chemicals as a result.My only dilemma has been deep cleaning. Basic H is great for everyday, all-purpose cleaning, but it was failing to really cut it when it came to deep cleaning--like my soap-scummed, grimy bathtub that I've also been procrastinating on thoroughly scrubbing down.
A few months ago, I read somewhere about using baking soda to clean with. Since I always have it on hand anyway and it's very inexpensive, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to try it out on the bathtub in serious need of attention.
Guess what? A little elbow grease and about 1/4 cup of baking soda did the trick--I just sprinkled some on a wet cloth and got busy scrubbing and another 30 minutes later and that bathtub was as good as new!
Since then, I've been using baking soda to clean a variety of more stubborn areas and it's been working beautifully for me.
Labels: Health and Nutrition, Home Management and Organization
posted by Crystal Paine at 4:07 PM
51 Comments:
Baking Soda is WONDERFUL!!!
My favorite homemade multipurpose cleaner is:
(use a recycled windex type bottle(completely washed out) or buy a new spray bottle of that size)
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup rubbing alcohol (I use mint or citrus fragrance that I buy at the dollar store)
Fill the remainder of the bottle with water.
I can make this for about 20 cents a bottle and it smells sooooo good!
It works great on windows, too. (I just make sure to mix it with 2/3 cup rubbing alcohol instead of 1/2.. this really helps speed up dry time and you will have NO streaks)
I would like to purchase one of your books, The Supermarket savings, but your bill page is not coming up. I sent you an email yesterday. Please advice me
thanks
I've done the baking soda on the bathtub as a paste and then spray some vinegar on it and it just eats through any scum!
Borax is my favorite tub scrubber, baking soda is my back up though. Just like the baking soda about 1/4 of a cup and a squirt of shampoo and the tub is good as new.
I love this listing of hm cleaners....they all work WONDERFULLY.
Here is a link:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/homemadehouseholdcleaners.htm
Baking soda also works very well on greasy stovetops! It's my favorite trick! It works even on the stuff that's been there a while due to procrastination!
Daja
www.gombojav.blogspot.com
I use a trick my grandmother taught me....sprinkle baking soda down the drains then pour vinegar in next; cover drain openings with an upside down glass to "trap" the bubbles as it fizzes and freshens your sinks.
I'd love, love, love to find a natural remedy for mildew that keeps coming back in the shower's corners. Nothing but plain old bleach seems to do the trick. Any recommendations?
I put about 1/4 c. baking soda in the water when I'm washing towels, sheets (especially after little ones have "accidents") and it gets rid of all the wet/musty/yucky smells.
FYI
I love it for cleaning the frig; it also is good for cleaning glass coffee pots. However it will not work on 60 year old tubs that are worn out---can't wait until I can afford new ones---I am probably poisoning myself to death!
My grandmother always told me to use it and some times for tough spots to use cream of tarter?? Don't know why, but it does seem to work--just thought I would share:)
Also use, a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to clean out your garbage disposal--works to eliminate odors and clean up inside your pipes
I throw baking soda into the washing machine as well. But I'm almost out and trying to find the most economical way to buy more (and vinegar for that matter).
I too checked into non-toxic cleaners as I am always cleaning and have babies around me all the time. I have found a little white distilled vinegar and water cleans and disinfects just about anything, as will lemon juice. I use the vinegar to cook with, to clean windows, disinfect bathrooms clean out my dishwasher and washing machine and to as a fabric softener. It also tenderizes meat and makes gingerbread cookies awesome. I use baking soda to brush my teeth, exfoliate my face, scrub anything, add to the dishwasher soap for extra power, added to the washing machine to clean and deodorize some stinky laundry.
When the scent bothers me I add essential oils and I sometimes add tea tree oil to kill fungus.
Baking soda is GREAT for tubs! We have an apt, and the tenants usually don't clean the tub before they leave (or from the looks of it, while they're there). I've tried everything, but the thing that works best is baking soda! Gotta love it :)
Meg,
Hydrogen peroixide cleans and eliminates mildew (along with many other things and can really clean your whites in the wash).
You can cut it half and half with water or spray full strenght. I have been told that some do this every so often on the walls in the bathroom because the HP can keep it mildew free for about six months.
Thanks Crystal and everyone else for all the advice. I'm a bit stuck in my Windex rut, but really want to change to something healthier. Will try!
Phebe
I have been using soda for a while now but more recently my Mongolian helper used sand to clean some stubborn spots on the stove. It also works to polish faucets.
Have a great day!
Melanie
I recently discovered the wonder of plain old baking soda too! My mom told me to try it. :)It did a miracle on the floor of the tub for me.
My new favorite thing to use it for is refrigerator handles! They seem to get so dingy so fast around here - too many kiddos in the kitchen, I guess ;) Rub a little baking soda on a damp cloth and scrub the gray right off. It works so well at getting in all the nooks and crannies of the textured handle.
I use baking soda to scrub my stainless steel sink with. It comes up so shiny. Then I buff it up with a bit of vinegar. I can almost see my smiling face in it!
I know of somebody that washes their laundry in the machine using only baking soda! She states it works beautifully. AND she uses only vinegar as a fabric softener. I wonder if anybody else has tried it? If baking soda is good enough for other cleaning, sounds like it may work...
Have you ever tried Bon Ami? It's inexpensive as well. My mil uses it for EVERYTHING, and she doesn't use chemicals at all. She's chemical-sensitive. Just another tool for your arsenal! :-)
You can put your baking soda in an old Parmesan cheese container and then you can sprinkle it like Ajax or whatever.
I use baking soda sprayed with vinegar to clean the deep stuff and it cleans my stainless steel pans great!
*try spraying vinegar and then spraying hydrogen peroxide over it to deal with mold* When using both together it's a disinfectant*
I can't believe you have 30 minutes free to clean the bath tub! (Unless of course you only do it once a year, and I'm sure you don't :-)
My schedule doesn't allow for that level of cleaning. I admire your hard work!
Hi Crystal,
I use baking soda and borax for a lot of things as well. My FAVOURITE thing for cleaning the bathtub though, is Shaklee's "Scour-Off" heavy duty paste.
http://www.shaklee.com/00430.html
It's made of crushed cherry pits, and smells heavenly!! I recently ran out and have resorted to baking soda, which works, but takes way more elbow grease. The scouring paste works really quickly and easily, and leaves your bathroom smelling like cherries!
I do have a question. If anyone knows of a more natural cleaner that sanitizes toilets, counters, and floors? I feel like cleaning, and getting rid of germs are two different things. Am I wrong about this?
Suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thanks! Renee
Isn't it fun to make discoveries like this?! I switched to using just baking soda and vinegar for most cleaning jobs about a year ago.
A nice disinfectant/antibacterial spray can be made by diluting vinegar by 1/2 with water and adding a few drops of tea tree oil.
Also, another scrubbing idea is to mix 1/2 c. liquid soap (dishwashing works), 1/2 c. baking soda, 1/4 t. tea tree oil, and 2 T. vinegar. IN THIS ORDER... Plus a little water if needed. (I put in an old dish soap bottle.) *These measurements are approximate, since I'm typing this by memory.
After using this to clean a surface, finish with a spray of vinegar cleaner to eliminate soap scum.
To answer Renee's question,
Tea Tree Oil is a wonderful disinfectant (and smells great too!). I make up a solution that includes a few drops of tea tree oil for when I'm cleaning the toilet and the floor around it.
For the people who are wondering about where to get cheaper baking soda- Costco has it in a 12-pound sack for about $8. It's still pricy imo but cheaper than getting conventional cleaners.
My tub scrub recipe:
1/2 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
generous squeeze of non-petroleum based dish soap.
few drops of lavender Dr. Bronner's soap for scent.
Add just enough water to make a sloppy paste and stir well. I keep it in a small container and add water if it dries out. A few spoonfuls onto a wet scrub sponge gets off the soap scum!
~Anna
I have found that using the Mr. Clean Magic eraser on soap scum works great. You don't really have to use any type of cleaner as the magic eraser takes it off beautifully. Also works on the glass shower doors. Love your blogs you have shown me how to save a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$.
Debbie
Good tip. I'm going to try this on my bathtub/shower area. I don't know why I never thought of that before!
I use baking soda, too, but I cut a lemon in half and use the half lemon as the scrubber. Just dip in the baking soda and scrub -works even better with the citric acid to cut through the soap scum.
Thanks to you, i happily use Basic H too! Also, baking soda is the ONLY thing that works on my sink! I love scrubbing and then seeing a sparkly sink.
I love the magic eraser. I'm going to try it on the soap scum! vinegar resets the ph in fabric and will leave towels and cloth diapers more absorbant.
My tub is in dire need of a good cleaning, but I have been putting it off. I will have to try the baking soda. Thanks!
WOW! Crystal, I know you already know this, but you have the smartest readers and they are all so generous with ideas!
I think we all should start buying baking soda in bulk, no?
For those of you who are blessed to have swimming pools, my SIL in AZ uses baking soda instead of bleach to to keep the ph balance where it needs to be, or whatever it is that people with pools need to do to keep the germs from growing.
All I know is that after swimming in a pool full of baking soda, my skin never felt better! The water was soft, and didn't hurt the eyes, and my hair felt clean, too. (I sometimes use BS with my shampoo to get the buildup out of my hair.)
Merrilee
I'm presuming this is the same as soda crystals? I discovered them a little while ago, and there is nothing that's beaten them yet when used to soak overnight with some hot water - not even a pan in which I had managed to seriously carbonize by burning rice (don't you just love getting a phonecall from a distressed friend and forgetting something is on the hob?!!)
What's even better is a kilo costs about 60p over here. That's an enormous saving financially, as well in effort and health benefits.
I know you're always choosing books to read...so I thought I'd add another to your list. :) I've been reading through "Cleaning Plain and Simple" by Donna Smallin, and its an excellent reference guide. The amazing thing is she is always pointing out ways to use baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach instead of purchasing other cleaners. Some of the pointers on using baking soda and vinegar might interest you if you get a hold of the book. On top of that, she's got advice on how to clean practically anything and everything. I've found it to be a handy reference, and figure once I return my copy to the library, I'll end up buying my own. :)
Priscilla
Just a note on the mildew someone had in her shower. I seriously would invest in a good exhaust fan vented outside and be sure everyone uses it every time a shower or bath is taken.
I totally agree- baking soda works great for any heavier cleaning or scouring!
In my series of natural household cleaners, I mentioned a great recipe that I found over at Tammy's Recipes, for homemade scouring powder, and it includes baking soda. It's so simple to make and it works very well!
Here's the link:
http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_scouring_powder_recipe
Thanks for the tip! I have used baking soda on the bathtub too, and it works very well.
In fact, maybe that's what I should be doing right now...
Baking soda is great. Another thing that works for me regarding washing the bath is to just use pure soap rubbed on a plastic scourer. I just wet the bath and rub in circles and it comes nice and clean. I give a rinse and the bath is ready for use.
I would humbly suggest that those using the "magic erasers" do some research on them. I don't remember what it was I read (about 2 years ago) but I remember thinking they weren't very safe, either. Just a thought.
I just recently discovered the joys of baking soda when I was researching how to get the oil buildup off of glass pyrex... WOW!! They look new!
Thank you
I also procrastinate about cleaning the tub. I can't stand being stuck in a small area with the fumes of the strong chemicals. I will try the baking soda and I love the price.
Michelle
i dont have time to read the comments but Basic G is germacide by shaklee and it is for the toilets, deep cleaning etc. i love it
Just checked snopes.com and there was an urban legend about them having formelyhyde(sp)? in them. Snopes says this is entirely an urban legend they (the magic erasers) don't now or ever did have that chemical in them. I've never had any problem with them. Debbie
Baking soda is also great for regularly cleaning drains. Put some down and follow with cheap white vinegar- you get a bubble up effect. It sure beats using caustic DRAINO.
Claire
Oh, my. I'm afraid I didn't believe all you ladies about the baking soda. Sure, I've heard before that it works, but I assumed everyone liked it because at least elbow grease beats the heavy fumes (and high cost!) of a "real" cleaner. I stand happily corrected.
I let my tub go too long, so for the last week, I've tried to take the "5 minutes every day" approach to cleaning it -- spraying some storebought "natural" tub cleaning spray that still smelled of chemicals, and scrubbing a bit at the scum with a washcloth. Nothing seemed to be coming up, so I decided I would give baking soda a try last night, and WOW. In the first 5 minutes I made so much more progress than all the other nights combined. I was so encouraged that I kept working for 30 minutes, until the tub was clean and sparkling white! Yay!
I made a paste of baking soda and water, and scrubbed with an ordinary washcloth. I brought a bottle of vinegar into the bathroom in case the baking soda didn't do enough, but there was no need. :-)
I feel like I ought to feel betrayed for never being told how good baking soda really is, except that I was told and just never believed it. :-P Glad I gave it a shot; thanks, Crystal and everyone else, for your tips.
Even better than baking soda for your tub/shower is powdered laundry detergent. I happen to like the Arm and Hammer kind, which looks just like baking soda in the box, and it is easy to get confused (for me, anyway), so this is why I know it works better with the laundry detergent--I've gotten pure baking soda by accident (I keep them in the same closet), and while it works, it requires more elbow grease and doesn't smell as nice. I have no qualms about asking my kids to clean a shower with laundry detergent and a 3M sponge. Laundry detergent is also good for your drains.
For those mildewy spots--try spraying with Hydrogen Peroxide. I am suspicious that that's what's in the Shaklee H cleaner. It is safe and effective.
Oh, Crystal!
I've been looking for a good soap scum cleaner. My bath tub is awful. We have used it to make our white kitchen sink white again from all the marks of pots and pans, but I didn't know that I could use it for this too. Thank you so much; I can't wait to try it.
Baking soda is good for your plumbing too. It works even better with a dry cloth and it rocks that greasy buildup in the kitchen, too.
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