Baking Soda: A Very Versatile Cleaner (part 1)
What is baking soda?
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a solid, crystalline, white-colored compound, soluble in water, which can be found naturally in nahcolite or produced artificially in the lab.
This compound has many uses, from health to cosmetics to house cleaning, among others. It would take a very long article to list them all, so for now, we will focus only on its uses as a household cleaner.
Why is baking soda a great household cleaner?
Baking soda is a chemical compound that does not harm the environment, as it occurs naturally and does not need to biodegrade. It also does not contribute to pollution of water sources and the soil, which means that you can flush it down the drain safely.
Furthermore, baking soda is easy to find and very affordable. You can find it in most supermarkets and stores, and can purchase it for very little money. For example, a box of 4lb of Arm & Hammer Baking soda costs $6.64 at Walmart. This amount could potentially last you a long time.
Why house clean with baking soda?
Every person has chemical products of some sort in their home. However, many of them contain toxic compounds that can irritate or burn skin if touched, and damage internal tissues if inhaled or ingested.
aking soda does not do that (it can lead to stomach problems in large amounts, however).
Main uses
Baking soda is a powerful acid neutralizer. With a pH of 9, it is considered a base, and thus reacts with acids in a neutralization reaction.
In the human body, it can react with the acids in the stomach (mainly hydrochloric acid), which is why it is sometimes used as an antacid. Chemists often use baking soda to cause these reactions, but that is not its only use. It also:
- Neutralizes and removes bad smells in almost all areas of the home.
- Removes stains, especially grease or oil stains.
- Softens water, which allows the person to use less detergent and thus clean surfaces easily in their home without polluting the environment.
How to clean large and small objects
- Soak a sponge, cloth or rag in water.
- Apply the baking soda (if desired, you can also add a few drops of essential oils, which are great disinfectants – particularly lavender oil and tea tree oil).
- Clean the object.
- Dry it with a soft, clean cloth.
For small objects, let it soak for some time in water mixed with baking soda, and then rub and dry it with a clean cloth.
Next article, we will be having specific uses for baking soda in house cleaning.
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