Cleaning with Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda are two such materials that are easily available in our homes as they are widely used for cooking purposes. However, both of them have excellent cleansing properties. Basically, vinegar is acidic in nature which helps in stain removal, cleaning up dirt and grime and killing germs and bacteria. On the other hand, baking soda is a salt with alkaline properties that neutralizes acid. When they are used in combination, almost any part of the house can be cleaned up. The advantages of cleaning with vinegar and baking soda is that both of them are non toxic in nature and are not at all expensive. So, you do not have to use cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals and are expensive too.
Carpet Cleaning
For regular carpet cleaning, put about half cup of vinegar into the warm water of the steam cleaner. Then use the machine to apply vinegar all over the carpet. Let the vinegar penetrate well into the fibers of the carpet for an hour or so and then sprinkle half cup of baking soda on the entire carpet. Keep it untouched for the next 24 hours. Then vacuum clean the carpet. Thus, you will get back the clean, fresh look of the carpet. If there is an ugly stain on the carpet surface, then it requires special attention. Prepare a thick paste of baking soda and vinegar and apply it generously on the stain with the help of a soft toothbrush. Wait until the paste turns dry and then use vacuum cleaner to clean up the area. For stubborn carpet stain removal, you may have to repeat it a number of times before you can get the desired result.
Drain Cleaning
This combination can be used for kitchen cleaning and bathroom cleaning as well. It can effectively clean up clogged drain of kitchen sink or bathroom. Let the standing water drain out completely. Then pour half cup each of baking soda and white vinegar into the clogged drain and keep it untouched for half an hour. In the meantime, boil some water in a large container. Pour the boiling water into the drain and you will find all the debris are flushed out of the drain. This is possible because the end products of vinegar and baking soda chemical reaction have a natural tendency to expand in the form of bubbles. When this expansion takes place inside the drain, it exerts certain amount of pressure on the clogged particles. As a result, they are pushed down the drain.
Grout Cleaning
To begin with, remove all the loose dirt and dust particles from the floor with the help of a broom. Spread baking soda generously on the dirty grout lines so that they are thoroughly covered. Then pour sufficient amount of vinegar on those areas. When these two substance react chemically, then bubbles will form which can extract out the dirt from the grout. Let the bubbles settle down for a while and then wash off the floor with warm water. If there is excessive accumulation of dirt, then you have to use a scrub brush for grout cleaning before you rinse with water.
Kitchen Appliances Cleaning
Several kitchen appliances like oven and dishwasher can be easily cleaned with this homemade cleanser. To clean oily residues from oven, prepare a cleaning solution by combining half cup of white vinegar, half cup of baking soda and three cups of water. Dip a kitchen towel into this mixture and rub it in inside and outside surface of the oven. Keep it on the oven for 15 minutes and then wipe off with another clean and wet cloth. You will be surprised to see that your oven has regain its new look. The grease and dirt left behind by the dishes can cause draining problem and emit a bad smell. To get rid of both the problems, put some baking soda into the soap dispenser and vinegar into the rinse-aid compartment. Now, run the dishwasher once without loading any dishes in it.
These are some of the simple ways of cleaning with vinegar and baking soda. One thing you must take care that while you are cleaning with baking soda or vinegar, you should not use any other cleaning products or bleaching agents along with them. The chemicals present in such products will react adversely with these components and release toxic fumes.
