4 things you should NOT use baking soda for
Isn’t baking soda fantastic: you add a spoonful to brownies for perfectly light and fluffy baked goods, and you can even use it for cleaning! A baked-on oven, rings on your induction hob, a grease-covered extractor hood or even a clogged sink: baking soda foams its way through it all. But you can’t clean everything with baking soda.
It seems like magic: you spread a paste of baking soda and water over a dirty, baked-on baking tray, let it soak for a while and then sprinkle some vinegar over it. It fizzes and bubbles, and you can simply wipe the dirt away. And if the sink is clogged, you can unclog it with baking soda too: put a paste of baking soda and a little water in the sink, pour vinegar in after it and let it bubble for half an hour. Follow with a kettle of boiling water: hey presto, a clean set of dentures, er… drain.
Do NOT use baking soda for these things…
Magic with baking soda is wonderful, but there are some things you’re better off NOT cleaning with it. For example, aluminium pans. That metal reacts with the baking soda and can therefore become discoloured and dull. People who paid close attention in chemistry class could probably explain exactly why, but even if you’re no Einstein, it’s enough to remember: aluminium, don’t do it.
No pearls either
Online, you’ll see enviable videos showing how easy it is to polish silver with a baking soda bath and a little aluminium foil. Experts warn: don’t put your antique family silver in such a bath, because the baking soda is probably far too aggressive for silver surfaces. Especially if the silver is decorated with pearls, you shouldn’t clean it with baking soda. Polish it carefully the old-fashioned way or—if you find it genuinely nerve-racking or simply too much work—take it to an expert.
A golden rim
You’re better off not cleaning anything with a golden rim with baking soda. That golden rim probably isn’t actually gold—although, of course, we don’t know whether money is sloshing around your home, good for you—but still: there’s a chance the gilded rim will flake off or become unsightly. You should definitely not polish real gold with baking soda. It’s a soft metal, so you can easily damage it while polishing.
Too enthusiastic
You’re also better off not tackling marble slabs and other surfaces with baking soda. It’s far too abrasive, and there’s a good chance you’ll damage the protective outer layer of your marble countertop or chocolate slab (for tempering chocolate) by scrubbing too enthusiastically. How about that? Just buy cleaning products specifically for marble, and you’ll always be on the safe side.
Also read:
- 6 supposedly unhealthy foods that are actually perfectly fine
- 11 brilliant things you can do with salt (besides adding flavour)
- What you can do yourself about food poisoning (and yes, unfortunately, you do have to clean)
Source: The Kitchn
