Green House Cleaning

Looking for a safe, natural, environmentally friendly green product that can clean and deodorize and won't break the bank? Look no further, you might already have it in your fridge...

Behold the power of baking soda!

Here are just some of its uses as a cleaning agent:

Around the Kitchen

Used with water, baking soda neutralizes dirt and grease. It is slightly alkaline (pH about 8.1; 7 is neutral); so when wet, it neutralizes acid-based chemicals and odors. Apply it with a wet sponge, then buff dry with a cloth. This works particularly well on pots and pans. It's gentle abrasiveness lets you scrub without scratching, making it ideal for polishing glass, chrome, steel, enamel, and plastic.

Odor Neutralizer

Baking soda may be known best as a deodorant. It neutralizes odors, instead of only masking them. That's why so many people keep an open box in the refrigerator. Don't forget to change the box every few months. In other areas of the house, just sprinkle baking soda on places that need to be deodorized. This even works on your gym shoes.

Here are a few other tips I've found but haven't tried yet:

Drain Cleaner

Mix the following:
•1 cup baking soda
•1 cup hot vinegar

Wait a few minutes, then flush the drain with 1 quart of very hot water.

For garbage disposals, use 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar.

Microwave Cleaning

Make a cleaning solution of 4 Tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Use it to clean the inside surfaces of the oven.---or place a few spoonfuls of baking soda in water in a microwave safe cup. Boil the water 3-5 minutes. The walls of the microwave will be damp. Simply take a sponge or paper towel and wipe down the insides of the oven.

Toilet Cleaner

Sprinkle 1/2 box of baking soda into the toilet tank once a month. Let it stand overnight before flushing. The tank and the bowl will be both clean and deodorized.

Non-toxic pesticide

Put baking soda under sinks near pipe openings and along basement windows to repel ants, silver fish and roaches. Roaches will dehydrate and die after eating baking soda.


Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service offers the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products in your Manatee County Florida home. Visit our website at www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie at 941-301-9555.