Baking Soda 101

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is actually kind of fun to clean with.  It is so simple and somehow cleans surfaces instantly.  My bathroom sparkles when I'm done cleaning and I owe that to baking soda.

 The easiest way to use baking soda as a cleaner is to sprinkle it on the surface you wish to clean, grab a damp sponge or washcloth, and scrub.  This simple method has really cleaned up my kitchen sink (which is an unidentifiable material) and bathroom sink, tub, and tile.  The Wikipedia page says that baking soda should not be used to clean aluminum objects as it will strip away the unreactive and protective oxide layer of the metal.  Other websites I've checked out haven't mentioned this but you've been warned.

You can also make a paste from baking soda, water, and dish detergent that cleans well and will have a nice smell.  I got the following recipe from the book "Salt, Lemons, Vinegar, and Baking Soda" by Shea Zukowski (an impulse purchase that has proven to be an awesome decision).

Halved recipe for an all-purpose cleaner:
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup baking soda
1/8 cup dish detergent or all-purpose detergent

Mix all ingredients together in a reusable container.  Solution can be used for a long time but it will settle.  Simply stir!

I use this particular recipe for my bathroom sink and shower/tub/tile.  It gets most of the easy stuff off quickly and the heavier grime just need some elbow grease.  The only thing I haven't managed to clean completely is the grout between the tiles in my shower.  The grout went a bit too long between cleanings and got slightly moldy.  I tried various baking soda solutions and vinegar but nothing has returned the grout back to it's original luster.  I may have to resort to bleach...