Diane Sutherland - Baking Soda: The Complete Practical Guide

If you glance at the ingredients of most of the cleaning products that live under your sink, youll find a scary list of some truly horrendous-sounding chemicals, many refined from gasoline and most of them highly toxic. It doesnt have to be like that. Baking soda used in various ways, straight or diluted, can replace many of those cleaners at a fraction of the price and at considerably less risk to your health. Heres how

Cleaning Dishes

End that Sinking Feeling

For effective, eco-friendly dish washing, simply add 1 tablespoon baking soda to a sinkful of hot water and swish in the juice of half a lemon. If you use commercial dish-washing liquid, add a couple of tablespoons (or more) of baking soda to the water to boost its action. This is really effective when dealing with greasy dishes.

A Handy Standby

Keep a little bowl of dry baking soda close to the sink. If you encounter a stubborn stain, dip your dishcloth, brush, or sponge in and scrubthe offending mark will be gone in no time. This doesnt just work on china and pans but is also great for glass and plastic cookware. However, dont use on nonstick finishesnot ever, never.

And Heres Another One

Add some baking soda to a flour or sugar shaker and keep it by the sink. Use it to sprinkle on stains, then scrub and rinse. Or recycle a plastic scouring powder or talcum powder container and use to hold dry baking soda. Whatever kind of container you use, be sure to label it carefully so it doesnt get mistaken for food.

Banish Dirty Dishcloths and Washed-Up Sponges

Rinse dishcloths and sponges after use in a solution of hot water and baking soda to keep them smelling like roses. Occasionally soak overnight for an extra powerful freshening up. Always dry cloths thoroughly before putting away to keep them hygienic and to avoid the buildup of unpleasant smells.

Up to Your Elbows in Hot Water?

Keep those rubber gloves smelling like daisies by sprinkling a little baking soda into them each time you take them off. Not only will it absorb any dampness and keep them fresh for next time, they will also glide on and off like a dream.

In the Dishwasher

Why spend money on multicolored tablets with a ball stuck in the middle for no apparent reason? Make up your own dishwasher powder by putting 2 tablespoons baking soda and 2 tablespoons borax into the powder compartment for a full load.

What is that Smell?

To freshen up a smelly dishwasher and give it a thorough clean, sprinkle about 150g / 5 oz / cup baking soda into the bottom of the machine and run it empty through a complete hot cycle. Smell gone.

And reduce odor buildup between cycles by sprinkling about a handful of baking soda over the dirty dishes and onto the bottom of your dishwasher.

Clean Plates but Dirty Dishwasher?

For stubborn stains in your dishwasher, use dry baking soda on a damp cloth or sponge, or mix up a paste with baking soda and a little water and use like cream cleaner. This is particularly effective for getting rid of that nasty gunk that builds up around the hinges, rubber door gaskets, and in other hard-to-reach areas of dishwashers. Rinse well to remove any residue.

Welcome Home

No one wants to return to a smelly dishwasher after theyve been on vacation, so sprinkle a little baking powder into the empty machine and leave the door slightly open. It will be a delight to come back to.

Pots and Pans

For those boring things that wont go in the dishwasher, mix together equal quantities of baking soda, borax, and salt, and use as a scouring powder that will cut through the heaviest grease and grime on pans, broiler pans, and baking sheets.

Remember to rinse well afterward, and dont use on nonstick surfaces, such as Teflon, because it will damage them. Baking soda will also tend to make aluminum pans turn darker.

Dont Want to Wash Them Right Now?

Alternatively, soak dirty pots and pans in a basin of hot water with 2 or 3 tablespoons baking soda for about an hour. Then scrub them clean with an abrasive scrubber. Again, not for nonstick, under any circumstances.

Left a Pan on the Heat and Forgotten About It?

To remove seriously burned-on food, soak the pan in baking soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry baking soda and a moist scouring pad. Dont use abrasive cleaners on nonstick housewares.

For a really scorched pan with burned-on food in the bottom, scrape off as much of the debris as you can, then pour a thick layer of baking soda directly into the pan. Moisten the baking soda with a little water, then let soak overnight. This should loosen the burned food and youll just need to scrub clean and rinse. If this still doesnt work, boil a strong solution of baking soda in the pan for about 10 minutes. This should soften up the burned food sufficiently for you to scrub it away with some dry baking soda on a damp scourer.

What About Nonstick?

For burned pans that you dont want to scrub, such as nonstick, bring a mixture of water and 250ml / 8 fl oz / 1 cup vinegar to a boil in the pan. Remove from the heat and add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda. Let soak overnight, then wipe clean and rinse well.

Give Cutting Board Smells the Chop

Cutting boards can acquire a less-than-pleasant smell over time, so give yours a regular spring cleaning by shaking over about 3 tablespoons of baking soda and sprinkling with just enough water to moisten. Let stand for about 15 minutes to absorb those onion and garlic odors, then rub well with a wet sponge. Rinse in clean water and let dry.

Mugs and Cups

Use a paste of baking soda and water to remove tea and coffee stains from ceramic and melamine cups. Let the solution soak in the cup for a while, then rub and rinse. So much more ecological than bleach, and it doesnt leave an aftertaste.

Surfaces

Work on those Counters

Wipe your kitchen counters over with a little dry baking soda sprinkled onto a damp cloth or sponge. Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. Its a safe and natural way to keep surfaces clean and leaves them free of taint.

Alternatively, mix up a solution of baking soda and hot water and use this to wash down your counters, leaving them sparkling and fresh. Rinse and dry as above. Rinse your cleaning cloths or sponges in the same solution and dry thoroughly before putting away.

Freshen up Formica

To erase stains on laminate counters, such as Formica, use a thick paste of baking soda and rub gently until the offending mark disappears. Rinse well to remove the white residue. If that doesnt fix it, squeeze some lemon juice onto the stain, let stand for around half an hour, then add a little dry baking soda to the lemon. Rub with a sponge, rinse clean, and dry.

Shining Sinks

Sinks come up sparkling and bright when you clean them with baking soda. Use dry on a damp cloth, or make up a paste with baking soda and water, and use like cream cleaner.

Back to White

If your porcelain or white enamel sink has taken on an unpleasant yellowish tinge, get it looking like new by mixing 1 L / 1 pts / 1 qt warm water with 50g / 2 oz / cup soda and 120ml / 4 fl oz / cup chlorine bleach. Pour into the sink and let soak for a quarter of an hour. Keep children and pets away while you are doing this. Then rinse well until the bleachy smell goes completely.

Degrease Lightning

Prevent the buildup of grease in your kitchen sink drain by regularly putting a large handful of dry baking soda down it. Do this about once a month for best results, and make sure you do it just before you set off on vacation so there are no nasty drain smells on your return.