Saving money with Baking Soda
Hard times call for desperate measures? Ever heard that phrase before? Probably.
As a young person, who lives in a fairly nice apartment (at a cost!) I always think to myself how I can effectively save money on cleaning essentials. As generally it seems these bottles which are omnipresent in supermarket aisle are 1 very expensive and 2 do not seem to last very long. Baking Soda is a product which apart from being baking related allows for use as essentially a cleaning agent. Here are a few useful “uses” for Baking Soda.
• Clear a clogged drain: Mix ½ cup of baking soda with ½ cup of white vinegar (careful as when you add the vinegar, it may bubble over). Pour down drain followed by 2 cups of boiling water.
• Deodorize your dishwasher: Simply sprinkle ½ cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher before running a cycle.
• Freshen up your sponge: If your kitchen sponge or towel starts to get a bit stinky, soak it overnight in 2 cups of warm water, 2 tbsp of baking soda and 5 drops of tea tree oil
• Deodorize your carpet or rug: Lightly sprinkle baking soda over your carpet. Let it settle for ½ an hour and then vacuum.
• Dandruff remedy: Wet your hair and then rub a handful of baking soda vigorously into your scalp. Shampoo and condition with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-free products and repeat for the next 5 or 6 times that you wash your hair.
• Mouthwash: If you have bad breath or it’s the night after a heavy dose of garlicky pasta, dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda in an 8-ounce glass of water and use as a mouthwash or gargle.
• Clean combs, brushes: freshen up your bristles by whirling them around in a bowl of 3 cups of warm water and 2tsp of baking soda.
• Moldy shower curtains: Throw a mildew/mold stained shower curtain into the washing machine with a couple of bath towels. Add 1 cup of baking soda to the detergent and add 1 cup of vinegar to rinse cycle.
• Paving stones: Keep the weeds from growing in between paving stones by sprinkling baking soda onto the paving stones and sweep it into the cracks.
• Clean your grill: scour yucky grill racks with a paste made from 2tbsp baking soda and 2tbsp of water. Apply paste with a brush, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse.
