10 ways to get it clean with baking soda!

When we asked readers for their favorite cleaning tips, many of them included one common household ingredient: baking soda! And what’s not to love? Not just for the kitchen, baking soda is inexpensive, non-toxic, and can be used for a wide variety of household cleaning tasks. Here are just a few:

1. Odor-control. Baking soda doesn’t just knock out odors in the fridge…sprinkle some in the bottom of a trashcan, a cat’s litter box or clothes hamper. To freshen floors, shake some onto the carpet, let it stand for 15 minutes, then vacuum. You can also mix it with hot water to remove smells from plastic food containers.
2. In the laundry. Save money on laundry detergent by replacing half of each scoop with an equal amount of baking soda! Grease spots on clothing? Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda plus 1 part water, rub it into the fabric, and let it stand for at least 15 minutes before washing.
3. As a dry-cleaner for your pet. For a quick cleaner/deodorizer, sprinkle your dog or cat’s coat with baking soda, then brush it out (even your cat won’t object to that!).
4. On kitchen and bathroom counters. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water. To eliminate stubborn stains, apply a baking soda paste (see formula above), let it stand for 15 minutes, then scrub or wipe clean.
5. As silver polish. Rub a baking soda paste onto silver items, then rinse with warm water. Dry the silver with a soft cloth.
6. In drains. Once a week, pour ¼ cup of baking soda into a drain, then run hot water to rinse. You may never again have a clogged drain!
7. On uncarpeted floors. Sprinkle scuffmarks or grease spills with baking soda, then wipe them clean with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe on no-wax floors!
8. To loosen burned-on foods. Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of a pot with burnt, stuck-on food, add hot water and let it soak overnight. This also works to remove charred pieces on grill racks.
9. Outdoors. Use a baking soda solution (1/4 baking soda plus 1 quart warm water) to wash kiddy pools, birdbaths, fountains and use lawn furniture.
10. On personal surfaces. Use a baking soda solutions (see formula above) as an excellent, non-toxic cleaner for hairbrushes, combs and kids’ toys. They can either be submerged in the solution or soaked in it. Rinsed with clean water.

Tip: Baking soda never spoils, so buy it in bulk to save money. You’ll use it for many things besides baking!