9 Ways to Clean Your Kitchen with Baking Soda

Baking soda is well-known as a classic leavening agent in many of your favorite baked goods, but it's got many more uses than just sprinkling into recipes. It also works as a powerful cleaner and deodorizer in the kitchen.

Baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate) is multi-purpose, affordable, eco-friendly, and non-toxic, making it a great alternative if you want to reduce the number of chemical cleaners in your home. As a bonus, it doesn't leave a strong odor like many leading cleaning products. Once you see how well it cleans, you may consider buying it in bulk. And you wouldn't be alone. It's no wonder many stores sell big orange-and-yellow boxes of an iconic brand in the cleaning aisle.

Sometimes sodium bicarbonate is all you need to help clean in the kitchen, but depending on the surface and how tough the stains are, you may need to boost it by mixing it with a natural acid, such as white vinegar or lemon juice. This causes a foaming, bubbling chemical reaction that helps loosen stains and grease.

Here are nine ways to use baking soda to clean your kitchen:

1. Clean the Microwave

The microwave gets messy fast, but scrubbing it down with baking soda will have it gleaming in no time. Sprinkle baking soda onto a sponge and wipe down all areas inside the microwave. Pass over the surfaces again with a clean sponge to remove any baking soda residue.

2. Deodorize Your Cutting Boards

Every now and again, apart from cleaning the cutting boards after each use, it's important to deodorize your boards. Sprinkle a little baking soda onto the cutting surface, scrub with a sponge, and then rinse to leave it smelling like new.

3. Mix Into the Dishwasher

Sometimes the dishwasher needs extra oomph for difficult stains. Baking soda is the star ingredient. Sprinkle a small amount of sodium bicarbonate over the bottom of the dishwasher and then run on the normal cycle. Or give it a deep cleaning with a combination of baking soda and vinegar.

4. Unclog Drains

Clogged drains can cause horrible odors, not to mention taking your sink out of commission. Don't fret. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and pour in hot to boiling vinegar (you can heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop). This will cause a sizzle and foam reaction and hopefully break up the blockage. Afterward, run hot water down the drain to rinse and everything should be running smoothly again.

5. Remove Grease and Tough Stains From Pots and Pans

Getting rid of grease and tough stains can be difficult but this easy trick will simplify the cleaning process. Sprinkle baking soda directly on greasy pots and pans. Add boiling vinegar and allow around 30 minutes for the mixture to work on loosening hardened food particles and stains. Use a sponge to scrub and stains should lift off easily and quickly. Repeat the process if needed. You can use a similar method on baking sheets too. Be cautious if you're cleaning aluminum cookware specifically, as leaving baking soda for too long can cause oxidation and therefore discoloration to occur.

6. Clean the Oven

Cleaning the oven can feel like a big undertaking but combining baking soda and white vinegar will make it easier. To start, create a paste by mixing sodium bicarbonate and water and then spread it on the bottom and all sides of the oven. Spray vinegar over the paste and it will begin to foam. Let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub with a sponge or dishcloth. Difficult stains and hardened food particles should come off easily. If not, spray on more vinegar until it's easy to remove the gunk, or repeat the process.

7. Reduce Smells in the Fridge and Freezer

This one is simple and helpful in keeping the fridge and freezer odorless. Place sodium bicarbonate into a small, wide-mouth glass jar or container and place it in the fridge and/or freezer for up to three months to eliminate odors. If desired, set multiple containers throughout the fridge where you tend to store smellier foods. The baking soda will absorb strong, lingering odors and help maintain a neutral smell throughout your appliance.

8. Clean a Stainless-Steel Sink

Every now and then your stainless-steel sink deserves a good cleaning to keep it shining and smelling good. Grab a lemon, cut it in half, and pour a small amount of sodium bicarbonate on the cut side of one lemon half. Use the lemon as if it were a sponge, scrubbing down and cleaning the sink. Another option is to make a paste of baking soda and lemon juice and add the mixture to a sponge or cloth to clean the sink.

9. Maintain Your Stovetop

The stovetop is one of those surfaces that quickly gets dirty and grimy when you cook frequently. Shake baking soda over the stovetop and then spray with white vinegar and watch it fizz and foam. Allow it to sit for five minutes and then gently scrub with a damp sponge. Wipe the surface down with a cloth or pass over it again with a clean sponge and you'll notice a sparkling difference.

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