Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes (2024)

By

Maria Marabito

Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes (1)

Writer

  • West Chester University

Maria Marabito is a writer who specializes in sustainable travel, green living, and food issues. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from West Chester University.

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Published November 30, 2021

Overview

  • Working Time:5 - 10 minutes
  • Total Time:5 - 30 minutes
  • Skill Level:Beginner
  • Estimated Cost:$0 to $15

Baking soda can neutralize odors, remove stains, clean difficult items, and dissolve grease. And when combined with other clean ingredients like vinegar, it becomes an even stronger cleaning agent.

Baking soda is a naturally occurring form of salt that is made by mixing carbon, sodium, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. The compound is actually a base, which is why it is such a versatile and powerful cleaner.

Besides the cleaning benefits baking soda offers, it is also used in baking and home beauty recipes, meaning it is safe to digest and not dangerous to children or pets, unlike chemical cleaners. Why even risk harming your health when you can use something as effective and affordable as baking soda to clean your heaviest kitchen messes?

Where Does Baking Soda Come From?

Ancient Egyptians first used what we now consider baking soda by extracting sodium bicarbonate from natural deposits of minerals. It was first used as a teeth cleaner and a base for homemade paints.

While baking soda is naturally occurring, the kind that most people have in their cupboards is usually mined and created through a chemical process in order to turn it into a powder.

Baking soda is a safe ingredient but it can be toxic in very large quantities.

What You'll Need

Equipment/Tools

  • Reusable spray bottle
  • Funnel
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cloth or sponge

Materials

  • 1 1/2 cupsbaking soda
  • 1/2 cupliquid Castile soap
  • 2 tbspwhite vinegar
  • 2 tbspwater
  • 5 to 9 dropsessential oil (optional)

Instructions

The combination of baking soda and vinegar is probably one of the most popular recipes that exist for cleaning.

Because of vinegar's acidity, baking soda fizzes and releases carbon dioxide when added to this solution. The reaction works in your favor when added to dirt or grease since it will break down the dirt as it releases gas.

Baking soda and vinegar together can be used for dishes, kitchen messes and clogs, and even laundry. While the two can be very powerful on their own, the paste can also be combined with water and liquid soap for a sprayable application.

  1. Combine Ingredients

    In a reusable spray bottle, funnel in 1.5 cups baking soda, 1/2 cup liquid Castile soap, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water.

  2. Shake

    Shake well to combine and for the baking soda to dissolve.

  3. Clean

    Spray liberally and let sit for very caked-on messes. Essential oils can also be added for a scented spray.

    This recipe can be used as a simple, multi-purpose cleaner.

Baking Soda and Water

Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes (3)

For pots, pans, shiny surfaces, and utensils, a simple baking soda and water combination is the way to go. This can be heated or applied as a paste depending on

  1. Mix Ingredients

    For cleaning surfaces, make a paste using 2 parts baking soda and 1 part water and apply directly or use a cloth to wipe the surface.

  2. Clean Difficult Messes

    For pots and pans, spray them with water and sprinkle baking soda lightly over them all. Let this sit for an hour. Then, use a sponge to clean the pots.

    For very stuck-on foods, boil some water in the dirty pots and add baking soda to the hot water (2 parts water to 1 part baking soda this time). Let this sit until it cools and then scrub with a sponge.

  3. Remove Stains

    Water and baking soda together can be used to sponge away stains from coffee or tea mugs, polish utensils, and clean ovens and stoves. In large quantities, it can also be used to mop tile floors.

Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes (4)

While baking soda and hydrogen peroxide together can make a pretty awesome DIY toothpaste, the combination is also pretty effective for cleaning grease, hard water stains, dirty tile and backsplash, and much more.

Hydrogen peroxide on its own is commonly used to treat stains, so it should do wonders with spots or stains plaguing your kitchen.

  1. Combine Ingredients

    For a paste, mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part hydrogen peroxide.

  2. Make a Spray

    For a thin, sprayable mixture, combine 1 part baking soda with 1 part hydrogen peroxide.

  3. Clean

    Depending on how dirty your surface or item is, let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes after applying as a spray or paste. If using a paste, have your sponge ready to get scrubbing.

Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes (2024)

FAQs

Cleaning With Baking Soda: 3 Easy Recipes for Tough Kitchen Messes? ›

Mix equal parts baking soda, mild dish soap, and a few drops of water to form a paste. Use it to scrub cooked-on food on a gas or electric stovetop, let it sit for 10 minutes, then wipe it away.

What to mix with baking soda for cleaning? ›

Mix equal parts baking soda, mild dish soap, and a few drops of water to form a paste. Use it to scrub cooked-on food on a gas or electric stovetop, let it sit for 10 minutes, then wipe it away.

How do you make all purpose cleaner with baking soda? ›

All-Purpose Cleaner: Combine 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle and shake well. Add essential oil for fragrance if desired and add 1 teaspoon borax for extra cleaning power.

How do you make a cleaning solution with dawn and baking soda? ›

Mix one cup baking soda, 1/3 of a cup dishwashing liquid, and one tablespoon of water. This multi purpose mix works in your oven, stovetop, sink, and even your bathroom. to leave your whole home shining. Draw this mix in an airtight container. and pull it out when you need some extra elbow grease.

Why you shouldn't mix baking soda and vinegar for cleaning? ›

Baking soda reacts with vinegar, acquiring one of its hydrogen protons. The result is a carbonic acid which is unstable and decomposes into water and carbon dioxide. “It just kind of turns into carbon dioxide, the gas, and that's what you see bubbling out of the liquid when you mix the two,” explains Chem Thug.

What is the ratio of dawn and vinegar to baking soda? ›

Tired of stinky, retail cleaners? Try this: Vinegar Cleaner: 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp Dawn dish soap 1 tbsp white vinegar Directions: Fill spray bottle with water.

Which 2 ingredients make great DIY household cleaner? ›

For very light jobs, you can also just use baking soda with water or 1 ⁄2 cup vinegar with 1 quart water. Mix borax and vinegar with water in spray bottle.

What is homemade all purpose cleaner? ›

Mix the ingredients: Add the following to a glass spray bottle: 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 3/4 cup water, 5 to 10 drops of essential oil, and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid soap. Use the alcohol-based cleaner safely: Shake the spray bottle well before each use.

Can you mix baking soda and vinegar to clean? ›

A combination of baking soda and vinegar is a safe combination for cleaning floors, especially if you are faced with long built up dirt and grime. While you can mop with the mixture, it is best used for spot cleaning with a scrubbing brush to tackle areas that traditional floor cleaner has not managed.

Can I mix Dawn soap with vinegar and baking soda? ›

All natural recipe, 1 cup baking soda , 2 tbls white vinegar, 2 tbls dawn dish soap. Place all over with a glove and let sit for minimum of an hour and a half, then with a damp rag, scrub with medium pressure and watch the magic happen!

Can I mix Dawn and vinegar to clean? ›

This match made in heaven has been a household staple for a long time and I make sure to keep it handy. To make the solution is simple and easy on the wallet! Pour equal parts of vinegar and Dawn into a spray bottle. Gently shake, then spray liberally onto the surface to be cleaned.

How to make your own clean freak spray? ›

Clean Freak spray. All you need is a misting bottle, one cup of water, 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol, a few drops of Salsads. Then just fill the rest of the bottle. with your favourite scent of Mister Clean.

How do you make homemade cleaning solution with vinegar and baking soda? ›

Combine 1 2/3 cups of baking soda and ½ cup of liquid soap in a bowl. Mix ½ cup of water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Combine the two mixtures and stir thoroughly to remove any lumps. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and shake well.

How to clean a bathroom with vinegar and baking soda? ›

Cleaning Bathroom Tile and Tubs

To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply full-strength white vinegar to a sponge and wipe the area. Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly. Vinegar removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film.

Is distilled vinegar the same as white vinegar? ›

Now, don't confuse distilled with basic white vinegar, which is stronger and has up to 25% acetic acid. That vinegar is sold exclusively for cleaning purposes and is not a good idea to ingest. However, beyond cooking, distilled white vinegar can be used for many of the same household chores.

How do you dilute baking soda for cleaning? ›

Just mix a half-cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water, adjusting the ratio of both until you have a spreadable paste. For some cleaning jobs, you can mix baking soda with other household ingredients like dish soap or hydrogen peroxide (more on that later).

Can you mix vinegar and baking soda to clean? ›

Can You Clean With a Mix of Baking Soda and Vinegar? Technically yes, but it's not the power cleaner you've been led to believe. In fact, it's volatile, and only really has one benefit: the mechanical movement of the bubbles.

What happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda? ›

The mixture quickly foams up with carbon dioxide gas. If enough vinegar is used, all of the baking soda can be made to react and disappear into the vinegar solution. The reaction is: Sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid reacts to carbon dioxide, water and sodium acetate.

Can you mix lemon juice and baking soda for cleaning? ›

Cleaning paste: Mix lemon juice with baking soda. Dishes, surfaces, stains: Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section of the lemon. Use it like you would a sponge. Furniture polish: Mix 1 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice for a natural furniture polish for hardwood furniture.

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