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One cheap box of baking soda scrubs, deodorizes and lifts stains all over the house. Here are 20 baking soda cleaning hacks that work, where to never use it, and the myths to skip.
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A box of baking soda costs about a dollar and does the work of several cleaners. It scrubs without scratching, soaks up odors instead of masking them, and helps lift stains from almost everything.
It is not magic, though. It does a few jobs badly and can damage a handful of surfaces. Here are 20 cleaning hacks with baking soda that genuinely work, the places to never use it, and the popular myths worth skipping.
Why Baking Soda Cleans So Well
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) does two things at once. Its fine crystals act as a gentle abrasive, so it scrubs grime without scratching most surfaces. And because it is a mild base, it neutralizes acidic odors and helps cut grease.
That combination is why it shows up in the kitchen, the bathroom and the laundry. It is also food-safe and fume-free, which makes it one of the safest cleaners to keep around. For more natural mixes, see our natural cleaning recipes.
Kitchen Baking Soda Hacks
1. Scrub the sink
Sprinkle baking soda in a damp sink, scrub with a sponge, and rinse. It lifts grime and brightens stainless steel without scratching.
2. Clean the oven overnight
Make a paste of baking soda and water, spread it over the oven floor and walls (avoid the heating elements), and leave it overnight. Wipe it out in the morning and the baked-on grease comes with it.
3. Deodorize the fridge
An open box in the back of the fridge absorbs food smells. Swap it every month or two.
4. Freshen the garbage disposal
Pour a few tablespoons down the drain, let it sit, then flush with warm water. It knocks out smells.
5. Lift burnt food from pans
Sprinkle baking soda in the pan, add a little hot water, and let it soak before scrubbing. The burnt layer loosens.
6. Clean the coffee maker
Run a cycle with a few tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in water, then two plain-water cycles to rinse.
7. Scrub cutting boards
Rub a paste onto wood or plastic boards to lift stains and smells, then rinse well.
Bathroom Baking Soda Hacks
8. Make a soft scrub for the tub
A paste of baking soda and a little dish soap cleans tubs and sinks without scratching the finish.
9. Freshen grout
Scrub grout lines with a baking soda paste and an old toothbrush. For stubborn grout, our bathroom cleaning hacks go further.
10. Deodorize the toilet
Sprinkle baking soda in the bowl, let it sit, then scrub. It freshens and gives the brush a little grit.
11. Clean the shower curtain liner
Sprinkle on a damp sponge and wipe soap scum off a plastic liner, then rinse.
12. Absorb bathroom odors
Leave a small open dish of baking soda out to quietly absorb smells between cleans.
Laundry and Fabric Hacks
13. Boost your detergent
Add half a cup to a load to help soften water and lift odors, so your detergent works better.
14. Rescue smelly gym clothes
Soak sweaty clothes in a baking soda and water solution before washing to neutralize the smell.
15. Freshen the mattress
Sprinkle over the mattress, leave for an hour, then vacuum. Full steps are in our guide to cleaning a mattress with baking soda.
16. Deodorize carpets and rugs
Sprinkle over the carpet, wait 15 minutes to overnight, then vacuum thoroughly. Test colored or wool rugs first.
17. Refresh stuffed toys and pet beds
Sprinkle on, let sit, then shake out or vacuum off.
Around the House
18. Deodorize shoes
Shake a little into smelly shoes overnight, then tap it out in the morning.
19. Clean a scuffed wall
A damp sponge with a bit of baking soda erases many crayon marks and scuffs from painted walls. Test gently first.
20. Freshen trash cans
Sprinkle a layer in the bottom of the can under the bag to control smells.
6 Things You Should Never Clean With Baking Soda
- Aluminum pans and bakeware. Its abrasion and alkalinity can discolor aluminum. Rinse quickly if you do use it.
- Gold-plated or soft metals. The scrub can leave fine scratches.
- Marble and natural stone. Repeated scrubbing can dull the polish over time; use a stone-safe cleaner.
- Glass cooktops that scratch. Check your manual, as some ceramic tops are easily marked by grit.
- Antique or delicate silver. Harsh for ornate pieces; use a proper silver cleaner.
- Anything you’ve already treated with a lot of vinegar. The two cancel out (see myths below).
6 Baking Soda Myths vs Facts
Myth: Baking soda plus vinegar makes a stronger cleaner.
Fact: The dramatic fizz is the two neutralizing each other into mostly water and salt. Use them separately: baking soda to scrub, then vinegar to dissolve residue. Our vinegar cleaning guide explains why.
Myth: Baking soda disinfects.
Fact: It cleans and deodorizes, but it is not a disinfectant. When you need to kill germs, use an EPA-registered product (Healthline).
Myth: More is always better.
Fact: A thin layer or a light paste works. Too much just leaves white residue you have to rinse away.
Myth: It sharpens the garbage disposal.
Fact: Disposals have no blades to sharpen. Baking soda freshens the smell, nothing more.
Myth: It removes every stain.
Fact: It helps with many, but set-in or oil-based stains often need a dedicated treatment.
Myth: Baking soda and baking powder clean the same.
Fact: Use baking soda (pure sodium bicarbonate). Baking powder has added ingredients and is not meant for cleaning.
Pairing Baking Soda and Vinegar the Right Way
They do work together, just not mixed in a bottle. Scrub a surface with baking soda first, then spray vinegar to dissolve the loosened residue and rinse. On a clogged-feeling drain, pour baking soda, then vinegar, let it fizz to help dislodge gunk, and flush with hot water. The fizz helps mechanically; it is not a chemical super-cleaner.
Frequently asked questions
What should you not clean with baking soda?
Does baking soda and vinegar really clean better together?
Can baking soda damage surfaces?
How long can I leave baking soda on carpet?
Is baking soda safe for septic systems?
The Bottom Line
Keep one box of baking soda in the kitchen and one in the bathroom and you will reach for it constantly: scrubbing sinks, freshening carpets, soaking pans and absorbing smells. Use it as a gentle scrub and a deodorizer, keep it off aluminum, stone and soft metals, and remember that mixing it with vinegar makes fizz, not a stronger cleaner. For the acidic jobs it can’t do, our kitchen cleaning hacks and vinegar guide pick up the slack.
Keep reading: how to clean your washing machine and cleaning stainless steel.
