Baking soda is my favorite natural cleaning product. The white powder (also known as sodium bicarbonate) is used to clean, deodorize, lift stubborn spots and stains, and freshen areas and surfaces. And the fact that a pound of baking soda costs less than a fancy latte, only adds to its appeal.
Let’s talk about my favorite baking soda cleaning hacks. All 19 of them! From cleaning toilets and the oven to deodorizing the fridge and removing crayon marks.
Is Baking Soda a Good Household Cleaner?
Yes!
- Baking soda is a natural and safe product used for baking (a leavening agent, which causes baked goods to rise).
- One of the best ways to use bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is for cleaning, the natural way!
- Baking soda easily dissolves dirt and grease, lifts tough stains (even crayon and permanent marker), and freshens smelly fabrics.
- And the best part is, with baking soda you’ll avoid harsh chemicals without compromising your standard of clean!
- Baking soda can be added to some homemade cleaners to boost cleaning and deodorizing properties, or used on its own. It can also be used as a skincare product to make a face/body scrub or deodorant.
My Favorite Baking Soda Uses
- Make deodorant
- Make a facial exfoliant
- Clean your toilet bowl
- Clean sinks and tubs
- Clean the bathroom with an all-purpose spray
19 Ways to Clean Your Home With Baking Soda
Caution: Cleaning Hacks With Baking Soda and Vinegar Don’t Work
Many recipes online combine baking soda and vinegar. However, this combo produces a chemical reaction and is not an effective cleaning product. Baking soda (a base) and vinegar (acid) cancel each other out resulting in nothing more than salty water. Never mix apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or any other kind of vinegar with baking soda.
1. Clean the Kitchen Sink and Remove Food/Grease Build-Up
- Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the sink.
- Use a scrub brush or sponge to gently scrub the surface with the baking soda in a circular motion. Watch the grease and dirt/food build-up magically disappear.
- Rinse the surface with clean water.
- If you’d like to add a fresh lemon scent, mix a few drops of lemon essential oil with the baking soda, and then follow the steps above.
I’ve done this with ceramic (white) and stainless steel sinks. For an extra dirty sink, add a squirt of dish soap and scrub the soap and baking soda over the surface.
Learn how to clean the sink with baking soda and other natural ingredients.
2. Clean the Bathroom Tub and Sink
- Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of a bathtub and sink.
- Use a scrub brush, sponge, or damp cloth to gently scrub the surface with the baking soda in a circular motion. As you scrub, build-up will lift away, leaving behind a sparkly tub and sink.
- If you’d like to add a fresh lemon scent, mix a few drops of lemon essential oil with the baking soda.
3. Deodorize and Freshen Carpets and Rugs
Between pets and kids, our carpets and rugs are subjected to all sorts of fun activities. Here’s how to keep I carpets and rugs fresh and odor-free…
- Sprinkle rugs and carpets with baking soda (optional: whisk with a few drops of a favorite essential oil, like lavender essential oil).
- Wait at least 30 minutes.
- Vacuum the area.
4. Deodorize and Freshen Bed Mattresses
- Lightly sprinkle baking soda onto an exposed mattress (no sheets).
- Wait 30 minutes.
- Use a hose attachment to vacuum the surface.
5. Deodorize and Freshen Pet Bedding
- Generously sprinkle baking soda onto pet bedding.
- Wait 30 minutes.
- Vacuum the bedding with a hose attachment.
6. Deodorize the Fridge or Freezer
Regularly cleaning the fridge helps take care of most odors. Help minimize odors in between cleanings by adding an open box of baking soda to the back of your fridge or freezer.
- Combine baking soda (1 cup) and a few drops of lemon essential oil in a storage container. The essential oil is optional.
- Store the open container/mason jar in the fridge.
- After one month, dump the baking soda (or use it to clean your sink or toilet bowl), and create a new deodorizer.
7. Deodorize and Freshen Toilets
- Generously sprinkle baking soda into the toilet bowl.
- Wait 10 minutes.
- Use a toilet brush to scrub away stains and odors.
- If you’d like to add a fresh lemon scent, mix a few drops of lemon essential oil with the baking soda, and then follow the steps above.
Alternatively, make a homemade toilet bowl cleaner with castile soap, water, and baking soda.
8. Deodorize and Freshen Garbage Cans
- Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of a trash bin to keep odors away.
- Discard and refresh the baking soda every few weeks.
- If you don’t want to sprinkle baking soda in your trash can, sprinkle the powder in a short cardboard box first, then place the box at the bottom of your trash can.
9. Deodorize and Freshen Sneakers
- Sprinkle baking soda in stinky sneakers.
- Let the baking soda rest all night in the shoes.
- In the morning, shake out the shoes to remove the baking soda.
- The odor-neutralizing powder will naturally get rid of the stinky odor in smelly shoes.
10. Clean and Remove Crayon Marks from Walls
Thankfully, we’re past the scribbling-on-the-wall stage of parenting. In the past, when crayon marks were accidentally added to the wall decor, I used baking soda to remove the unwanted drawings. Here’s how to do that…
- Sprinkle a clean wet cloth (or wet sponge) with baking soda.
- Gently wipe the wall with the cloth until the crayon marks disappears.
- Repeat as needed until the crayon disappears from the surface.
11. Clean and Brighten Pots
Enameled Dutch ovens are my favorite pots to use for cooking. (I use Lodge Brand.) The pots can be used to make bread, soup, beans, chicken, or steam veggies. They’re also beautiful statement pieces. While the outside of the pots may look gorgeous, the inside can quickly go from white to brown (due to food, heat, etc).
- To clean the interior, fill a pot with water (about 3/4 of the way full), add 1/3 cup of baking soda, bring the water and baking soda to a boil, then turn off the heat.
- After about 30 minutes, dump the dirty water, sprinkle the wet interior generously with more baking soda, scrub the surface with a textured sponge.
- Rinse the interior with fresh water.
Baking soda also works to clean stainless steel pots using the same method.
12. Deodorize Wooden Cutting Boards
I love to use salt and a lemon to deodorize my wooden cutting boards, but that’s not the only simple formula that will deodorize a board. Here’s another way to clean smelly cutting boards…
- Sprinkle baking soda onto a wooden cutting board, scrub the baking soda over the surface, and rinse with fresh water.
- If you’d like to add a fresh lemon scent, mix a few drops of lemon essential oil with the baking soda.
13. Clean the Bottom of the Oven
- Sprinkle baking soda across the bottom of your oven surface, then spray the surface (and baking soda) with water.
- Allow the wet baking soda to sit for a few hours.
- Use a textured sponge to scrub away the baked-on grime inside of your oven.
- Wipe the surface with a wet cloth, until the surface is clean.
Pro Tip: If the oven is super greasy, mix the baking soda with dish soap and water to create a paste. Scrub the paste inside the oven, let rest, then use a clean sponge and water to scrub and rinse the surface.
14. Make Your Own Laundry Soap
Make your own laundry soap powder by combining:
- 1 5-ounce castile soap bar (shredded)
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 30-40 drops essential oil (optional)
Here’s how to make this easy laundry soap recipe.
15. Bathroom All Purpose Cleaner
Make an all-purpose bathroom cleaner for toilets, sinks and tubs, tile and grout, and all other bathroom surfaces (except glass surfaces-you’ll want to make this glass cleaner instead). Combine…
- 2 cups warm distilled water
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon liquid castile soap
- 30 drops tea tree essential oil
- 20 drops sweet orange essential oil
Here’s how to make bathroom all-purpose cleaner.
16. Clean Produce
To clean fresh produce, make a vinegar bath or use baking soda. To use baking soda…
- In a large bowl or sink, combine 1 teaspoon baking soda with 2 cups of water (increase amounts depending on how much produce you have).
- Add fruit to the solution and soak for 10 minutes.
- Remove the produce and rinse under clean water.
17. Remove Stubborn Stickers and Sticker Residue From Surfaces
- Combine olive oil and baking soda in a small bowl to make a paste.
- Apply the paste to a surface with a stubborn sticker or sticker residue.
- Let the paste rest on the surface, then give the area a good scrub.
- Repeat until the sticker residue disappears.
Recipe from Natural Cleaning Made Easy.
18. Remove Armpit Stains and Body Odor
This solution is best used on white clothing to remove yellowing arm pit stains and body odor. For colors, do not use hydrogen peroxide due to the bleaching reaction. In a small bowl, combine…
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tablespoon Sal Suds (Liquid castile soap or dish soap will also work)
- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
- 15 drops lemon essential oil
Using a spoon, apply the paste to armpit stains on white clothes. Scrub the solution into the stain with a scrub brush or old toothbrush. Let the solution rest for a couple of hours (or more for stubborn armpit stains). Wash the paste away and wash the clothing with soap.
Recipe from Natural Cleaning Made Easy.
19. Clean Grout Lines
- Make a paste by combining water and baking soda in a bowl.
- Use an old toothbrush or scrub brush to scrub the paste on the grout.
- Let the paste rest for a few minutes, then use a wet sponge or cloth to wash away the paste.
- Repeat as needed.
What’s your favorite way to use baking soda to clean, deodorize, and freshen your home?
Pro Tip: Adding Essential Oils
Baking soda is an odorless substance. If you’d like a scent when cleaning, add a few drops of essential oil to any of the cleaning hacks above. Learn more about using essential oils for cleaning.
Learn how to make natural cleaners for your home
My Top Natural Cleaning Products
All Purpose Cleaner Spray
Homemade Laundry Soap
Homemade Stain Remover
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
simple and easy .thanks
but is baking soda natural and safe .?
Hey Mogi, Yes, it is 🙂
thanks for reply.
another questin.what is it sal sud?
what is the replace ?
i couldnt find salsud in my country
Our many uses have baking soda …… because now I know how I clean my house, I loved your tips !!!! Very good and creative … Success !!
This is going to be such an odd question – but I noticed in one of the photos you are using one of the “flower” mason jar lids to help sprinkle the baking soda. Is this just for stylistic reasons for photos, or do you feel like that really works well? I’m just trying to think about how to store the baking soda and sprinkle it out. Thanks! 🙂
Hey Sarah, It works really well! It’s actually my favorite way to sprinkle baking soda over a surface. I purchase my set from Target a couple of years ago, but you can find them all over now.
Thank you! That is helpful to know! I already found a set on amazon 🙂
Awesome, Sarah!
Love using baking soda. Now I will add essential oils 😉
Have a question about your bathroom. Very pretty. Love the tile and sink/ vanity. We are building a new home and am inspired by the decor in yours. Could I know where you got the sink/vanity?
Thank you, Sandy! That’s so exciting–congrats! We purchased our sink and vanity from Wayfair. The vanity is actually a table and we just drilled a hole through it for the drain and mounted the sink on top.
Thanks Kristin, I always feel more uplifted when my home is tidy and organized!
Awesome, Mark.
Do you throw baking soda straight into the sink or dilute the water to wash?
How much baking soda do you use to wash a sink?
Hey Sue, I just sprinkle the surface (so the amount will depend on your sink), scrub it around with a sponge, and then rinse the surface with clean water.
I would like to tell you that I am the father of a son who is worth two, he always scratches the wall of the house, this tip that you give in paragraph 10 is only to floor in the wall or can be the wall painted to clean?
Hey Ralfy, I’ve only done this trick on our painted wells. Don’t scrub hard–the paint could/will come off. And it will depend on the quality and gloss of the paint, too.
This might seem like a silly question but when are you adding the essential oil? Straight in the box or after you sprinkle?
Hey Donna, I usually pour some baking soda into a jar and then whisk in the essential oil. You could add the oil directly to the box, too.