15 Ways To Use Baking Soda In The Kitchen (you probably didn’t know)

Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is a common, everyday product that most of us have in the kitchen. It’s used in many recipes for cakes, biscuits and cookies. But did you know that baking soda has been used in kitchens since the late 1800s for much more than just cooking.

Baking soda is a cheap, effective cleaner that can be used to great advantage in the kitchen. In this short article we’ll reveal 15 ways that baking soda can be used in the kitchen without ever mentioning a recipe! Stick around right to the end for a few bonus tips as well.

Baking Soda’s Secret Uses

The Victorians were a resourceful lot, they realised just how useful baking soda was. Sure they used it for cooking, but when the time came to clean the kitchen, the baking soda came out again. Here are 15 ways baking soda can be used as a cleaner;

1. Wooden Chopping Board Deodoriser

Wooden chopping boards can pick up the smell of whatever has been chopped on them. Fish, onions and whatever else can make your chopping boards smell for long after they’ve been used. 

To remove the smell and disinfect the chopping board just wipe with a solution of baking soda and warm water.

2. Flask Cleaning & Deodorising

If left for a while thermos flasks can get a bad smell which hits you as soon as you remove the lid. To clean and refresh your thermos flask, simply half fill with a solution of baking soda and warm water (50/50 mix), close the lid and swill the solution around the flask.

3. Worktop Stain Remover

To clean worktops and remove stains all you need to do is sprinkle baking soda onto a cloth or sponge and wipe all over the surface. Then rinse away with a damp cloth. Alternatively you can mix up a 50/50 solution of baking soda and warm water and wipe the worktop to remove stains, germs and bacteria.

4. Fridge & Freezer Cleaner & Deodoriser

To clean your fridge or freezer and remove any bad smells, simply mix up a strong solution of baking soda in water and empty all of the contents of the fridge or freezer (freezers will need to be defrosted first). Then wipe every surface with the solution.

For really stubborn stains (like black mould) mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a squeeze of toothpaste. To prevent smells permeating through your fridge, place an open container of baking soda on one of the shelves.

5. Drain Cleaner

If the drain in your kitchen gets clogged, it’s usually caused by a buildup of grease and/or soap. To clear, pour 1 to 2 cups of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz up for around 20 to 30 minutes and then flush using a few bowls of hot water.

Once clear, you should get into the habit of repeating this at least once a month to prevent any more blockages.

6. Under Sink Smell Remover

The cupboard underneath the kitchen sink often gets that damp smell about it. It’s usually caused by old cleaning cloths or containers half full of long forgotten cleaning products that have been there for many years.

Empty the cupboard and wipe down the shelves, walls and door with a solution of warm water and baking soda. Then go through the clutter and dump anything that hasn’t been used in 3 months. To prevent any damp smells from returning, leave an open container of baking soda under the sink.

7. Dustbin Cleaner & Deodoriser

The bin in the kitchen often gets a bad smell about it. It usually consists of a combination of old rotting vegetables, meat containers and other undesirables. This often forms a “bin juice” which can leak from the bin bag and sit at the bottom of the bin.

To remove the offending smell just wash the bin out with a solution of baking soda and warm water (50/50). Allow to dry naturally (sunlight is best), then sprinkle more baking soda into the bin before replacing the bin bag.

8. Grease Remover

It’s easy to spill grease or oil onto the floor while cooking and if left the floor gets really slippery and a danger to walk on (especially if you’re holding hot trays of food). Mop up what you can immediately with kitchen paper and then sprinkle baking soda onto what’s left.

When you have more time (after the meal is finished) you can mop up the baking soda and the grease along with it.

9. Floor Cleaner

To get floors clean and grease and stain free, mix a cup of baking soda into a bucket of warm water and use it to mop or scrub your floor. You will find there’s no need for expensive floor cleaners or harmful chemicals, baking soda does the job just as well.

10. Waste Disposal Cleaner

If you have a waste disposal unit fitted to your kitchen sink, you can clean and disinfect it with a mixture of baking soda, white vinegar and lemon juice. For added freshness, chuck a few lemon wedges down the unit every so often. They will leave a really fresh lemony smell behind in your kitchen.

11. Stainless Steel & Chrome Cleaner

Any kitchen appliance that’s made from chrome or stainless steel can be cleaned and restored to its original shiny brilliance with baking soda. Simply apply some baking soda to a damp cloth and wipe the surface of the appliance, then rinse with another damp cloth.

Caution: If you’re going to clean the kettle make sure it is empty and cool first!

12. Tea & Coffee Cup Stain Remover

Tea and coffee cups often get that dark brown stain around the rim and deep inside towards the bottom of the cup. You could spend hours scrubbing these stains with a sponge when washing up or you could just use baking soda.

Just sprinkle some baking soda into the bottom of the cup and make a paste with warm water. Apply it to the whole of the stain and leave for 10 minutes or so before rinsing. You’ll be amazed at the difference!

13. Baby Bottle Cleaner

The bottles used to feed our babies need to be hygienically clean to prevent the baby from getting ill. While you should always sterilise baby’s bottles before use, you can use baking soda to clean the bottles first.

Just make up a solution of baking soda and warm water and fill each bottle and swill the mixture around before rinsing thoroughly. Then place the bottles in the steriliser and use as normal.

14. Coffee Maker Cleaner

If you have a coffee maker, you’ll know how difficult they can be to thoroughly clean. Well, not any more! All you need is a solution of baking soda and water. Just run it through the coffee maker to give it a good clean and refresh it.

Be sure to run plenty of fresh, clean water through the machine afterwards to rinse away the baking soda before using again.

15. Oven Cleaner

Even if your oven is really caked up with grease or burnt on food, there’s no need to buy expensive or harmful chemical cleaners. All you need is a thick paste made from baking soda and water. Once your oven has cooled down, simply wipe the paste all over the interior of the oven and leave overnight to work its magic.

The following day, just wipe down with a damp cloth and clean warm water to remove grease and other undesirables. For really stubborn stains, apply neat baking soda using a scourer or cloth. The glass door can be cleaned with a weak solution of baking soda and water applied using a spray bottle. Simply wipe off with a damp cloth.

But Wait, There’s More…

As if that wasn’t enough, here are a few more uses for baking soda you might not have known about;

Stove Top Cleaner

To clean away grease and dried food from the stove top, simply wet the area and sprinkle baking soda on top. Let it sit for around 30 minutes and then rinse off with a damp cloth.

Enamel Cast Iron Pot Cleaner

Enamel cast iron pots are really versatile and we regularly use ours. But over the years it has become decidedly stained on the interior. To restore the inside back to more like its original finish, remove as much of the dried on food stains as you can. Then pour a layer of baking soda into the base of the pot.

Add just enough water to make a paste and then scrub  with a sponge, scrubber or cloth. If that doesn’t clear it all, pour a layer of water into the bottom of the pot, and add 1 cup of white vinegar and bring to the boil. 

Then remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and allow to fizz for around 10 to 15 minutes. You should then be able to remove any residue with a cloth.

Pot Cleaner

Any cooking pot can be cleaned in the same way as the enamel cast iron pots above. Start with just baking soda and water and if that doesn’t remove all of the stains, try the water, vinegar and baking soda method.

This will even remove baked on foods and evaporated grease and milk stains.

Food Processor Cleaner

If you forgot to soak the bowl of the food processor after use and food has dried on, or the blade is covered in an unsightly mess or you just haven’t used the processor for some time and you want to freshen it up, it’s baking soda to the rescue once more.

Mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda into 1 cup of warm water and pour into the blender, put the lid on and run for a few seconds. You can then simply wash it as normal or just rinse with cold water and use it again.

Bread Bin Cleaner

If you have left some stale bread in the bread bin and it’s been allowed to go mouldy, it will make the whole bread bin smell bad. Simply empty the bread bin and wash in a solution of water and baking soda (50/50) to remove the smell and leave your bread bin fresh and ready to store bread in once more.

Hard Water Stain Remover

If you live in a hard water area (and most of us do in the UK) there’s often hard water stains all around kitchen taps and sinks. Added to this there are often soap scum stains as well. These can all be removed using baking soda and white vinegar.

Make a paste from 2 parts baking soda and 1 part white vinegar and apply to the affected area using a soft cloth. Leave to settle for around 10 minutes before rinsing with a soft cloth. For stubborn or hard to reach areas, use an old toothbrush to scrub those stains away.

Stainless Steel Sink Cleaner

When you think about it, stainless steel shouldn’t stain, but our stainless steel sink often gets stained with tea and coffee stains. You can easily remove these stains using baking soda. All you need to do is sprinkle some baking soda onto a damp cloth and wipe away those stains. 

Check in an unobtrusive area first to ensure it doesn’t damage the surface of the sink. If in doubt, try using soda water instead of baking soda.

Plastic Wrapper Removal (from hot surfaces)

If you’ve ever caught a plastic bread wrapper on the toaster you’ll know just how hard it is to remove. The easiest way we’ve found to deal with this is using baking soda on a damp cloth.

Be sure to unplug the toaster first and allow it to cool down. Then sprinkle baking soda onto a damp cloth and make a mild scouring pad. Take care not to allow any water to get into the toaster and gently scrub away that melted plastic.

White Goods Exterior Cleaner

You can clean the exterior of all your white goods including;

• Fridges
• Freezers
• Washing Machines
• Dishwashers
• Tumble Dryers

All you need is a damp cloth dipped in a solution of warm water and baking soda. This will make short work of grease, dirt and dust.

Fire Extinguisher

Baking soda contains carbon dioxide (CO2) which means it can be used to starve fires of oxygen. Baking soda works well on any flammable chemicals and grease fires. Keep a pot of baking soda handy in your kitchen, just in case.

Dishwasher Cleaner

No dishwasher cleaner? No problem. Just wipe the interior of the appliance with a solution of baking soda and warm water. Then run a hot wash after sprinkling 1 or 2 cups of baking soda all over the bottom of the appliance.

Dishwasher Detergent

If you have run out of dishwasher detergent and you need to wash a load of dishes, just raid the store cupboards and get your trusty pot of baking soda along with the borax. Just mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of borax and sprinkle into the base of the dishwasher.

Then run your normal wash cycle and when it’s finished, your dishes will sparkle.

Microwave Cleaner

Microwaves often get stained with overflowing foods and splatters. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl of warm water and wipe the interior of the microwave. Remove the turntable plate and wash the bottom interior of the microwave with the baking soda/water solution.

Just make sure that no water drips into the holes in the walls of the appliance.

Rubber Glove Deodoriser

Once you’ve finished using your rubber gloves, sprinkle a little baking soda inside each one. It will stop them smelling damp and musty the next time you use them.

Do You Know Any Others?

So that’s our 15 ways to use baking soda in the kitchen you probably didn’t know, plus a few extras. How many did you know? Do you know any that we’ve left out? Let us know in the comments.

If you found this article useful, share it with your friends and family. Oh, and don’t forget to share it with your socials so more people can benefit from the cleaning power of baking soda.

SEE ALSO: If you see ice at the bottom of your freezer, don’t ignore it

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