Recipes for cleaning vinegar & baking soda

What if we told you that it only takes two ingredients to clean most of your home? Yes, it's baking soda and kitchen vinegar! How does cleaning with baking soda and kitchen vinegar work?
To understand why it is helpful to know how the baking soda and vinegar reaction works. Baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate) or baking soda is a base and bases want a proton. Vinegar is an acid and acids have a proton that they want to get rid of. The bubbly chemical reaction you see when you mix baking soda and vinegar is the exchange of these protons, which creates carbon dioxide in the form of bubbly foam and leaves water behind. So what remains is essentially just water! While the combination is powerful, it's not something you can make ahead of time and keep in a spray bottle.

Is it dangerous to mix vinegar and baking soda?
Not at all. Mixing bleach and ammonia can release the toxic and sometimes deadly chloramine gas, baking soda and vinegar are completely different. The reaction you get from mixing these two compounds together causes the release of carbon dioxide gas, the same gas that we breathe out of our bodies. There is already a lot of carbon dioxide in the air. If you are concerned, make sure you are using it in a well-ventilated area.

It's hard to believe: by combining two seemingly mild products, you can get most of the hard work around your home done. But the fact is, baking soda and vinegar are usually the only couple you need to keep your house clean. The secret is in how you use the two. But as long as you remember these recipes, you'll always have a powerful detergent on hand for the dirtiest jobs.

Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar.

1. Freshen up a drain (and make a stainless steel sink shine)

Instead of using harsh chemicals that could potentially damage the pipes, clog and freshen the drain by adding a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Always keep the ratio of one part baking soda to two parts vinegar. The mixture bubbles and bubbles and leaves everything wonderfully clean again. Then rinse with very hot water for a few minutes and then let the cold water run for a while.

While the surface is damp, take the opportunity to sprinkle extra baking soda into the bowl of the sink and scrub well with a brush or sponge. The mildly abrasive properties of baking soda help remove stubborn dirt and stains.

2. Dissolve the lime

Stubborn lime disappears like snow in the sun! Place a cloth or paper towel soaked in vinegar on the affected area and leave it on for a few hours. Remove the cloth, scrub it with baking soda paste (a mixture of dry baking soda and just enough water to make a paste-like consistency), spray lightly with vinegar, and wipe clean.

3. Remove stains from the carpet

With these cleaners in your closet, don't be frightened if someone spills a little alcohol on your carpet. Make a paste of baking soda and some vinegar and dab it on the stained carpet with your fingers. Let the mixture sit and dry overnight, then vacuum off the residue. Before attempting this tip extensively, test it out on a small, invisible piece of carpet. If everything looks clean, treat the rest of your stain.

4. Kill mold in your dishwasher

The cleaning and deodorizing properties of baking soda and vinegar work wonders for your laundry. Add ½ cup of baking soda to your laundry detergent for increased cleaning power. If you add a cup of vinegar during the rinse, everything will be shiny.

5. Clean the joints

The abrasive properties of baking soda add more muscle strength to your own scrubbing job. Make a paste from baking soda and water, use it to sand the joints and spray lightly with vinegar, then rinse off thoroughly. Thanks to the shower effect, your joints will be nice and clean again.

6. Remove dirt from pots and pans

Dried food scraps, baked-on grime, and burnt food scraps can often be difficult to clean up, but they are no match for this mighty pile. Sprinkle baking soda on damp (not wet) pots and pans, sprinkle with vinegar, then wipe it with a scrubbing pad. The slight foam effect removes part of the stubborn dirt.

7.Boost Detergent

It may sound like a cliché, but adding half a cup of baking soda to your usual amount of liquid detergent really does make the wash lighter. The baking soda also makes the water softer so you actually use less detergent. Adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your machines also increases the bleaching power, so you only need half the amount of bleach you normally use.

8. Clean the shower head

If you live in an area with hard water, it is almost impossible to prevent limescale and minerals from building up on your shower head over time. It can even clog with the lime. But baking soda and vinegar can make it look like new at night! Place your shower head in a large ziplock bag and pour enough white vinegar into it to cover it. Seal the bag and let it stand overnight. In the morning, take the shower head off and sprinkle some baking soda over the surface. When the shower head soaks, the vinegar breaks down the hard water and stubborn stains. Adding the baking soda at the end of the soak creates the bubbly chemical reaction mentioned above to add a little extra strength. When the bubbles stop.

9. Clean your toilet bowl

Spray the inside of your toilet bowl with white vinegar until it is completely wet. Then sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda on the wet surface and spray a little more vinegar if necessary to start the reaction. Wait a minute or two and then scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly with a toilet brush.

10. Mold in the bathroom

Everyone knows mold stains in the bathroom on the edges of the sealant. You can buy expensive heavy-duty products like HG, but these really aren't nice to use if you can't ventilate properly. They have a very strong odor that will take your breath away immediately. Make another paste of baking soda with some water, scrub it well, sprinkle cleaning vinegar on it, and let the substance do its job. Then rinse with clear water and your sealing edges and joints are wonderfully clean and white again.

11. Clean the stoving oven

Everyone knows a dirty stove! Cannot be cleaned with steel wool or a scouring pad. Here, too, this duo offers a solution. Sprinkle some baking soda on the baking sheet or make a paste of baking soda with water and apply it to the walls with a sponge. Sprinkle with vinegar and soak overnight. If it hasn't completely gone, repeat one more time on the remaining spots. Remove residues with kitchen roll, scrub off the remainder with clear water. You can also clean the burners of your gas stove in this way and they will shine like new again.

12. Polish silver and copper

There are several ways to remove tarnish and make silver shine. One method is to use a paste of one part water and three parts baking soda so you have a paste. Use it to buff your copper and silver as you are used to. Rinse it off and use a clean cloth to dry it to a shiny shine.

13. Food and Uses of Vinegar and Baking Soda

• Two tablespoons of kitchen vinegar mixed with half a liter of water is also effective at removing pesticides from fruits and vegetables.
• Baking soda makes omelets fluffier when added to eggs. Just add half a teaspoon for every three eggs.
• Tenderize meat and kill bacteria by pickling the meat in vinegar; Balsamic vinegar also gives a nice taste. Meat must be marinated in a quarter cup of vinegar and spices for up to 24 hours before cooking.
• Eggs can break when cooked. To keep them intact and make it easier to peel the eggs, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for every quart of water.
• Don't waste salad dressing or mayonnaise left on the bottom of the jar. Shake a few drops of vinegar into the jar to make it easier to remove.
• Keep cheese longer by wrapping it in a cloth or paper towel soaked in vinegar to prevent mold. Place the wrapped cheese in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator
• To get the lightest, streak-free colors when coloring Easter eggs, mix a teaspoon of vinegar with half a cup of hot water and food coloring.

Personal Hygiene and Health

• Baking soda can be used as a dry shampoo for dandruff. Instead of regular shampoo, massage baking soda onto your scalp.
• A weekly rinse with a cup of apple cider vinegar is another effective way to fight dandruff and also helps remove tarnish and add shine.
• Soften hair and fight split ends by adding baking soda to the conditioner. Cover with a cap for up to 20 minutes before rinsing.
• Clean hairbrushes and combs with a teaspoon of baking soda and a little warm water. Rinse well.
• Soothe irritation from insect bites, including mosquito bites, by applying a paste of baking soda and water or dabbing with a cotton ball soaked in vinegar.
• Fight heartburn by drinking a combination of half a teaspoon of baking soda and half a cup of water.
• Enjoy a home spa treatment by taking a relaxing bath with half a cup of baking soda. Another option is to bathe in a warm bath that uses half a cup of vinegar to soften and remove the dead skin cells.
• Clean toothbrushes by soaking them overnight in a combination of a quarter cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of water.
• A 20-minute foot bath in one part vinegar and two parts warm water can help remove dead skin and soften your feet.
• Baking soda is a mild exfoliant for the skin. Combine three parts of baking soda with one part of water, then apply it in a circular motion. Rinse well.
• Brushing your teeth weekly with a toothbrush dipped in vinegar can help freshen breath and whiten teeth.
• Help the nail polish last longer by wiping your nails with vinegar before applying the color.

Pets

• Sprinkling baking soda around a pet's food bowl can deter pests.
• A layer of baking soda under the litter box can help reduce odors in the litter box.
• People can use baking soda to make toothpaste for brushing their pet's teeth.
• Spraying dogs with white wine vinegar diluted with water can help repel fleas and make their fur shiny.

 ©   Martha