Cleaning vinegar & baking soda recipes

What if we told you that it only takes two ingredients to clean most of your home? Yes, it's baking soda and vinegar! How does cleaning with baking soda and vinegar work?

To understand why it is useful to know how the reaction of baking soda and vinegar works. Baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate) or baking powder is a base and bases want a proton. Vinegar is an acid and acids have a proton they want to get rid of. The fizzy chemical reaction you see when you mix baking soda and vinegar is the exchange of these protons, which creates carbon dioxide in the form of fizzy foam and leaves behind water. So what's left is essentially just water! While the combination is powerful, it's not something you can make ahead of time and store in a spray bottle.

Is it dangerous to mix vinegar and baking soda?
Not at all. Mixing bleach and ammonia can release toxic and sometimes fatal chloramine gas, baking soda and vinegar are completely different. The reaction you get by mixing these two compounds together causes the release of carbon dioxide gas, the same gas we breathe from our bodies. There is already a lot of carbon dioxide in the air. If you have any concerns, make sure you use it in a well-ventilated area.

It's hard to believe: By combining two seemingly mild products, you can get most of the hard work done around the house. But the fact is that baking soda and vinegar are usually the only pair you need to keep your house clean. The secret is in how you use the two. But as long as you remember these recipes, you'll always have a powerful detergent on hand for the dirtiest jobs.

Clean with baking soda and vinegar.

1. Freshen up a drain (and make a stainless steel sink shine)

Instead of using harsh chemicals that can damage the pipes, you can clog and freshen the drain by adding a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Always use the ratio of one part baking soda and two parts vinegar. The mixture bubbles and bubbles and leaves everything wonderfully clean. Then rinse with very hot water for a few minutes and then let the cold water run for a while.

While the surface is damp, take the opportunity to sprinkle additional baking soda into the bowl of the sink and scrub well with a brush or sponge. The mildly abrasive properties of baking soda help remove stubborn dirt and stains.

2. Dissolves limescale

Stubborn limescale disappears like snow in the sun! Place a cloth or paper towel soaked in vinegar on the affected area and let it sit for a few hours. Remove the cloth, scrub it with baking soda paste (a mixture of dry baking soda and just enough water to create a paste-like consistency), spray lightly with vinegar and wipe clean.

3. Remove stains from the carpet

With these cleaning products in your cupboard, you don't have to worry if someone spills a little alcohol on your carpet. Make a paste of baking soda and some vinegar and dab it on the stained carpet with your fingers. Let the mixture sit and dry overnight, then vacuum off the residue. Before you try this tip extensively, try it out on a small, invisible piece of carpet. If everything looks clean, treat the rest of your stain.

4. Kill mold in your dishwasher

The cleaning and deodorizing properties of baking soda and vinegar work wonders for your laundry. Add ½ cup of baking soda to your laundry detergent for more cleaning power. Adding a cup of vinegar while rinsing will make everything shine.

5. Clean the joints

The abrasive properties of baking soda add more muscle to your own scrubbing job. Make a paste of baking soda and water, use it to sand the grout and spray lightly with vinegar, then rinse thoroughly. Thanks to the shower effect, your joints are nice and clean again.

6. Remove dirt from pots and pans

Dried food scraps, caked-on dirt, and burnt food scraps are often difficult to clean up, but they're no match for this huge pile. Sprinkle baking soda on damp (not wet) pots and pans, sprinkle with vinegar and wipe with a scouring pad. The light foam effect removes some of the stubborn dirt.

7.Boost detergent

It may sound like a cliché, but adding half a cup of baking soda to your usual amount of liquid laundry detergent really lightens the load. The baking soda also softens the water, so you actually use less detergent. Adding half a cup of baking soda to your machines also increases the bleaching power, so you only need half the amount of bleach you normally use.

8. Clean the shower head

If you live in a hard water area, it is nearly impossible to prevent limescale and minerals from building up on your showerhead over time. It can even become clogged with the lime. But baking soda and vinegar can keep it looking like new overnight! Place your shower head in a large ziplock bag and pour in enough white vinegar to cover it. Close the bag and leave it overnight. In the morning, remove the shower head and sprinkle some baking soda over the surface. When the shower head is soaked, the vinegar breaks down hard water and stubborn stains. Adding the baking soda at the end of the soak creates the effervescent chemical reaction mentioned above to add a little extra power. When the bubbles stop.

9. Clean your toilet bowl

Spray the inside of your toilet bowl with white vinegar until it is completely wet. Then sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda on the wet surface and, if necessary, spray some more vinegar to get the reaction started. Wait a minute or two and then scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly with a toilet brush.

10. Mold in the bathroom

Everyone knows mold stains in the bathroom on the edges of the sealant. You can buy expensive heavy products such as HG, but these are really not nice to use if you cannot ventilate properly. They have a very strong smell that immediately takes your breath away. Make another paste of baking soda with some water, scrub well, sprinkle with cleaning vinegar and let the substance do its work. Then rinse with clear water and your sealing edges and joints will be wonderfully clean and white again.

11. Clean the oven

Everyone knows a dirty stove! Cannot be cleaned with steel wool or a scouring pad. This duo also offers a solution here. Sprinkle some baking soda on the baking tray or make a paste of baking soda with water and apply it to the walls with a sponge. Sprinkle with vinegar and let soak overnight. If it is not completely gone, repeat again in the remaining areas. Remove residue with kitchen roll and scrub off residue with clean water. You can also clean the burners of your gas stove this way and they will shine like new again.

12. Polish silver and copper

There are several ways to remove tarnish and make silver shine. One method is to use a paste of one part water and three parts baking soda so that you have a paste. Use it to polish your copper and silver as you normally would. Rinse and dry with a clean cloth to a glossy shine.

13. Food and uses of vinegar and baking soda

• Two tablespoons of kitchen vinegar mixed with half a liter of water is also effective in removing pesticides from fruits and vegetables.
• Baking soda makes omelettes fluffier when added to eggs. Just add half a teaspoon for every three eggs.
• Tenderize meat and kill bacteria by brining the meat in vinegar; Balsamic vinegar also gives a nice taste. Meat should be marinated in a quarter cup of vinegar and spices for up to 24 hours before cooking.
• Eggs can break when cooked. To keep them intact and make it easier to peel the eggs, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per liter of water.
• Don't waste any salad dressing or mayonnaise left in the bottom of the jar. Shake a few drops of vinegar into the jar to aid removal.
• Store cheese longer by wrapping it in a vinegar-soaked cloth or paper towel to prevent mold. Place the wrapped cheese in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator
• To get the lightest, streak-free colors when coloring Easter eggs, mix one teaspoon of vinegar with half a cup of hot water and food coloring.

Personal hygiene and health

• Baking soda can be used as a dry shampoo against dandruff. Instead of regular shampoo, massage baking soda onto your scalp.
• A weekly rinse with a cup of apple cider vinegar is another effective way to combat dandruff and also helps remove deposits and add shine.
• Soften hair and combat split ends by adding baking soda to the conditioner. Cover with a cap for up to 20 minutes before rinsing.
• Clean hairbrushes and combs with a teaspoon of baking soda and a little warm water. Rinse well.
• Soothe irritation from insect bites, including mosquito bites, by applying a paste of baking soda and water or dabbing with a cotton ball dipped in vinegar.
• Combat heartburn by drinking a combination of half a teaspoon of baking soda and half a cup of water.
• Enjoy an at-home spa treatment by taking a relaxing bath with half a cup of baking soda. Another option is to soak in a warm bath that uses half a cup of vinegar to soften and remove dead skin cells.
• Clean toothbrushes by soaking them overnight in a combination of a quarter cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of water.
• A 20-minute foot soak in one part vinegar and two parts warm water can help remove dead skin cells and soften your feet.
• Baking soda is a mild exfoliant for the skin. Combine three parts baking soda with one part water and then apply in a circular motion. Rinse well.

Brushing your teeth weekly with a toothbrush dipped in vinegar can freshen breath and whiten teeth.
• Make the nail polish last longer by wiping your nails with vinegar before applying the color.

Pets

• Sprinkling baking soda around a pet's food bowl can deter pests.
• A layer of baking soda under the litter box can help reduce odors in the litter box.
• People can use baking soda to make toothpaste to brush their pet's teeth.
• Spraying dogs with white wine vinegar diluted with water can help repel fleas and make their coat shiny.

©  NA ten Hoeve 08\08\2008