Baking Soda Is Amazing

Baby and child equipment and toys

• Dip children’s dirty washable toys into Basic Cleaning Fluid, or use a cloth to wipe them with this. Rinse and dry.
• Wash a plastic paddling pool and remove any mildew with Basic Cleaning Fluid.
• Clean high-chairs, car-seats, buggies (strollers) and plastic mattress protectors by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on to a damp sponge, rubbing with this, then wiping with a clean sponge several times.
• Remove milk residues from a baby’s bottles, teats (nipples) and bottle brushes by soaking them in Basic Cleaning Fluid. Rinse, then sterilize as usual.

Fruits and vegetables

Many people wash fruits and vegetables before eating them to get rid of dirt, pesticide traces and micro -organisms. You could just use water, but a bicarbonate of soda solution is better.

• Wash fruits and vegetables in a solution of 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a bowl of water, then rinse.
• Shake a little bicarbonate of soda on to a wet vegetable brush and gently scrub firm fruits and vegetables.
• Clean soft fruits with a damp sponge sprinkled with bicarbonate of soda.

Metal

Bicarbonate of soda can help to clean silver, chrome and copper. It has even been used to clean the copper Statue of Liberty in New York. Do not, however, use it on aluminium, as it would remove the thin protective coating of aluminium oxide. Bare aluminium reacts to acid so would soon look patchy if touched with sweaty hands or exposed to city air.

• Scrub a silver item with an old toothbrush and some Basic Cleaning Paste. Rinse with warm water, dry with kitchen paper, then polish with a soft cloth.

Put tarnished aluminium foil in a bowl of warm water containing 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. (Or put the silver item into warm water in an aluminium container). Wait 5– 15 minutes, then remove, rinse, dry with kitchen paper and polish with a soft cloth. Silver reacts with oxygen and sulphur gases in the air to form a tarnish containing silver sulphide. In turn, aluminium reacts with silver sulphide to form aluminium sulphide, leaving sparkly bright pure silver.

• Clean chrome on car bumpers (fenders) and hubcaps, or on a bicycle, by rubbing bicarbonate of soda over them with a damp sponge. Rinse, then polish with a soft dry cloth.
• Make stainless steel shine by rubbing on bicarbonate of soda with a damp sponge, then rinsing and drying.
• Clean brass or copper objects by rubbing with bicarbonate of soda sprinkled on to half a lemon. Rinse and dry. 
• De-grime gold jewellery by putting it into a bowl, sprinkling it with bicarbonate of soda, then pouring white vinegar over it. Rinse and dry. However, don’t do this if the jewellery contains pearls or if gemstones have been glued in place rather than captured in metal ‘claws’.

Stain removing

• Using a damp sponge to rub bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) on to cups and mugs, leaving for 30 minutes, then rinsing.
• Filling cups and mugs with warm water and adding ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse.
• Filling a coffee pot or teapot with hot water and adding 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda and 2 teaspoons of white vinegar. Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse.
• Filling a glass and metal (but not aluminium) cafetière with hot water, stirring in 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, and leaving it to soak for 30 minutes before rinsing.
• Clean fruit drink or fruit juice stains from kitchen work surfaces or other washable surfaces by spraying them with water, then sprinkling them with bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 30 minutes, then wipe clean.
• Remove crayon marks on a painted or papered wall by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on to a damp sponge, rubbing the wall very gently, then wiping clean.
• Eradicate water spots on wooden floors by dabbing with a sponge or cloth dampened with Basic Cleaning Fluid. Wipe clean and repeat several times to remove all traces of bicarbonate of soda. Dry well. Don’t wet the wood too much, as this could simply make more water spots!
• Deal with a stained laminate (or other plastic) or marble worktop or other surface by rubbing on some Basic Cleaning Paste, then rinsing.
• Clean a stained vacuum flask or one that you haven’t used for some time by putting 1– 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda into the flask and filling it with hot water. Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse well.
• Remove wine, grease and certain other stains from carpet by lightly wetting the stains, then sprinkling them with bicarbonate of soda. Leave to dry, then vacuum up the residue.
• Apply Extra-Strength Cleaning Paste to ink stains on hard floors, then rinse and dry.
• Clean brown staining on the base of your iron by unplugging and cooling it first, then rubbing with Basic Cleaning Paste

. Laundering

• Keep your laundry basket fresh by sprinkling a little bicarbonate of soda into it each day.
• Clean your washing machine drum, and inside the door, with Basic Cleaning Fluid or, for stubborn marks, Basic Cleaning Paste (see pages 1 and 2).
• Deodorize your washing machine drum, and inside the door, by wiping with Basic Cleaning Fluid.
• Alternatively, clean the washing machine by putting 50g/ 1 ¾ oz/ ¼ cup of bicarbonate of soda into the washing-powder dispenser and 240ml/ 8fl oz/ ¼ cup of white vinegar into the fabric-softener dispenser before running the machine on a short cycle.
• Add 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda along with your usual amount of liquid washing detergent to the washing machine or hand-wash bowl for more effective washing power. This also helps shift many sorts of stain.
• Home-make a fabric softener (conditioner) by putting 200g/ 7oz/ 1 cup bicarbonate of soda, 240ml/ 8fl oz/ 1 cup vinegar and 480ml/ 16fl oz/ 2 cups of water into a bottle large enough to accommodate the effervescence produced when bicarbonate of soda mixes with vinegar. Add 60ml/ 2fl oz/ ¼ cup of this mixture to your washing machine’s fabric-softener dispenser when you do a wash, or put it into the final rinse water if handwashing. Bicarbonate of soda helps to make towels soft and fluffy.
• For a fragranced fabric softener, use the above recipe but add 3– 4 drops of lemon, lavender or rose essential oil.
• Help to whiten white clothes by adding 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda to the washing-powder dispenser, or, if washing by hand, to the final rinse water.
• Alternatively, add 50g/ 1 ¾ oz/ ¼ cup of bicarbonate of soda to a basin of cold water, immerse the clothing and soak overnight. Next morning, wash as usual.
• For greater whitening action, add the juice of a lemon and 50g/ 1 ¾ oz/ ¼ cup of bicarbonate of soda to a basin of cold water. Soak the clothing overnight and wash it next morning.
• Alternatively, boost the performance of bleach by adding 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda and 240ml/ 4fl oz/ ½ cup of bleach to a bowl of water.
• Whiten cloth nappies (diapers) by adding 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda to the washing-powder dispenser, or along with the washing powder if hand-washing.
• Use bicarbonate of soda to make chlorine bleach more effective: add 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup along with the usual amount of bleach.
• Deodorize soiled cloth nappies (diapers) by putting 50g/ 1 ¾ oz/ ¼ cup of bicarbonate of soda into a bucket of cold water and soaking them overnight. Next morning, wash as usual.
• If clothing is stained with something acidic (such as fruit juice or tomato sauce), pre-treating it with bicarbonate of soda before washing should prevent the acid eating into the fabric; it should also loosen the stain. Sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda, spray with water then leave for 30 minutes before washing. This is also effective for acidic sweat, vomit and urine stains. 
• Remove a blood stain by putting 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda and 120ml/ 4fl oz/ ½ cup of white vinegar into a bowl of cold water and soaking the item in this mixture overnight. Wash as normal next day.
• Get rid of grease on clothing by applying a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water, leaving for 30 minutes then adding 100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda to the washing machine (or a bowl if hand-washing) along with the liquid detergent. Run your usual cycle.
•  Or make a paste from two parts of bicarbonate of soda, one part of cream of tartar and a little water and rub this on a grease mark before washing.
• Rub a tar stain with Basic Cleaning Paste then wash it with bicarbonate of soda and water.
• Remove a rust stain from clothing by soaking it in lemon juice then sprinkling with a thick layer of bicarbonate of soda. Leave overnight, then rinse and wash.
• Try eliminating a mildew smell from fabric by soaking it in Basic Cleaning Fluid overnight, then washing.

Deodorizing

Bicarbonate of soda neutralizes unpleasant smells. It acts against odours from acidic substances (such as in sweat, urine or vomit) and alkaline ones (such as ammonia from wet nappies/ diapers).

• Prevent unpleasant smells in a larder or store cupboard by keeping a small open bowl of bicarbonate of soda in it. Stir every few days and replace every 2– 3 months.
• Eliminate stale smells from plastic bowls or food containers by filling them with hot water and stirring in 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda. Soak for 30 minutes, then rinse.
• If the smell persists, repeat, adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a few drops of washing-up liquid (dish detergent) along with the bicarbonate of soda.
• Add a small handful of bicarbonate of soda to keep a kitchen-rubbish (garbage) container smelling sweet.
• Prevent unpleasant smells from your waste-disposal unit (garbage-disposer) by each week pouring 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into it and running hot water from the tap as you operate the disposer.
• Make a stored blanket smell sweeter by shaking bicarbonate of soda over it, then rolling it up. Leave overnight, then shake it next morning and tumble it in the tumble drier set to cold.
• Deodorize carpets and rugs by shaking bicarbonate of soda all over them, waiting at least 30 minutes, then vacuuming.
• After cleaning spilt drink or food from a carpet, sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda, wait 30 minutes, then vacuum. This makes an unpleasant smell less likely to linger.
• Deodorize the carpet in your car by sprinkling it with bicarbonate of soda, leaving for at least 30 minutes, then vacuuming.
• Leave a small pot of bicarbonate of soda in each room to act as an air freshener by neutralizing any unwanted odour. Commercial air fresheners mostly act by producing a masking scent.
• Home-make a fragranced air freshener by adding a few drops of lemon, geranium, lavender, neroli, rose or other essential oil to a small pot of bicarbonate of soda.
• Neutralize a sour odour from cleaned-up human
• or pet vomit stains by sprinkling generously with bicarbonate of soda. Leave for several hours, then vacuum.
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda into smelly shoes, boots or trainers, leave overnight and then, next morning, tap out the surplus. (Note that doing this with leather shoes could stiffen the leather.)
• Keep a wardrobe (closet) smelling sweet by putting an open bowl of bicarbonate of soda inside. Add a few drops of lemon, geranium, lavender, neroli, rose or other essential oil for special fragrance.
• Alternatively, use scraps of fabric to make little bags which you can fill with bicarbonate of soda and, perhaps, some fragrant essential oil, tie up with string or ribbon, and keep inside a wardrobe or drawer.
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda into garment storage bags to prevent musty smells.
• Freshen stuffed toys by sprinkling with bicarbonate of soda. Wait for 30 minutes, then brush off.
• If there’s a smoker in your home, put bicarbonate of soda into the ashtrays to combat the tobacco smell.
• Sprinkle tents, waterproofs and other camping gear with bicarbonate of soda before storing.
• Rid a vacuum flask of stale smells by filling it with hot water and adding 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda. Soak for 30 minutes, then rinse.
• Help prevent odour from a pet’s litter tray by putting a thick layer of bicarbonate of soda on the bottom of the tray before adding the litter.
• Also, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over a cat litter tray to help neutralize unpleasant smells.
• To remove the wet-dog smell from a damp dog’s coat, sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda, wait 30 minutes, then brush it out.
• Make a dog’s or cat’s bedding smell better by sprinkling it with bicarbonate of soda, leaving it for 1 hour, then vacuuming.