When it comes to cleaning hacks, it's hard to find one that doesn't call on the power of bicarbonate of soda. And that's with good reason; however, not all bicarb hacks really work.
There are so many things in your home you should be cleaning with baking soda, with many expert cleaning hacks featuring the humble kitchen ingredient. It's a gentle abrasive, and when mixed with other cleaning agents, can create an effective paste or effervescent foam that makes quick work of dirt and grease.
However, not all hacks do what they claim, so when we see a trusted expert sharing their truly effective cleaning methods, we always listen. This time, it's Sort Your Life Out team member and author of Clean in 15, Mr Carrington, sharing his bicarb hacks that actually work.
Mr Carrington's bicarbonate cleaning hacks 'that actually work'
This isn't the first time Mr Carrington, also known as Iwan, has shared his expertise; it was only last month that we were trying his unconventional methods for keeping a house clean. So it's no surprise we were all ears when he shared his bicarb cleaning hacks on his Instagram @mistercarrington.
While you may already know how to clean your oven with baking soda, there are so many other places around your home you can utilise the natural yet powerful cleaning agent.
The first thing Iwan recommends is the kitchen sink drain, where he pours bicarbonate down the drain along with a squirt of white vinegar. "If you pour bicarb in your sink, and you add white vinegar, let it fizz, then flush with hot water, that slow drain clears instantly," he explains.
If you live in a household that's prone to spills, then you've probably wondered how to clean your carpet more than once or twice. As well as spills, odours are particularly stubborn and tricky to get out of your carpet, so having a quick fix to hand is always a good idea.
"If you shake bicarb across your carpet, leave it for a while and then vacuum slowly, it absorbs smells properly," explains Iwan.
Bicarbonate of soda is a fantastic deodoriser and is great for helping keep your bins smelling fresh during summer, when the heat quickly increases pungency.
While we're all for trying out luxury cleaning products, simple all-natural agents like bicarb are sometimes the best thing for the job. Especially when it comes to kitchen cleaning and tackling your sink.
"If you mix bicarb and washing-up liquid into a paste, it lifts stains without scratching, and it’s great for composite sinks," recommends Iwan.
Making bicarb pastes for your sink and other surfaces is an incredibly effective way to lift stains, marks and stubborn grime. It's why bicarb and lemon are the top recommended combination for cleaning your wooden chopping boards.
There are so many jobs you can use bicarbonate of soda for around your home. It's always a good idea to have some ready to help tackle any task.
So, while there are many things you shouldn't clean with baking soda, these three spots in your home will benefit greatly from using bicarb as a cleaning agent. And you can try these methods; rest assured, a seasoned professional has recommended them and uses them in his very own home.
It's not just your home that can benefit from this all-star cleaning agent; in fact, there are many ways you can use baking soda in your garden, too. Thanks to its natural composition, the powder is safe to use around your plants and isn't harmful to wildlife either.
