To keep my girls safe, I’ve been trying to get rid of the harmful chemicals in our home. We are taking an all-natural approach to cleaning, and I’ve found that baking soda comes in handy for so many things.

Here’s my Top Ten List for using baking soda in the kitchen:

1. Baking

Baking soda is a chemical leavener that works with the acids and liquids in baked goods to produce a gas that makes the product increase in volume or “rise”.

2. Cleaning Stainless Steel Pots

I’ve had this set of stainless steel cookware for over 2 years, and they still look as good as they did when I first opened the box. My secret? I use baking soda to remove the stuck-on messes. Sprinkle a tablespoon of baking soda in the bottom of your pan and fill the pan with hot water. Let it soak for 30 minutes and wipe the pan with a sponge or soft dish cloth then rinse clean.

3. Keeping Your Fridge Fresh

Leave an open box of baking soda in your fridge for up to a month to keep the icky odors away.

4. Cleaning Your Coffeemaker

Apparently, our local water has a lot of chemicals in it because I have to clean my coffeemaker about once a month, or it starts to have brewing issues. I add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to a full pot of water and brew. When the coffeemaker cools, I brew another full pot of plain water to rinse it.

5. Removing Odors From Your Hands

Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water. Rub your hands and rinse with warm water. This works great for onion and garlic.

6. Cleaning Your Cutting Board

Sprinkle baking soda over your cutting board before washing.

7. Putting Out Grease Fires

Hopefully, you will never have to use this one, but it is a good idea to keep baking soda near your stove, just in case. NEVER, EVER use baking powder or flour because both are flammable and can be highly explosive.

8. Cleaning Your Kitchen Sink

Sprinkle baking soda on a sponge and clean your stainless sink. Rinse with warm water.

9. Preventing Clogs in Your Drain or Disposal

Periodically, pour 1 cup of baking soda followed by one cup of vinegar down the drain and then run hot water for 5 minutes. To clean and deodorize the garbage disposal, sprinkle one cup of baking soda and some lemon wedges before running the disposal.

10. Washing Fruit and Vegetables

Sprinkle baking soda in a bowl of cold water and use it to clean fruit and vegetables.

What are your favorite ways to use baking soda?

 

 

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