Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a remarkable component that should be a genuine star in the kitchen of any family that prioritizes natural and thrifty living. From baking to personal care to washing, this simple powder has hundreds of applications.
Baking Soda: A Useful Cleaning Agent For House Cleaning
You can pretty much guarantee that there will be a large container of baking soda stashed away in every green cleaning cupboard.
And there’s a good explanation for that. It is quite unlikely that this will be the only time that we discuss what an incredible multitasker they are.
Let us speak about how you can clean your refrigerator using baking soda in the upcoming sections of this article. Of course, you may put these hints and suggestions to use in other areas of your house as well.
Baking soda is a fantastic cleaning agent, in addition to being an all-natural substance that is also non-toxic. To begin with, it does more than merely cover up unpleasant odor. It actually absorbs them.
Second, despite its benign nature, it is an extremely efficient abrasive. And finally, it creates an acid-base reaction when combined with vinegar, which makes it effective at cutting through oil. Check out this article for some further scientific information as to how to clean a fridge with baking soda.
Deep Cleaning Smelly Fridge Using Baking Soda
Tip 1: Multi Use Baking Soda Cleaning Spray
You should have prepared this quick do-it-yourself all-purpose cleaning solution first, before removing everything from the refrigerator.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp castile soap
- white distilled vinegar
- You are free to incorporate a few drops of lemon juice or essential oil into the preparation, if you so like (optional).
- clean water (always!)
Start by combining the baking soda, dish soap, and vinegar in a spray bottle made of glass until the bubbling stops. After that, you can fill the rest of the bottle with soapy water that is somewhere between warm and cool. If you so desire, you can put in a few drops of lemon essential oil or any other essential oil.
Next, empty out your entire refrigerator. Then, using the baking soda solution cleaning spray, thoroughly clean the whole interior of the fridge. After allowing it to sit for a few minutes while you clean the crisper drawer, begin cleaning down everything else in the refrigerator, including the shelves, walls, ceiling, drawers, gaskets, and so on.
Tip 2: Baking Soda Scrubbing Paste
The following level requires putting in a significant amount of effort. Combine baking soda and water in a ratio of roughly three parts baking soda to one part water to produce a thick paste. Apply it to gross things that are stuck on or stains that cannot be identified on the refrigerator, and scrub it well with a damp sponge or microfiber cloth.
Whether you’re cleaning the refrigerator or another surface, this is without a doubt the most effective approach to clean with baking soda. The outcomes will astound you if you have never done anything even somewhat similar to what is being described here before.
It is possible for things to become quite dirty, so once you have finished scrubbing any spots that are particularly resistant, go back over them with a damp towel or sponge to clean them up. Keep in mind that if you don’t remove the baking soda paste completely, it can leave a little bit of a residue behind.
Tip 3: Baking Soda As Fridge Deodorizer
Be sure to maintain the pristine condition of your refrigerator now that you’ve given it a good cleaning. This is the time-honored trick of placing a box of baking soda in the very back of the refrigerator. As was said earlier, baking soda is fantastic in removing fridge odor from basic as well as acidic sources, such as sour milk.
If you purchase the enormous super-sized bag of baking soda, you can easily fill a container or jar with the powder and then cover it with cheesecloth or a thin piece of fabric. This works even if you purchase the bag online. You can use a cloth wipe that do not require sewing and fasten it with a rubber band.
Baking soda has the ability to absorb bad odors, which is necessary for this method to be successful. Changing out the baking soda in your refrigerator once every few months is a good way to keep it smelling fresh. Put the date on a jar so that you won’t forget to replace it with a fresh one at the appropriate time.
Tip 4: DIY Baking Soda: The Magic Eraser
Now, let’s take care of the exterior of the refrigerator. Put a little amount of dry baking soda in the palm of your hand or in a bowl, and then briefly submerge a wet sponge in the baking soda.
If you put a little bit of baking soda on a sponge, you may turn it into your very own Magic Eraser and use it to effortlessly remove scuff marks and other blemishes. Make use of this to lightly polish the door handles, door frames, and even the walls and cupboards in the immediate area.
Tip 5: Jar Label Remover
Spoiled food waste is something we hate, but if we stay on top of what has gone bad or is questionable, we can actually reduce the amount of food we throw away in the future. If there aren’t any forgotten jars of salsa or old leftovers taking up space in the refrigerator, we’re able to truly see what’s in there and put everything to good use.
When you are finished sorting away the items that have passed their expiration date, you may find that you have a number of empty glass jars lying about. They are wonderful for holding dry bulk goods, homemade salad dressings and sauces, corralling little things, do-it-yourself craft projects, and many other uses.
Although it is true that glass may be recycled indefinitely, the process of melting it down and re-manufacturing it requires a significant amount of energy. It is in everyone’s best interest to recycle jars and airtight containers that are only used once into something that can be used more than once.
Filling the jar with hot water and letting it sit for a minute or two is a step that many people recommend taking first when attempting to remove labels that have become adhered to items. It will be much simpler for you to remove the bulk of the paper if you do this, since the glue will become somewhat more pliable as a result.
The next step is to dab some olive oil over the sticky section, and after that, sprinkle baking soda over it. Make an oily paste by rubbing together gently with your fingers. At this point, the adhesive ought to come off without any difficulty. Clean it up, and put it to further use. But perhaps the next time you should avoid leaving it for such a long time in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
The Wonders Of Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate is the more proper name for baking soda in the scientific community. It is a weak base that, depending on what it comes into contact with, can behave either as an acid or a base. Food particles that float around in your refrigerator and eventually land on your other meals are the source of any odors that may be present inside.
If you have a box of baking soda in your refrigerator, odor-causing particles will have something other than your food scraps to associate with and form bonds with.
Baking soda is effective at eliminating odors because of the peculiar properties of sodium bicarbonate, which make it particularly attractive to both acidic and basic particles. The odor disappears after the basic and acidic particles have combined with the baking soda and formed a connection.
It is important to keep in mind that although baking soda is a common ingredient in many recipes, you should never cook with baking soda that has previously been used to eliminate odors. Baking soda’s flavor is altered because it takes on the flavor of the food particles that it absorbs during the neutralization process.
Keeping Your Fridge Fresh And Clean
There are only a few things that may be done on a daily basis to reduce the necessity of performing a thorough freezer and fridge cleaning.
- Be sure to clean up any spills as soon as they occur. If you wait too long, any spills will become solid and discolor the surface.
- Under no circumstances should you put meals that are either sticky or saucy in the refrigerator. Before replacing the bottle of tomato sauce or the jar of maple syrup in the door of the refrigerator, give it a quick wipe down.
- To prevent odors from spreading, make sure that jars and bottles have their lids on, and that cheese is neatly packed.
- Take away any food that has passed its peak of freshness.
- Give the fridge door, the inner doors, and the handles a good wipe down with a moist towel, some mild dishwashing liquid, and some water about once every week or so.
- Tupperware containers should be used to store any leftovers.
Incorporating Baking Soda Boxes
If you do not take the appropriate precautions, the environment inside of your refrigerator may be conducive to the growth of unpleasant odors. You don’t necessarily need to resort to harsh chlorine bleach cleansers in order to rid your refrigerator of its unpleasant odors.
After you have washed and dried all of the surfaces, you may deodorize your refrigerator by placing an open container that is filled with dry baking soda on the lowest shelf. If you want to prevent odors from remaining around your food in the future, you should leave this in the refrigerator when you put new food in it.
After you’ve finished cleaning and deodorizing your refrigerator, you may put everything back where it belongs. Plus, this is a great opportunity to clean out and organize your refrigerator, which is likely a mess right now. Toss out any food that has gone bad or has passed its expiration date, collect goods that are similar, and think about utilizing bins and containers to organize the products.
Other Ideal Uses For Baking Soda
In The Washroom
Baking soda is excellent for removing grease, filth, scum, and foul odors from just about any surface. Remembering this general guideline is a wonderful habit to get into.
- Scrub the inside of the bowls of each of the toilets. In a bowl that has been wiped clean of any residue, combine a half cup of white vinegar with a quarter cup of baking soda. There will be bubbling. Scrub using a brush that is firm and then flush. If required, repeat the process. Baking soda may be used in conjunction with a damp cloth to clean the outside of the toilet tank and cover, in addition to the exterior surfaces of the toilet itself.
- Ensure that the door handles and faucets are clean. After applying a thick paste made of baking soda and a little bit of water to dirty places and scrubbing with a tough brush, rinse the area well. For the most inaccessible locations, you may make use of an old toothbrush. Either rinse it off right away or let it dry and then rinse it off later. It is recommended to soak toothbrush bristles overnight in a solution made of baking soda and warm water. By doing so, you can be without a doubt that the bristles will be thoroughly cleansed.
- Sprinkle some baking soda inside your rubber gloves to help keep them dry and to give them a pleasant odor. In addition to this, putting them on will be much less of a hassle.
- Follow the baking soda with one cup of hot vinegar that has been poured down the drain once it has been opened. This should unclog the drain. After a few moments, pour one quart of boiling water down the drain to clear it out.
In The Cooking And Dining Area
- Scrape mugs, cups, and carafes for coffee, tea, or other beverages by first dusting the inside of the mug or container with baking soda, and then using a moist cloth to scrub the baking soda in circular movements to remove any stains. This is something that works really well for cups of coffee and tea, in addition to carafes, and it is something that you can also try. After that, give the cup or container a thorough cleaning using running water.
- Cookware made of stainless steel should have any meals that have become scorched and removed. Put a lot of baking soda in the pot or pan and then add just enough water to make a thick slurry. After letting it sit for a while (a few minutes, a few hours, or even overnight), get a new scrubbing pad and start working on it. When necessary, go back to the step before this one.
- Baking soda mixed with warm water should be stirred until the baking soda is dissolved. This mixture should be stirred until the baking soda is dissolved. This mixture should be stirred until the baking soda is dissolved. This mixture should be stirred until the baking soda is dissolved.
- Get rid of the fridge smell for that clean fridge.
- Remove the unpleasant smell of burnt food that can be caused by drippings and crumbs in your toaster oven, sprinkle one teaspoon of baking soda in the bottom of the appliance.
- Your freshly harvested fruits and vegetables should be washed in a large basin of cold water to which you have added between two and three tablespoons of baking soda. It is possible that the vegetables originally had pesticides, filth, or wax on it. This cleaning solution will remove all of those contaminants.
- When combined with water, baking soda makes an excellent paste that is capable of removing red sauce stains off plastic.
On Garments
- Baking soda and water, when combined, may be made into a thick paste that, when applied to sweat stains, is effective in removing such stains. After applying paste to the stain and letting it sit for an hour, proceed with the laundering process as normal.
- Putting garments in a garbage bag with baking soda and leaving them there for a few days prior to washing them is an effective way to remove odors, such as gasoline and oil.
- Remove the odors from the shoes with a bad smell. Spread baking soda in a liberal manner throughout the footwear (and under the inserts, too). Put the shoes in a huge paper bag, and let them sit like that for the night.
- Eliminate the stains from the hat bands. Using a combination of a quarter cup of white vinegar and a tablespoon of liquid detergent, spray the inside of a baseball or sports cap with a mixture of a few tablespoons of white vinegar and a spritz of spray. Spray this mixture over the inside of the hat. Spray this mixture over the inside of the hat. Spray this mixture over the inside of the hat as needed. Spray the solution over the cap. Spray the mixture around the interior of the cap. After that, generously sprinkle baking soda around the brim, and then let the hat sit for up to an hour after that. The spot should be treated with a solution of white vinegar that has been distilled, and then it should be scrapped for a few more seconds. Cleanse thoroughly with ice water. After drying the hat with a paper towel, set it aside to dry entirely in the air.
- When the ironing surface, also known as the soleplate, becomes dirty, use a paste made of baking soda and water to scrape it gently. It needs to be let dry before being removed with a gentle brush. If that still does not do the trick, try soaking a small towel or washcloth in white vinegar, placing it on newspapers on the ironing board, and then sprinkling baking soda on top of that combination. The towel should then be ironed back and forth without the iron being plugged in.
In The Car
- You can eliminate bad odor in your automobile or trunk by sprinkling baking soda on the floor mats and upholstery. After allowing it to sit for a few hours, vacuum it up and remove any excess baking soda with a moist soft cloth.
- Cars may be cleaned of tar and bugs by placing a thin paste made of baking soda on a damp cloth and rubbing it in circular motions. The paint will not be damaged by using this procedure. After letting the paste rest there for a few minutes, wipe it off and then thoroughly rinse it off.
Final Words
Baking soda is a versatile substance that is used for a wide variety of purposes that extend well beyond the world of culinary applications.
This common household item shines when it comes to deodorizing smells and cleaning, as it helps with the removal of difficult stains, removes foul odors, and cleans troublesome areas, such as the refrigerator, the microwave, and the tile grout. In a nutshell, it is quite effective in all three of those areas.
In addition to that, baking soda is known to provide several benefits to one’s health in a variety of different ways. It is possible, for instance, that it will ease heartburn, enhance workout performance, and even whiten your teeth.
Furthermore, baking soda is easily accessible and may be obtained for a reasonable price. Keeping a container of this wonderful cleaning and deodorizing agent is a prudent practice that should never be disregarded.