Mattress
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If
you're like most people, you've probably never cleaned your mattress — and
that's a mistake (you should be cleaning your mattress about twice a year). A
great way to keep a mattress clean and smelling fresh is to sprinkle an entire
box of baking soda on top of the mattress and gently rub it in. Let sit
overnight and vacuum it up, eradicating any odors and capturing any debris that
may have accumulated.
Oven
Granted,
it will take a bit longer and require more scrubbing, but cleaning the inside
of the oven with a paste made from equal parts water and baking soda is safe
and fume-free, a perfect solution for those who'd prefer to avoid harsh
cleaning chemicals.
La Creuset Cookware
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If you
ever have the unfortunate experience of scorching some pricey La Creuset
cookware, don't freak out. Instead, reach for a box of baking soda. Simply fill
the pot with water and bring to a boil, add a couple of tablespoons of baking
soda and give it a stir. Let things simmer, using a wooden spoon (metal can
scratch the enamel) to loosen any resistant gunk until it's as good as new,
requiring barely any scrubbing.
Stainless Steel Cookware
You can
use pretty much the same method for cleaning La Creuset cookware to clean
scorched stainless steel pots and pans – it works like a charm!
Toothbrushes
Soak
toothbrushes overnight in a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup baking soda to
give them a good thorough cleaning.
Tarnished Silver
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In a
large pot, add one tablespoon of baking soda and one piece of aluminum foil to
one litre of water and bring to a boil. Drop tarnished silverware in the pot
for 10 seconds (leave it in for longer if it's really tarnished), then remove
using kitchen tongs. Prepare to be dazzled by the gleam of your shining silver.
Range Hood Filters
If it's
been awhile since you cleaned the filters in your range hoods, they're probably
gunky and greasy. To get them clean, submerge the filters in a sink full of
warm water and a few tablespoons of baking soda and a squirt of dishwashing
detergent. Let sit for 10 minutes then scrub with a non-abrasive scrub brush,
which will degrease those clogged up filters.
Stained Coffee Mugs
If you
have a favourite coffee mug that's stained, simply sprinkle a bit of baking
soda inside, add enough water to create a thick paste and give it a scrub. The
gentle abrasion should wipe those stains away.
Rusty Cast Iron Pans
Any
rusty cast iron pans can be brought back to life by scrubbing with a halved
potato and some baking soda. Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which helps to break
down the rust, with the baking soda adding its unique cleaning properties and
gentle abrasion until the rust vanishes.
Slightly Clogged Drains
Before
reaching for a chemical drain cleaner, if you need to clear a drain that's
slightly clogged try this: flush with hot water, then wait for it to drain.
Then, slowly pour a cup of baking soda into the drain, then pour some
fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about a cup) on top of the baking soda, which
creates a chemical reaction that will cause the baking soda to bubble and fizz.
Cover with a tub stopper and let sit for a half-hour before flushing once more
with hot water. The drain should be cleared.
Coffeemaker
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Fill
your coffeemaker with a mixture of water and a quarter-cup of baking soda, then
brew. Repeat the process and enjoy your super-clean coffeemaker.
Stained Marble
There's
no beating the look and feel of marble countertops, but they can be easily
stained. Those stains, however, can be effectively cleaned by creating a paste
from baking soda and water. Spread the paste on the stained area, let sit
overnight and wipe off in the morning. So long, stain!
Produce
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While
it's always recommended that you wash produce in order to rinse off any harmful
pesticides that may have been used, there's no need to buy a commercial produce
wash when all you need to do is wipe the produce down with a bit of baking soda
and then rinse.
Brushes and Combs
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Keep
hairbrushes and combs clean and hygienic by soaking them in a mixture of baking
soda and warm water. Rinse and dry, and you're all set.
Barbecue Grill
Keep your
barbecue grill clean for the season by putting some baking soda on a damp scrub
brush, give it a vigorous scrubbing and then rinse to result in a clean grill.
Rugs
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Keep
rugs looking and smelling fresh by sprinkling on some baking soda, letting it
sit overnight and then vacuuming.
Dishwasher
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Keep
your dishwasher looking clean and smelling fresh by running through a load
while empty, using a scoop of baking soda instead of detergent.
Your Dog's Teeth
Pour a
bit of baking soda on an old toothbrush and give Fido's teeth a good scrub. Not
only is this healthy for a dog's teeth, it'll also prevent the dog's breath
from getting too nasty.
Toilet
You can
keep a toilet bowl looking clean and shiny by adding a quarter-cup of baking
soda to the bowl, swirling it around with a toilet brush and then giving it a
scrub.
Stained Plastic Food
Containers
Soak a
stained plastic food container in a solution of warm water and baking soda, let
sit for a few hours, wipe and then rinse, which should eradicate any stains.
It's also a good idea to keep containers fresh by simply wiping them down with
a damp sponge with some baking soda sprinkled on.
Crayon Marks on Walls
If your
child's artistic expression extends to the walls, sprinkle some baking soda on
a damp sponge and wipe off the crayon stains; the gentle abrasion of the baking
soda will clean off the crayon without damaging paint.
Bathroom Mildew
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Scrub
your bathroom's tub, tiles, sink, shower, etc. with a damp sponge and some
baking soda. Rinse it off and shield your eyes from the dazzling gleam of your
shiny clean bathroom.
Stuffed Animals
A
child's favourite stuffed animal can tend to get pretty dirty over time, but
here's a solution that will keep it clean and hygienic. Place the toy in a
large plastic bag and add a cup of baking soda. Tie the bag tightly, take it
outside and give it some good solid shaking. The baking soda will draw out any
dust or dirt that's accumulated. Remove the toy from the bag, give it a vacuum
and you're all done.
Patio Furniture
Before
bringing your patio furniture out for the season, give everything a good
wipe-down with a mixture of baking soda and water. And when summer's over and
you're ready to return the furniture back into storage, sprinkle some baking
soda under cushions or inside storage bags, which will keep them fresh.
Water Rings on Wood
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Rings
on antique wooden furniture can be a real drag, but try this trick to safely
remove them. Combine equal parts baking soda with non-gel toothpaste, then
dampen a cloth with water, add some of the toothpaste-baking soda mixture and
rub with the wood grain until the ring is buffed out. Wipe down with a dry
cloth, then polish the table as you normally would.
Glass Cooktop
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Clean
any caked-on gunk that's accumulated on a glass cook top by using a mixture of
baking soda, dishwashing detergent and hydrogen peroxide. Scrub with a
non-abrasive brush, and voila! Clean and shining.
Iron
If you
have any rust or residue on an iron, you can bring it back to life by scrubbing
with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, with the baking soda asking as an
abrasive that will lift the gunk right off.
Greasy Kitchen Cabinets
Clean
any accumulated grease from kitchen cabinets by using a paste made of a
tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 tablespoon of dish soap and 1/2 tablespoon of
water. Apply to greasy cabinets with a microfibre cloth to remove grease. Rinse
with a damp cloth and you're cabinets will be grease-free.
Slow Cooker
Fill a
dirty slow cooker with water; add a cup of white vinegar and about a cup of
baking soda. Mix it around, turn the slow cooker on to the "low"
setting and let simmer overnight. In the morning, caked-on grunge should easily
wipe away, because the slow cooker has done most of the work for you.
Stainless Steel Sink
Sprinkle
a dirty stainless sink with a liberal amount of baking soda, let sit for a bit
and then scrub with a sponge to result in a sink that gleams.
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