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Bicarbonate of soda, sometime referred to as baking soda, is pure sodium bicarbonate, a fine white powder that has many uses particularly as a cleaning agent. You may wonder about bicarbonate of soda vs. baking soda, but they are simply alternate terms for the same ingredient. Some useful cleaning tips using bicarbonate of soda include:

 

 

 

1. A sparkling clean oven

 

We all know that elbow grease is the best method for cleaning an oven but mixing half a cup of bicarbonate of soda with a few tablespoons of water to create a paste and coating the interior of your oven with this overnight will help a great deal. The next morning simply spray surface with some vinegar and wipe it down with a wet cloth!

 

 

2. A shiny clean bath

 

Why damage your bath with harsh chemicals when cleaning. Rather mix a teaspoon of liquid soap together with some bicarbonate of soda and antibacterial soap to form a paste and use this mixture to clean with. We are confident you will like the results.

 

 

3. An odour free, clean couch

 

The couch is a well-used piece of furniture in the home and should regularly be cleaned. Sprinkle a thin layer of bicarbonate of soda onto your couch and leave it for about 20 minutes before vacuuming it up. This will freshen up the fabric and remove any odours. Should you have any stubborn stains, removes these with a mixture of a tablespoon of white vinegar, dish washing liquid, bicarbonate of soda and warm water – rub away gentling at the stain. As your living space is incomplete without a sofa, it is important to clean it from time to time.

 

 

4. Removing oil stains

 

Oil and grease can be difficult to remove. If it is a fresh stain, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda onto it immediately and let it sit on the fabric for at least 1-2 hours before washing. If the stain has set, put a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in hot water and soak the garment in it for at least 15 minutes before washing. You may need to repeat these processes to fully remove the stain.

 

 

5. No more coffee stains

 

Bicarbonate of soda is great at getting coffee stains off hard surfaces or mugs. By creating a thick paste with bicarb and water and using this mixture to scrub the area, the gentle abrasion removes the stain quickly.

 

 

6. Caring for wooden cabinet doors

 

Mix equal parts of vegetable oil and bicarbonate of soda together to form a paste and rub your wooden cabinets doors with this to help soften a remove stubborn stains and condition your cabinets doors. This is not suggested for laminated cupboards, only real wood.

 

 

7. Cleaning grout

 

Getting grout clean is a difficult job but try using a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and bleach. This makes the job easier!

 

 

8. Sparkling silverware

 

To get your silver extra sparkly, add one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda to a litre of water and drop your silverware into the mixture for at least 10 seconds (longer if necessary). Remove the items with tongs so that you don’t leave fingerprints!