Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

 

Cleaning and other uses for baking soda in my home:

• Cleaning the drains once a month:
• To keep the pipes clean, I pour a half cup-ish of baking soda in every sink drain in the house, including the bathtub drain, then add vinegar so that it foams up, and then rinse the drain with hot water from the tea kettle. 
• I've made it a routine housework task the first Friday of every month.

• Scrubbing coffee and tea mugs/tumblers and the coffee pot once a week:
• I put a little baking soda into each of the mugs/tumblers, along with a little into the coffee pot, and handwash with a sponge (I don't have a dishwasher so everything gets handwashed in my home). 
• I've learned from experience that doing this once a week helps keep the dark coffee/tea stains from becoming harder to clean if I don't keep on top of it once a week. 
• Since my husband and I each use our favorite mugs every day, it's only two mugs I do this with, along with my 32oz tumbler that is used for my morning tea every day; the weekly scrub really makes a difference for the better!

• Cleaning the washing machine every three months:
• I follow the directions in the article 'How to Clean a Washing Machine and How Often To Do It', which says to use baking soda when cleaning the machine. 
• Article is also linked in the sidebar under Cleaning Resources & Videos
• The article says to clean the machine every six months, but since our water comes from our own well and it's hard water, I clean the machine every three months for good measure.
• I time my quarterly cleaning tasks with the changing of the seasons; so, the machine gets cleaned in March, June, September, and December.

• Baking soda toothpaste:
• My husband likes the baking soda/hydrogen peroxide toothpaste I started making years ago, and that's probably where a lot of the baking soda goes that we buy. 
• I don't follow exact measurements any longer; I just mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide until it's the consistency we like.
• I also like to use peppermint oil in mine, but it's not necessary.

• Refrigerator freshener:
• I keep a small jar of baking soda in the refrigerator to keep it smelling fresh.
• I use a small glass jar with holes in the metal lid, so I can refill it as needed.

• Kitchen pantry supplies:
• I keep a small jar of baking soda in the pantry for cooking purposes.

• Under the kitchen sink supplies:
• I keep a plastic container of baking soda under the kitchen sink for household uses, so I don't have to dip into the big bag every time I need some.
• I prefer to keep the baking soda, along with other bulk cleaning supplies, stored out of the way in the mud room and then use smaller storage containers in the house for daily use.

• Under the bathroom sink supplies:
• Baking soda also gets used for soaking in the tub in my home, so I keep a plastic container under the bathroom sink close to the tub, which I also use when I do the once-a-month bathroom drain cleanings.

• I get our baking soda in bulk at Costco so I always have plenty on hand:
• A 13.5lb bag costs less than $9 at the time of writing this.
• We purchase two bags a year; so, it costs less than $20 a year to stay supplied with baking soda for all my household needs!

Thanks for reading! Find more uses for Arm & Hammer Baking Soda here.

What do you use baking soda for in your home? Share in the comments to help others!

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