If you are willing to lead an ecologically-friendly lifestyle, it is high time to switch to natural substances for cleaning your house. Yet, buying ecologically-friendly alternatives to the conventional chemical products might not be an ideal solution as they tend to cost more than regular cleaning products. The best solution is using natural products which you already have at home and which can be used for multiple purposes.
One of such substances is baking soda which can prove to be useful for cleaning absolutely various things in your home.
Soda for cleaning items used by your pet
If you have been an owner of a pet for some time, you certainly know regular chemical products are not recommended for cleaning the items of your cat or dog. The substances used in such products can be rather harsh for your animal so it is advised to purchase special options which are definitely not cheap.
In fact, all you need for cleaning such things is baking soda.
Baking soda is perfect for cleaning the bowls used by your pet making them sparkle without any extra effort of financial investment.
Baking soda is also great for cleaning a litter box. Making a small layer of soda in the box will help you to get rid of unpleasant smells. For the same reason, you can effectively use soda for cleaning carpets and other surfaces which were made dirty by your pet. All you need to do is to wipe the stains with a dry cloth and cover with soda. Leave soda for some time and just clean the spot with a vacuum cleaner. This will help you to get rid of stains and unpleasant smell.
Soda for cleaning cutting boards
Cutting boards tend to absorb smells of the products you cut on them and this is particularly true in the case of wooden cutting boards. Cleaning them is never enough for removing the smell.
The same amazing ability of soda to absorb smells which can be used for cleaning the items of your pets, can also be adopted for cleaning cutting boards. It is recommended to rinse a cutting board with water and cover it with soda. Leave the board like this for a couple of minutes and rinse with water again.
You can also rub your hands with soda after cooking to get rid of the smells of garlic, onion or fish.
Washing bottles
Washing different types of bottles can be rather challenging, however, baking soda will make the process a way easier. For example, if you are using a special bottle designed for multiple usages, you might not be willing to clean it with a regular dishwashing liquid as it tends to remain on the walls of the bottle. For such a purpose, it will be better to use banking soda which can be easily washed from inside and will disinfect the bottle.
There are also rather narrow bottles which cannot be washed by any tools. In such a situation, you can add a bit of soda and rice inside the bottle and add a drop of dishwashing liquid. Then, add one fourth of water into the bottle and shake it. This will clean even the parts of the bottle which are not located within an easy reach. After cleaning, rinse the bottle with water.
Getting rid of unpleasant smells in the fridge
One more ways to utilise the magic ability of soda to absorb smells is to get rid of unpleasant smells inside a fridge. Certainly, smells are coming from the products you are storing, however, fridge tends to keep the smells even when the products are already gone. It can be even worse when other products are absorbing the smells of the fridge.
It is possible to get rid of these smells with baking soda pretty easily. All you need to do is to add a single spoon of soda to a litre of warm water and wipe the surfaces inside your fridge with this mixture.
Make your own air freshener
By the way, you do not have resign from air fresheners if you want to make ecologically friendly choices for your home. You can make your own amazing air freshener with baking soda and your favourite essential oil. All you need to do is find a small bowl and fill it with soda. It will be enough for you to add between five and ten drops of an essential oil to make an air freshener.