There are many ingredients available in our kitchen that adorns various roles apart from cooking such as lemon, turmeric and oil. Baking soda is another such kitchen staple. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, it is mainly used for leavening baked goods like cakes, breads and cookies. This inexpensive, non-toxic and versatile kitchen ingredient is also a powerful cleaning agent.
Apart from being used as a mouthwash, deodorant, teeth whitener and whitening agent for laundry, it is also a great kitchen cleaner. When mixed with an acid like lemon juice or vinegar, baking soda also helps in controlling the growth of harmful microorganisms like mold or bacteria. Here are five ways to use baking soda for cleaning your kitchen:
To Clean The Microwave
Cleaning the microwave is really a challenging task but with baking soda, it can be made hassle free. Just sprinkle some sodium bicarbonate on a damp cloth or sponge and wipe the insides of the microwave. Then with a clean sponge remove the baking soda residue. This process will make your microwave shine as new instantly.
For Deodorising Your Chopping Boards
As cutting or chopping boards are used for plenty of food items it is important to deodorise them apart from cleaning after each use. This will leave a fresh smell in your board and the taste of the food will also not be hampered. All you need to do is sprinkle a little baking soda on its surface and scrub it with a sponge. Rinse it thoroughly and it's done.
For Spotless Dishwasher
If you regularly use your dishwasher, some stubborn stains can be found in it which is hard to remove. But the versatile kitchen ingredient makes it easier. Just add some baking soda over the bottom of the dishwasher and run it on a regular cycle. You can also combine it with vinegar for deep cleaning.
For Tough Stains From Utensils
The tough stains and grease from the cooking utensils are almost impossible to remove with regular cleaning. Therefore, we have brought to you this effective hack. Sprinkle some baking soda on the greasy pots and pans and pour boiling vinegar over it. Then let it rest for half an hour. This will loosen tough food particles and stains. Now scrub them off with a sponge and your utensils are spotless as new.
To Remove Odour From The Refrigerator
A refrigerator is an essential kitchen appliance that helps in keeping our food fresh for a long time. But a proper cleaning is also important for its smooth functioning. If not taken care of properly, the refrigerator produces a foul smell that also affects the food stored in it. However, there is a simple hack to solve this problem. All you need to do is put some baking soda in a wide-mouth jar and keep it in the refrigerator. This will protect your fridge from unwanted smell for up to three months.