Vinegar and baking soda can help clean the whole house: here are 12 ways to do it

The trend towards naturalness and sustainability also includes the transition to safe cleaning products for home care. And two substances share the palm here - baking soda and vinegar.

In fact, this pair, separately and in tandem, can help to overcome almost any problem in the house. Tree Hugger experts have compiled 12 baking soda and vinegar products that will help you clean any corner of your home. And all thanks to the active foam that these two substances form when they react. Alkaline soda and acidic vinegar neutralise each other, releasing a small amount of carbon dioxide. This is how the cleaning process takes place.

But first, here are the general rules for using these products:

• do not store a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, prepare a new portion in the amount you need each time and use it immediately;
• give preference to distilled white vinegar - it smells less and has no colour;
• when the two substances react, it is better not to bend over them - carbon dioxide is not dangerous to humans, but it is still better to protect yourself from exposure to any foreign gases.

Clogged drains

Soda and vinegar can unclog minor sewer blockages and eliminate unpleasant odours from the drains. To do this, pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain hole and then pour 1 cup of vinegar. When you see that the bubbles have stopped forming and the characteristic hissing has stopped, flush the drain with a powerful stream of hot water and then rinse it well with cold water.

Stains in the oven

This is where citric acid comes in handy. Mix half a glass of lemon juice with a glass of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture on the inside of the oven and leave it to work for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle baking soda over the areas treated with the liquid and leave for 10 minutes again. Wipe the oven with a damp cloth.

Limescale on faucets

Vinegar can dissolve even stubborn stains left by hard water, while baking soda can gently clean off the residue. To do this, soak a cloth or towel in vinegar, wrap it around the area you want to clean, and leave it on for two hours. After that, prepare a paste of equal parts of baking soda and water, remove the cloth and treat the area where it was with this paste. Rub the area with a brush. Remove the remaining baking soda with a damp cloth.

Stains on the carpet

Before resorting to more aggressive means, try cleaning the carpet with baking soda. To prepare the product, put 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small bowl and add enough vinegar to make a thick paste. While it gives an active foam, apply it to the stain and rub it into the carpet fibres. Leave the product overnight and vacuum up the remaining baking soda in the morning. Important: Before using the product, test it on an inconspicuous area of the carpet to see if it changes its colour or texture.

The smell of mould on fabric

If your home textiles or clothes have been lying in a damp room for a long time, they may have become saturated with the smell of dampness and mould. To get rid of it, put the clothes in the washing machine, but add half a glass of baking soda to your usual powder or gel. And when the washing goes to the rinse stage, pour a glass of vinegar into the detergent tray. The baking soda will soften the water and neutralise odours, while the vinegar will act as an air conditioner and make things fluffier. In addition, such a wash will also clean the washing machine.

Clogged shower head

Hard water deposits can clog the shower head. Sometimes it can be so bad that it stops letting water through. To clean it, unscrew the head from the hose and place it in a waterproof bag. Then pour in enough white vinegar to cover the nozzle completely and leave it overnight. In the morning, take the device out and immediately sprinkle it with baking soda. Once the foaming process is complete, brush the nozzle and rinse with water.

Stains and odour in the toilet bowl

Neither vinegar nor soda kills germs, so you'll still need a chlorine or acid-based product to clean the toilet bowl thoroughly. But they remove limescale and odour easily and effectively. To do this, use a spray bottle to spray vinegar all over the inside of the toilet bowl, then sprinkle it generously with baking soda. For more active foaming, spray the vinegar on top of the baking soda. Leave it to work for 5 minutes, then clean the toilet with a brush as usual.

Smell of pets

Your dog's or cat's bed can start to smell unpleasant over time, even if you bathe your pet regularly. You don't have to take the bed to a dry cleaner to freshen it up. Simply spray it with vinegar from a spray bottle until the surface is damp and sprinkle baking soda over it. Leave the product on until the vinegar is completely dry, then vacuum the bed thoroughly. Make sure that the animal does not lie down on it until you have removed all the baking soda residue.

Dirt in the tile joints

Cleaning grout joints is not easy because grout collects a lot of dirt and can be easily damaged during the cleaning process. However, baking soda acts as a mild abrasive that can help. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the grout joints and rub it in with a soft brush. Next, spray the joints with vinegar to start the foaming process. After 10 minutes, when the active reaction stops, brush the joints again and rinse off the remaining product with water.

Stubborn grease in the pan

Grease stains in the pan can become very stubborn when exposed to high temperatures. To get rid of them, sprinkle baking soda over the stained area and spray vinegar over the top. Wait until the foam stops forming and rinse off with a regular sponge or dish brush, then wash the dishes as usual. Important - this method is not suitable for aluminium pans, as baking soda can scratch the surface and cause oxidation, which can ruin it.

Soap, lime and mould stains in the bathroom

To prepare a cleaner for various stains that appear in the bathroom - from dried soap suds, hard water lime or even mould - take the following ingredients:

• 1 ⅓ cups of baking soda;
• 1/2 cup of liquid dishwashing detergent;
• 1/2 cup of water;2 tablespoons of white vinegar.

Stir all the ingredients with a spoon until the baking soda is completely dissolved, pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle and apply it to any surfaces you want to clean. Wait 10 minutes for the product to work, and then wipe it off with a soft cloth or sponge. You can use the same product to clean other dirt in the house.

Tea and coffee stains on cups

Tannins give tea and coffee their pleasant flavour, but they also leave a distinctive stain on the dishes. It is very easy to remove with a 1:1 mixture of baking soda and vinegar. You just need to apply it to the stain and wait until the foam stops forming, and then rinse it off with water. However, this mixture should be applied only to the inside of the cups and avoid delicate patterns or glazes. Also, plastic travelling mugs should not be cleaned in this way - the soda can scratch, and bacteria will begin to grow in these microcracks.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told how to clean leather gloves at home. Vinegar was also involved.