Baking Soda and Vinegar

How much do you spend on air fresheners, carpet deodorizers, bathtub cleaners, window cleaners, etc, etc? And would you like to cut that cost by... say, 75%?

It's not that hard to do, with the help of a few inexpensive products that can be used for a number of things. Don't write them off as inefficient just because they're common products. I'll tell you which ones they are in a minute.

There was a time when store shelves were not filled with glass cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, floor cleaners, laundry detergenst, dish detergents, furniture polishes, cleansers, sprays, scrubbers and air "fresheners" to cover up the smell of it all.

Were people's houses as clean then as they are now? Oh, yes. Some would say they were even cleaner. How did they get that way? Not by buying sacks full of cleaning supplies.

They did it by using familiar, common products that are inexpensive (and therefore, not impressive?). Here are two of them and the things they can be used for. Experiment with them if you've not done so before. You could very well be pleasantly surprised.

Baking Soda

Not only is baking soda good for absorbing odors in the refrigerator and baking with buttermilk, it can scrub a bathtub clean, remove crayon marks from walls and floors (it's gently abrasive, so be careful on delicate surfaces), and get gunky stuff from your vehicle windows and trim. Make a paste with baking soda and water and use a cloth to scrub with, then rinse thoroughly.

Use baking soda to neutralize acids wherever they're not wanted, in cooking and other places, too. Even battery acid can be neutralized if you're quick enough with the baking soda box. Sprinkle generously in case of an accident.

For smelly carpets, sprinkle baking soda liberally over it at night, then vacuum it up in the morning. If the carpet has absorbed really nasty odors, a second application might be necessary, but usually one time will do it. Baking soda will also draw moisture, but it will cake and may be difficult to remove until it's completely dry.

Vinegar

Much has been written about vinegar and no doubt much more will be. If you've never used it except on salads, here are some ways to give it a try:

As a glass cleaner, mix about a quarter cup to a quart of water. Spray or wipe on and dry off. If you have hard water, use a little more.

To remove calcium or other mineral deposits on plumbing fixtures, soak a cloth in white or apple cider vinegar and tie it to around the fixture. Leave it on a couple of hours, adding more vinegar if it dries out. A gently scrub may be needed after this if the deposit was old or heavy.

Soak dentures in vinegar overnight to freshen and whiten them. (Brush with a paste of baking soda and water before using to remove all vinegar taste.)

To rid your home of smoky, heavy smells, place several shallow containers of apple cider vinegar in inconspicuous places. It won't work immediately, but it will clean the air of odors after a couple of hours. Vinegar is especially effective in removing odors left after a fire, or when someone has smoked in the house.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Together

The two products cancel each other out. Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is an alkali. When mixed together, they produce carbonic acid, which decomposes quickly into water and carbon dioxide. (The foaming you see when you mix the two is the carbon dioxide escaping.)

Use this foaming action to clean certain things like drains and small corners where it can be hard to reach. Don't use it on upholstery or carpet unless you can test to be sure it won't discolor. Vinegar is a mild bleaching agent, while baking soda will leave a residue that may make fabrics look faded - you can sponge with plain water to remove this.

To clean a slow drain, first pack it with baking soda, then slowly pour vinegar over it a little at a time until the foaming action stops.

These two products can do a lot more than there's room to discuss here, but if you never use them for anything else than what's in this article, you can save a lot of money over time. Try it. Walk right past those pricey products that don't work one bit better.