7 things you’d better not clean with baking soda
Dirty cutting boards? Baking soda. Smelly sink? Baking soda. Filthy extractor hood? Baking soda. The question ‘what can’t you clean with baking soda?’ seemed almost impossible to answer. Until today. Because we discovered that there really are things that don’t go so well with the white miracle powder…
It’s the household good fairy Martha Stewart who teaches us these valuable lessons. You know, the woman who once also taught us how to make scrambled eggs with your coffee maker. Martha also knows what we’d better leave that box of baking soda in the kitchen cupboard for.
Electronic devices
If you want to give your phone, iPad or laptop a thorough cleaning: don’t use baking soda. Baking soda is a granular product that effectively scrubs surfaces. This is bound to cause damage to your devices. I can’t imagine you’d be very happy with scratches on your brand-new smartphone.
Aluminium pots and pans
No, no, no, baking soda and aluminium are not a match. They react with each other, and not in a nice way. That beautiful silver aluminium colour? It becomes dull and unattractive. Such a shame for your beautiful collection of pans, right?
Glass surfaces
It’s better not to use baking soda to clean glass surfaces. There’s just one simple reason: baking soda can cause scratches, especially on glass.
Stone countertops
Natural stone is often somewhat more porous than most other materials used for countertops. And there I go again: you don’t want scratches on it. Natural stone countertops with a polished finish in particular are sensitive to gritty baking soda. Do you really want to play it safe? Then ask the manufacturer how best to treat the natural stone surface. Because you know: better safe than sorry.
Clogged drain with an aluminium pipe
When your drain is clogged, you’re often inclined to put even more things down it. No, not food scraps, of course, but anything that might help unblock it. It’s best to be careful with baking soda. As you read earlier, it doesn’t go particularly well with aluminium. Does your drain have a pipe made of a material other than aluminium? Then combine baking soda with vinegar. That mixture is said to work wonders.
Cast-iron surfaces
It’s a beautiful pan, isn’t it, your cast-iron one? Naturally, you want to keep it spotless. Ideally, you’ve applied a non-stick coating to the pan yourself. Clean the pan with baking soda? Then you’ll ‘scratch’ away that non-stick coating. What a shame. You’re better off using salt and lemon. If there’s genuinely stubborn rust on your pan, baking soda can still come in handy. But be careful with it.
Marble surfaces
Is your marble countertop dirty? Avoid the temptation to clean it with a baking soda solution. Baking soda can not only cause scratches, but also contains chemical properties that don’t agree with marble. It’s better to polish the marble surface with a solution of water and pH-neutral dish soap.
Also read:
- 7 handy cleaning tips for your kitchen
- Why you should use baking soda for extra-crispy roast potatoes
- Baking powder or baking soda?
Source: marthastewart.com
