Cleaning House: Baking Soda
By Michelle Bell, owner of Cleaning by Michelle
This article was first published in the February 2009 issue of Fusion.
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This month, I want to touch on some more uses for baking soda as a household cleaner. Some of these things could also make cleaning your home less stressful for you. Baking soda can help absorb some odors that are in your house. It is also nontoxic to humans, and can be used as a mildly abrasive cleaner for bathtubs, sinks and countertops.
You can combine baking soda, castile soap, white vinegar, and water to make a great shower and tub cleaner. You will want to mix this in a paste form so that it will be a good consistency for cleaning, if it seems a little bit too thick just add a little more water. When using this mixture, if you notice that there is a baking soda residue left in your shower or tub, just grab your white vinegar spray bottle and spray it on the tub or shower; this will take care of any leftover baking soda residue.
You can also use baking soda alone as a tub cleaner. It will help you to get rid of the ring that sometimes develops around your tub. You can add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to the baking soda to make it smell nice. Some people have also been known to use the baking soda as a bath soak with 1-2 drops of their favorite oil added. This can be an easy and relaxing way to help you rid your tub of that stubborn ring that seems to form out of nowhere.
When you add oils to your baking soda, you can also use it as a great carpet cleaner. Just sprinkle a little bit of the baking soda on your carpet after you have mixed the oil. Let the baking soda sit on your carpet for a few minutes, or even a few hours. Next step, just vacuum it up! Not only does this help to absorb the odors in your home, but it can also keep your vacuum cleaner smelling fresh between cleanings. Having four animals in my home, I like that my vacuum no longer smells like dog or cat when I take it out and turn it on anymore.
This same mixture is also good to put into your sneakers to help keep them smelling fresh instead of musty. At my house we also have boxes of baking soda in each closet with a few drops of essential oil, just to help keep any odors that accumulate in the closet at bay.
I hope that some of these ideas are useful to both you and your family. Have a happy Valentine’s Day!
Need help with your house? Visit www.cleaningbymichelle.com for information!
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Also in this issue (click to view):
Q & A: Urinary Tract Infections in Cats
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