Bicarbonate of Soda

Have you ever tried cleaning with Bicarbonate of Soda? It's not just for baking cakes! A cheap box of bicarbonate of soda can effectively clean your entire home. It's extremely versatile and can be used as a mild abrasive, scouring agent and deodoriser to dissolve dirt, tackle odours and cut through grime. You’ll never spend on expensive cleaning products again once you find out the power of this multi-tasking product! Read on and discover our top cleaning hacks...

 Bicarbonate of Soda is a leavening agent that is normally used to help baked goods rise - think pancakes, cookies, muffins, and more. If you don't have some in your kitchen cupboards, we'll be surprised! It's really inexpensive, and it makes a great natural cleaning product.

Clean your bathroom with baking soda

From the shower head to the toilet bowl, follow the tips below to get your bathroom sparkling with baking soda.

1. Replace your cream cleaner with bicarbonate of soda

Use a sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda on a sponge to clean any surface you would usually use a cream cleaner on. It'll work just as well to remove dirt and grime. It won't leave you with that harsh chemical smell either. Finish with a cloth for an immaculate finish.

2. Use baking soda to clean your hairbrushes and combs

Your hair tools can get extremely gunky over time. Make sure they last a long time and remain in tip-top condition by giving them a good clean every few months. Soak them in a mixture of 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 cups of warm water for an hour then rinse and dry.

3. Toothbrushes are not self-cleaning!

Don’t pass on bad bacteria to your mouth - soak your toothbrush heads in a mixture of ¼ cup bicarbonate of soda and a ¼ cup of water overnight and rinse the next morning.

4. Use baking soda to make your own bathroom scrub

Mix a ¼ cup of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent and add some vinegar to give it a nice thick consistency. Use a sponge with a large dollop of this home-made cleaner on all your bathroom fittings and you’ll never need to buy bathroom cleaners again.

5. Whiten your grout

Baking soda is great for whitening teeth, so why not use it to whiten your grout? Clean grout is hard to maintain, but this trick will certainly help.

To make your own grout cleaner:

1. Mix together two parts baking soda and one part hydrogen peroxide.
2. Use a cloth or an old toothbrush to apply the mixture to the grout.
3. Optional step: You can also place cotton wool pads on the tile to hold the mixture in place for longer.
4. Leave to sit for between 10-20 minutes.
5. Rinse the mixture away with clean water.

Cleaning with baking soda in the kitchen

Ideally, you want to avoid using chemical-based cleaners in a place where you prepare food. They can be highly toxic, and natural cleaners do the job just as well. We've found some easy switches that you can make with baking soda. 

De-grease your oven door

Cleaning with bicarbonate of soda has never been more effective than in the kitchen.Cleaning the oven is a job we all hate to do but it needn't be a chore with bicarbonate of soda. This tried and tested method will leave your glass oven door sparkling:

1. Mix 3 parts bicarbonate of soda to 1 part warm water to form a paste.
2. Warm the oven for a few minutes and then switch it off.
3. Wipe the glass with a damp cloth.
4. Spread the paste on both sides of the oven door.
5. Leave for 2-3 hours until the paste turns brown.
6. Wipe both sides with a damp cloth.

Use a car scraper to remove any excess

 Unblock your kitchen sink

Pour half a cup of baking soda down your sink followed by two cups of vinegar (malt is fine) and watch as the alkaline in the bicarb reacts with the acidic vinegar to create a volcano of froth. Leave to settle and it should help dissolve any built-up grime.

If your sink needs extra help, mix 1 cup of bicarbonate of soda with 2 cups of washing powder (great for de-greasing) then follow with vinegar. Finish with a kettle-full of boiling water.

 Remove tea stains from mugs

The crystals in bicarbonate of soda can effectively remove stains in your mugs and help return them to their former glory. Just be prepared to put some elbow grease into it!

Sprinkle some bicarb on a clean scourer and get scrubbing. It should take around 5-10 minutes to lift stains and reveal a good-as-new mug.

 Freshen up smelly sponges 

If your sponges are getting a bit smelly don't be tempted to bin them.

Bicarbonate of soda works wonders at absorbing smells - soak sponges in a bowl full of warm water with 4 tablespoons of dissolved baking soda. Let them air dry and they should smell like new.

 Keep your fridge fresh

Smelly fridge? Keep it smelling clean with baking soda!Bad smells aren't just off-putting when you're looking for a midnight snack, they can actually ruin the taste of surrounding food.Keep a small bowl of bicarb in your fridge to help neutralise smells. It works like a sponge to soak up any bad odours - just remember to change it every month or so. 

 Use baking soda to clean your dishwasher

Scatter a generous amount of baking soda into your dishwasher then run an empty wash. It'll be clean and fresh again in no time.

 Remove baked-on residue from pans

Even pan cleaning is easier with baking soda! Shake a generous amount onto any dirty pans or roasting tins, add hot water, a squirt of your usual cleaning liquid, and let sit for 20 minutes. The baking soda will help dissolve any stubborn build-up making it really easy to clean.

 Clean the microwave inside and out.

A small amount of bicarbonate of soda on a damp sponge can effectively clean and cut through any grease in and on your microwave. If you've got a lemon and some vinegar to hand, you can give your microwave a deep clean 

Spruce up your living room with bicarbonate of soda

You can clean everything from the carpets to the windows with bicarbonate of soda. Keep reading to find out how!

 Clean dirty rugs and carpets

Dirty carpet? Bicarbonate of soda can be used for carpet cleaning. Liberally sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on your carpet, wait at least 15 minutes then sweep as much of it as you can and vacuum as normal.

For the best results, leave the powder to settle overnight. Your carpet or rug should look brighter and smell good - a nice way to refresh your carpet naturally. Just think how much you could save instead of splashing out on expensive carpet treatments. 

Shine silver ornaments and fittings

Combine three parts baking soda to one part water, mix and rub onto and into your silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse thoroughly then dry with a clean cloth – they’ll be sparkling!

 Make your own version of Febreze

Get your fabrics smelling amazing with this clever hack:

1. Fill an empty spray bottle with 3/4 hot water.
2. Add 4 tablespoons of Bicarbonate of Soda.
3. Shake well and allow to cool a little.
4. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil.
5. Once cooled completely, give it another shake to combine the ingredients, and then spray on clothes and soft furnishings.

 Remove smells from a sofa

Over time your sofa may become a bit whiffy. Sprinkle some baking soda onto a dry sofa and let it sit for 10-20 minutes before hoovering or brushing off.

Use bicarb to clean your clothes

How to brighten whites with baking soda

Are your whites looking a bit dull? Try cleaning with baking soda!

Add 1 cup of baking soda to your next load of laundry, along with regular liquid detergent. They’ll emerge much cleaner and brighter than before!