| Baking soda is a common, inexpensive | | | | smells. Another smell-removing cleaning tip |
| household item that can be used for many | | | | is to put baking soda into bottles or jars |
| kinds of cleaning projects. In an era when we | | | | that milk has left a smell in.Baking soda is |
| are all exposed to many toxic chemicals, it's | | | | an abrasive, milder than commercial |
| nice to know that something so mild can be | | | | cleansers. For scrubbing out the sink, |
| effective. We actually make a form of baking | | | | bathtub, or shower stall, for getting gunk |
| soda in our own saliva, where it helps keep | | | | off the outside of my toaster, and projects |
| plaque from forming!Here are some of the uses | | | | of that sort, I find it very useful. Using a |
| of baking soda for cleaning:I've long used | | | | rag or sponge, pour some baking soda onto it |
| baking soda and white vinegar to keep my | | | | and then add a little water, just enough to |
| kitchen and bathroom drains clear and fresh | | | | form a paste. Then scrub! You can also mix up |
| smelling. I just put a teaspoon or less of | | | | the paste in a small cup or bowl and then |
| baking soda into the drain and then pour in | | | | throw out what you haven't used by the end of |
| about a tablespoon of vinegar. I must admit | | | | that cleaning session. I keep a small |
| that I am the kind of cook who rarely | | | | container of baking soda handy by the sink, |
| measures anything, and the same is true for | | | | in a closed jar so that the baking soda |
| these proportions, so feel free to experiment | | | | doesn't cake. You can also use a salt shaker, |
| to find what works best in your sinks. Start | | | | as you will probably go through that much |
| small, though -- the combination of baking | | | | baking soda before it gets caked up.Pots and |
| soda and vinegar causes an active fizzling | | | | pans that have something burned on the bottom |
| and bubbling!In fact, that bubbling process | | | | call for sterner measures. I admit that |
| is how you can tell if the box of baking soda | | | | sometimes I just reach for my rarely-used |
| you've had around forever is still good. Just | | | | commercial cleanser, but the baking soda |
| follow the directions above. Your soda is | | | | cleaning method is to shake baking soda all |
| still good if it bubbles away | | | | over the burned stuff and then let the pot |
| merrily.Speaking of drains, if your drain is | | | | sit overnight. You can also add a little |
| clogged, you can try using a lot more baking | | | | water and baking soda to the pot, bring it to |
| soda. One recipe is to pour a cup of baking | | | | a boil, and then let it sit.For stained |
| soda down the drain, then a cup of vinegar. | | | | marble, a paste of baking soda and white |
| Wait a few minutes, or longer, and then run | | | | vinegar can be effective. For washing |
| the hot water tap and see if you have cleared | | | | windows, put some baking soda on a wet rag or |
| the drain. It could take overnight.Another | | | | sponge.Baking soda also has a variety of uses |
| well-known use of baking soda is to keep an | | | | in keeping your body clean too. But enough! |
| open box in the refrigerator to neutralize | | | | This article is about baking soda for |
| odors. Because baking soda cuts smells, it | | | | cleaning around the house.Rosana Hart has |
| can also be put in the bottom tray of an | | | | been using baking soda in cleaning houses for |
| oven-type electric toaster, to reduce burnt | | | | years. |