I bet every single household kitchen has a baking soda and vinegar as a part of their condiments. Did you know that these 2 ingredients are a key to a cleaner home? It is a well-known and proven way of disinfecting your home harm-free. We listed down some recipes that you can follow to achieve a squeaky-clean home!

What happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar?

We often use vinegar in cooking and baking soda in baking but these two, when mixed together, it produces a reaction that can clean your surfaces in a non-toxic way. Baking Soda, also called as sodium bicarbonate, is a mild alkali while Vinegar is an acid. When the two is mixed together it produces carbon dioxide gas which is seen in the formation of the bubbles in the mixture. The sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid reacts to the carbon dioxide, water and sodium acetate that helps remove the stains, mold and rust.

Cleaning with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Clean kitchen

In the Kitchen

  • Clean a Stainless-steel Kitchen Sink. Wet the sink the sprinkle baking soda all-over the surface, scrub it for a minute two then rinse it afterwards. You may use a soft-bristled toothbrush and make a paste then spread it all over the sink. Put paper towels or cloth wet with vinegar then put it over the paste. Let it stay for about 20 minutes before rinsing it again.
  • Cleaning the Drain. Sprinkle about 4 tablespoons of baking soda followed by 2 cups of vinegar. You will see it foam. Once it stops, rinse it by flushing the drain with boiling water.
  • Cleaning Pots and Pans. Baking soda can also remove baked-on residues on your pots and pans. Just sprinkle it with baking soda, soak it for about 15 to 20 minutes then rinse it with dish detergent and hot water.
  • Cleaning the Dish washer. If you have a dishwasher, just run a cycle with only baking soda. You may also run the vinegar on the machine at least once a month to keep it clean and free from stains.
  • Cleaning the Refrigerator. Mix vinegar with water then use a spray bottle and spread it on your refrigerator. Aside from keeping your refrigerator clean, it is also an effective deodorizer. It removes that unwanted smell on your refrigerator.

On Foods

  • Store-bought produce. To clean your produce, mix two tablespoons of distilled vinegar with a pint of water. You may also use baking soda as an alternative for commercial produce wash. Vinegar and baking soda are effective in cleaning and removing the pesticides used on the fruits and veggies.
  • Meat. Aside from tenderizing the meat, vinegar can also be used to make sure that the meat is clean and has no bacteria. Make sure to marinate it up to 24 hours with a ¼ cup of vinegar before cooking.

In the Bathroom

Bathroom cleaning

Bathroom surface recipe:

  • Create a paste using 1 2/3 cup of baking soda and ½ cup of dish soap.
  • Mix the paste with ½ cup of water then add 3 tablespoons of water.
  • Make sure that the ingredients are well mixed and without any lumps.
  • To apply, put it on a spray bottle then squirt it on the area that is desired to be cleaned.
  • Let it stay for a minute or two then scrub it with a sponge.
  • When done, rinse it off with water. 

The Toilet. Sprinkle about ½ cup of baking soda on the toilet along with a diluted white vinegar. Let it soak overnight, scrub afterwards, then rinse.

Loofah. Soak the loofah for 24 hours in equal parts of water and vinegar to remove the soap residue and disinfect it.

When Doing Laundry

  • Washing. Mix a ½ cup of baking soda with your liquid detergent of choice at the beginning of the cycle. Baking soda helps whiten your clothes and make the color of the clothes brighter.
  • Cloth Hampers. To remove stinky odors of your laundry, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the hampers.
  • Socks. Socks are the nastiest piece of clothing as it often gets stained and dingy. Soak them on a pot of boiling water with a mix of cup of distilled white vinegar. Aside from removing the odor, it also makes the socks whiter and cleaner.

Other Household Cleaning Tips:

Carpet cleaning
  • Carpet. Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the carpet then vacuum it after 15 minutes. It helps keep the carpet odor-free.
  • Carpet stain. Stains on the carpet are very hard to remove and unsightly to look at. Make a paste using baking soda and white vinegar, rub it into the stain then leave it for a day. To remove, vacuum it the day after.
  • Floors. When cleaning the floor, mix a half cup of vinegar with a bucket of water as a rinse for the mop. It helps remove easily the stains on the floor and at the same time disinfects it.
  • Crayon Marks.  If you have a kid, you probably experienced crayon marks on the wall because your child loves to draw. Worry not because you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush that has been dipped on white vinegar to remove these marks on your wall.
  • Rusted Screw. Pour vinegar all over the screw and let it stay for a while. Vinegar helps break down the rust that has covered the screw.
  • Flowers.  To keep the flowers fresh, pour a mixture of 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and one 1aurt of water into the vase.
  • Hairbrushes. One teaspoon of baking soda and warm water can be used in cleaning your combs. Make sure to rinse it thoroughly afterwards.

In summary, vinegar and baking soda are no ordinary condiments that you have in your kitchen. They can be more useful than just using it for cooking. They can also be used as an alternative cleaning material when mixed with the right ingredient. Usage of these items also minimize exposure to harmful substances as these two are considered as green ingredients. Try and see it work!

References:

https://www.rd.com/list/5-best-baking-soda-and-vinegar-cleaning-solutions/

https://www.angieslist.com/articles/home-cleaning-tips-vinegar-and-baking-soda.htm

https://www.hunker.com/12312114/how-to-make-cleaning-solution-with-baking-soda-and-vinegar

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