Cleaning doesn’t always mean high costs, hard scrubbing, and harsh chemicals. You might be surprised to find that the small bag of baking soda you have hidden in your cupboard may actually be the most powerful, most successful, most versatile, most eco-friendly and (most importantly!) lowest cost cleaner you will ever use. From deodorizing awful odors to refreshing your sad tiles, these 10 clever hacks will brighten your home and change your cleaning game without breaking the bank.

1 – Deodorizing Stinky Sneakers

If your sneakers have developed an odor, and they don’t smell fresh even after workouts or every day use, baking soda is a cheap and natural way to freshen them up. Baking soda neutralizes acidic and basic odors, so it can be a useful deodorizer for shoes designed for heavy use, like sneakers, which are also more likely to trap moisture and bacteria.

Freshen them up as follows:

• If you can remove the insoles, sprinkle ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking soda in each shoe. 
• Then gently shake the shoes in all directions to evenly distribute the baking soda. 
• Leave the shoes like that for 8 hours or overnight. 
• The next morning, tap out any extra baking soda, and put the insoles back into position.

2 – Revive Musty Books & Paper Goods

If you’ve ever owned old books, old photo albums, or kept paper goods in an unsanitary damp or poorly ventilated environment, you might have experienced this problem: the stale or musty odor. A relatively harmless way to remove mustiness and not damage your book or paper, is with a baking soda “chamber.” 

Please review the directions as follows:

• Put a layer of baking soda on the bottom of an airtight container. (Make sure it doesn’t come in direct contact with the paper.)
• Put books or papers on top of some sort of rack, so they are elevated inside of the container.
• Seal the container up and leave it closed for approximately 48 – 72 hours.
• Let books or papers air out for several hours before putting items back on your shelves.

3 – Unclog and Shine Shower Heads

If you’ve lived in a hard water area, you’ve probably also seen all the build-up around the nozzles of your shower head. Once that build-up gets thick enough, it will clog the nozzles, restricting the flow of water to your shower. Fortunately, a bubbly paste of vinegar and baking soda will remove that severely stuck on build-up with near-ease.

Here’s how: 

• Combine two tablespoons of vinegar and baking soda to form a paste.
• Apply the paste on the opening of your shower head
• Soak the shower head in a bag of vinegar for 1-2 hours. 
• When everything is done, use old toothbrush to scrub your shower head and rinse.

4 – Brightening Grout Lines

Grout picks up stains easily, then dirties, and its original color goes from grey paint to grey or yellow stains. You can remove stains without using a possibly dangerous chemical, with a paste using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Method:

• Combine ¼ cup baking soda and peroxide until you get the paste.
• Then use a tooth brush or grout brush, and apply it over the grout.
• Wait patiently for atleast 15 -20 minutes and then scrub and rinse the surface. 

Safety tip: Always test in an inconspicuous area first; as peroxide can have bleaching agents based on the surface, so be careful.

5 – Freshen Stinky Drains

Kitchen and bathroom drains can get smelly from leftover food particles, or soap scum, and an easy fix is a baking soda and vinegar flush. 

Method: 

• Pour almost ½ cup baking soda into the drain.
• Pour almost ½ cup white vinegar into the drain and let it stay there for 15–30 minutes. 
• Flush down with 2 cups hot water. 

Hack: Do it once a month to help get rid of any odors or clogs.

6 – Clean Burnt-On Pots and Pans

Cleaning burnt pots can be a messy job. But, fortunately, baking soda will lift the toughest grime right off from burnt pots because it only softens the mess and allows you to clean it much better. 

Steps:

• Fill a pot with hot water and add baking soda (2-3 tablespoons).
• Soak for thirty minutes or overnight. 
• Wipe with a non-abrasive pad. 
• Wash with water. 

7 – Erase Crayon from Walls

Has your little artist decided to cover the walls with crayon? Not to worry! We can remove the crayon easily using baking soda and will not ruin the paint!

Procedure:

• First of all, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with water for a minute or until you have a paste.
• Use a towel to rub the paste gently over the stains. 
• Once the paste has transferred, wipe the excess with a damp cloth, and then dry with a towel.

8 – Restore Your Old Coffee Mugs

You don’t have to live with that brown coffee stain in your coffee cup. Give baking soda a try. It is a mild abrasive that can buff the surface without scratching it.

Here’s how:

• Put some baking soda on the stain, about 1 tablespoon goes a long way.
• Add a couple drops of water to make it damp so it forms a paste.
• Wipe with a soft sponge. 
• Wash with water. Your new coffee cup is ready to use.

9 – Neutralize the Odors/Smell of a Refrigerator 

Your refrigerator might look clean but its odor is saying otherwise. A box of baking soda helps neutralize these odors before they can get to your food. 

Steps: 

• Open a new box of baking soda and put it in your refrigerator. 
• Put it on the middle shelf or the door shelf. 
• Replace the box every 30 days, depending on usage.

10 – Refresh Carpets & Rugs

Vacuuming doesn’t always get rid of pet or food smells that could be trapped in your carpet pile. A light dusting of baking soda acts as a dry deodorizer to deodorize your floors.

How to use it: 

• Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on to the carpet or area rug. 
• Let it sit for 15 minutes or 1 hour (it does not matter). 
• Then vacuum the baking soda up. 

Conclusion 

To sum up, in this article we have discussed 10 surprising ways to use the cleaning abilities of baking soda that you probably didn’t know about. From deodorizing shoes to refreshing the carpets with dry baking soda, this inexpensive pantry item is going to be your new cleaning partner. I encourage you to try one hack this week and see how cleaning becomes easier, greener and cheaper. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family.