Multitaskers Part 4- Baking Soda

The next multi-talented star of the pantry is an unsung hero. Here is a roundup of some its very handy, economical, and environmentally friendly uses;

1. Yucky thermos – Remove residue from a thermos by adding 1/4 cup of baking soda to 1 quart of water in the thermos and let it soak overnight.
2. Cast-iron burns – To loosen up burnt on food from cast iron skillet just add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of water and pour into skillet. Boil the solution in the skillet for about 5 minutes then rinse!
3. Coffee pot cleaner -Brew 1 quart of warm water mixed with 1/4 cup baking soda in your coffee maker to clean any residue out of the lines. This is especially good to do when you notice a bitter taste start occurring in your morning cup of Joe.
4. Clean stovetop – To remove grease stains on your stove top first just moisten the grease with water. Then cover the spot with baking soda , wait a couple of seconds, then wipe clean with a damp cloth!
5. Shine stainless steel -Bring back the luster of dulled stainless steel by sprinkling it with baking soda then rubbing it with a damp cloth.
6. Coffee stains -If your good set of china ends up with some unsightly coffee stains on it try this trick; Dip an already damp cloth in baking soda and rub it on the china. The mild abrasive action of the baking soda is the trick to this one. Note; always test on small spot on delicate or antique china.
7. Smelly dishwasher -If you notice the smell of last weeks garlic sauce still in your dishwasher here is an easy way to deodorize it. Pour about 1 cup of baking soda in the empty dishwasher and run it thru a rinse cycle.
8. Greasy pans -If your dishwashing liquid doesn’t seem to be cutting the grease on dishes add about 2 tablespoons of baking soda to it to help boost its grease cleaning.
9. Enamel cookware -Enamel cookware can be easily scratched by abrasive cleaners so you need an alternative that will still get it clean but leave the surface intact. Coat the stubborn stain with an equal parts paste of baking soda and water then let sit for 1 hour. The spot should easily wipe off then. You can also make this paste with baking soda and some dishwashing liquid.
10. Stained utensils -To remove stains from plastic utensils or rubber spatulas make the same baking soda paste as above and rub on with a sponge or scouring pad.
11. Odor away -Baking soda can remove odors from refrigerators, freezers, plastic food containers, garbage cans, diaper pails, work boots, carpets, and litter boxes!
12. Garbage disposal -To get rid of grease down in your garbage drain just remember to occasionally grind a couple of ice cubes along with 1/2 cup of baking soda. To flush it out fill the stopper sink with 2 or 3 inches of hot water and run the water thru the disposal.
13. My favorite multitasker duo use -To keep your sink from ever clogging up in the first place use this preventative maintenance on them once a month or whenever you think the drain is sluggish and maybe on the verge of clogging. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Cover the sink for a couple of minutes while the 2 are reacting chemically ( kind of reminds you of that first volcano you built as a kid doesn’t it?) then flush the drain with warm water. Note: Do not do this after you have poured a commercial drain cleaner down the sink and it did not work. The cleaners chemicals could possibly react with the vinegar and create fumes that are dangerous to inhale!

I hope you find these ideas as helpful as I have over the years now. Part of the reason for doing these posts was how frustrated I used to get looking for cheaper and safer cleaning alternatives online and having to go to a dozen different sites to find them. And with the way the economy has been lately I think that we all could use some tips on doing things a little cheaper and easier. If you have anymore uses for these products please feel free to leave them in a comment or email them to me at jessislate@yahoo.com. If you have a site that’s about money or time-saving ideas, or about coupons or freebies leave your site address as well so I can link to you!

Thanks for reading!

Jessi

Multitaskers Part 2- White Vinegar and just a few of its tricks!

1. Got grass stains? Soak the grass stain in vinegar for about a half an hour then launder as usual
2. Shower curtain liner looking nasty? Put in washing machine with a few towels and add a cup of vinegar, start the machine. Mildew and hard water marks will disappear!
3. Drains acting sluggish? Use this eco friendly treatment before it gets clogged: sprinkle baking soda down the drain, pour vinegar down the drain, after bubbles have stopped flush drains with hot water.
4. Pet accidents on carpet? Spraying vinegar on the spot will neutralize the ammonia in the urine and kill the odor.
5. Got azaleas or gardenias? Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a qt. of water and  water like this occasionally.
6. Lint clinging to dark clothes? Put a little bit of white vinegar in the final rinse to keep lint from clinging.
7. Ants on counter tops? Wash things as counter tops, cabinets, and floors with equal parts water and vinegar to get rid of them!
8. Dishes looking dingy? Use white vinegar instead of expensive rinse agents in your dishwasher detergent to make dishes sparkle. This will also work if you add 3 tablespoons to a bottle of dish liquid to make them shine.
9. Ceramic tile floors looking dull? Mop them with a mix of 1 gallon hot water to 1 cup vinegar. The floor will be clean and shiny. This works by removing the minerals the hot water will leave behind, which is responsible for the dulling.
10.  Deodorant stains on clothes? Soak the stain in vinegar and then launder as usual.
11.  To keep your washing machine running smooth: once a month run hot water cycle in an empty washing machine, add 1 gallon of vinegar to it and let it run the cycle. This flushes out all the hoses and removes minerals to keep it running like new.
12.  Got a stuck screw or bolt? An acid, such as vinegar, applied to the screw or bolt can replace penetrating oil in a pinch.
13.  To set in bright or dark colors: add 1 cup of vinegar to the washing machine water the first time you wash clothing to set the colors.

 

Anyone have any that they want to add to the list feel free to add in a comment or by email! If you have a particular item or subject that you would like to see in an upcoming tip post send it to me, and i’ll see what brainstorming we can do for it.Have a great weekend everyone!

My little guy, Quentin, will be turning 3 this weekend too, and we are halfway thru conquering potty training!!! I am so excited over this, my baby is turning into a little boy!