While the beginnings of modern baking soda didn’t appear until the early 1940s, sodium carbonate has been used in ancient life as far back as 3500 B.C. as a form of cleaner in Egypt.
Its most modern form was developed to replace yeast in recipes used by Alfred Bird’s wife in Great Britain. He developed the formula because she was allergic to baking yeast. His invention would go on to provide many uses to modern man, including cleaning our homes.
From brushing your teeth to polishing mirrors, baking soda is a commonly found household item with 101+ uses. At Maid4Condos, we are constantly turning to solutions including baking soda for a chemical-free cleaning service our customers can count on.
Here are some of our top baking soda clean tips for those who are thinking of trying baking soda for themselves.
1. Stinky refrigerators and compost bins
One thing your fridge, garbage, and compost bin have in common is the ability to really stink up a place. Strong smells emanate from food sources and become absorbed by other materials.
In the case of your refrigerator, the non-smelly food absorbs these odours, and unfortunately, this also alters their taste. In your trash and compost bin, the plastic material of the bin absorbs the smell, making them stink over time.
You can prevent or remove these terrible smells with a simple trick of sprinkling baking soda into the bin or stacking an opened container of baking soda in the door of your fridge. The baking soda absorbs the odour before any other material, protecting your home and your nose from offensive scents.
2. Carpet cleaning
Carpets are hoarders of dust, bacteria, debris, and odours. From pet hair to food crumbs, our poor carpets get put through the wringer. At Maid4Condos, we have seen many clients reach the point where they have been ready to throw a carpet in the garbage before we offered our baking soda clean tips.
Save your carpet and your pocketbook through the simple use of baking soda. To keep your carpet fresh, sprinkle baking soda all over it at night before you go to bed. Be liberal with the powder and then stay off the carpet until morning.
Once the baking soda has had a chance to set in and absorb stains and odours, vacuum it up. It may take a few trips with the vacuum cleaner and be sure to empty the chamber after each pass. When you’re finished, your carpet will smell as fresh as the day you bought it and be far cleaner for the effort.
3. Polish silverware with an overnight soak
Another of our baking soda clean tips that require overnight activity is the silverware soak.
Over time, your silverware takes a beating, gets stained, and even tarnished. Baking soda and water is the perfect combination to tackle these tough to remove silverware issues.
In a large bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 4 cups of water. Stir gently and place any silverware which needs polishing into the bowl. These pieces should all be clean before you place them in the mixture, as it works better with as little food particles stuck on as possible.
When you wake up in the morning, remove the silverware from the bowl, rinse, dry, and voila! Good as new.
4. Use baking soda to unclog your drain
Ever try the experiment where the vinegar and baking soda make your paper-mâché volcano explode? The same science that won you the first-place ribbon can help you get out of sticky situations when the drains in your house get backed up.
The acid in the vinegar acts on the baking soda, causing it to fizz up. These air bubbles and the chemical reaction therein eats away at food particles, and other materials clogging up the drains in your house.
This is an amazing alternative to the harsh chemicals used in unclogging agents, which could damage delicate plumbing in your home. A bonus to this method is the polishing of stainless-steel sinks after the mixture has been rinsed away. You don’t even have to scrub them much, because the reaction between the two ingredients breaks down food and stains, leaving a shiny metal sink.
5. Get rid of bacteria in your kiddie pool
Nothing is quite as fun as splashing around in the kiddie pool on a hot summer day.
Unfortunately, once the pools are stored for the winter, any residual bacteria or liquid causes mildew to grow. You can get rid of this unfortunate buildup with a rinse of warm water and baking soda.
The antibacterial properties of baking soda wash away the mildew and prevent it from coming back, as the pool is wiped dry and stored properly.
6. Add a cup to your laundry
If you’ve been noticing your laundry looking dim and faded, a cup of baking soda could be just the thing you need. Brighten colours, whiten whites, and darken blacks with a scoop of baking soda.
The baking soda is added in with your standard washing detergent. Not only does it brighten and whiten, but you’ll notice every piece of laundry smells a little bit fresher than it would on a standard load.
Baking soda in the laundry is especially great for loads with any items which have been treated for stains. The baking soda acts on the stains, helping bleach them out while retaining the integrity of the materials.
7. Rid your home of litter odours
Cats are beautiful majestic creatures, which make excellent companions, however, dealing with a litter box is no walk in the park. Adding a sprinkle of baking soda after every cleaning ensures your house will never smell like you have cats.
In fact, many of our clients’ friends and neighbours are surprised to learn they even own a cat, because it’s so difficult to detect any note of litter in the house.
If you’re interested in learning more baking soda clean tips, call Maid4Condos at 1-647-822-0601 or contact us here.
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