Cleaning with natural ingredients - Part 2 Bicarbonate of soda

 

Cleaning With Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of soda can do more than keep your fridge smelling fresh and aid with baking. Its odour absorbing properties are useful throughout the home. It is a mild abrasive that can remove stains without scratching. Additionally, bicarbonate of soda is completely nontoxic. And unlike vinegar, it doesn’t have a strong smell. Try bicarbonate of soda for some of these household cleaning tasks.

In the kitchen:

• Remove stains from coffee and tea mugs: Fill mugs with 1 part bicarbonate of soda and 2 parts water and let sit overnight. Scrub and rinse in the morning.
• Remove odours from food containers: Rub a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water over the inside of the container. Let it sit for a day or two and wash it off. Repeat, if necessary.
• Clean spills in the oven: Make a paste of 1/2 cup bicarbonate of soda and 3 tablespoons water. Smear the paste over the spills avoiding the heating elements. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, or for bad spills, overnight. Wipe up paste and loosened spill with a damp dish cloth. Wipe oven the interior with water or a 3:1 mixture of water and distilled vinegar. (Note: If you have a self-cleaning oven, don’t use this method.)

In the bathroom:

• Clean hairbrushes and combs: Remove any hair from the bristles, then immerse brushes and combs in a bicarbonate of soda/water solution. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, then rinse well in hot water.

Throughout the home:

• Remove odours from upholstered furniture: Simply sprinkle the fabric with bicarbonate of soda and then vacuum.
• Erase crayon marks from white walls: Make a paste of equal parts baking soda and water, apply it to walls, let dry, and then wipe away. (Note: This method not recommended for coloured walls.)
• Freshen carpets and rugs: Sprinkle the carpet or rug with bicarbonate of soda, let it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuum.

Miscellaneous:

• Remove burnt food from a grill grate: Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on the grill grate and scrub with a brush. Rinse and wipe clean.
• Clean lawn furniture: Mix 1/2 cup bicarbonate of soda with 200ml of warm water. Wipe down furniture and rinse. 

One of the best uses I have found for Bicarbonate of soda is skin irritation.  I have used it often to deal with itchy skin such as chicken pox and dermatitis.  The simplest way to use it is to put 2 big tablespoons in the bath (nothing else) and sit in the bath for at least 15 mins.  The other way is to make it into a paste using cooled, previously boiled water and put it directly on the irritatated parts.  It stops the itching sensation and the temptation to scratch, it is especially effective with chicken pox on kids!

The blog song for today is: "Our House" by Madness

 

TTFN