Our focus will be on how to clean with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar.
As you read on, you’ll learn how to use natural agents for home cleaning, as well as find out if they can also be used as disinfectants.
Cleaning is an essential human activity carried out at regular intervals. It’s always necessary whenever a surface accumulates dirt.
However, certain cleaning agents are most ideal for particular situations. In other words, a particular type of cleaning may require a specific approach and a specific cleaning agent.
This is what we will be discussing in this guide.
Cut Down on Cleaning Cost
Most cleaning agents are quite toxic. Although they get the job done, these chemicals aren’t as safe as claimed by the manufacturers, plus, the cost angle could add up over time.
On the other hand, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar are considered safe, green cleaning products, which are readily available in homes.
These compounds can be sourced cheaply. Also, they can either be used individually or combined in the right ratio for cleaning.
What more? You get the perfect results you seek. These cleaning agents have been proven to provide deep cleaning at little or no cost at all. All you need to know is how to use them for cleaning.
-
Other Advantages
Apart from being good cleaning agents, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar are also known to be very effective disinfectants. So, while cleaning your home, you have the added confidence that germs and bacteria are being destroyed.
Safety First
It is a fact that hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and baking soda are excellent for cleaning. Nevertheless, the utmost caution should be exercised during usage.
These agents may appear as harmless solutions when used individually but can be dangerous when mixed.
This section will focus on safety by providing combinations that might be ineffective or pose harm. This information must be provided to save you from wasting time and effort and to enable you to apply caution when needed.
-
Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide
Can you mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar? No. Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are two substances that mustn’t be mixed. When they are mixed in a bottle, the mixture immediately turns into a corrosive acid. This is something you don’t want to mess with.
The risks involved include damage not only to the surfaces you’re cleaning, but also bodily harm.
Peracetic acid is what results from the mixture. This acid won’t only irritate skin and eyes but also internal organs such as the respiratory system.
So, why use them all together?
As earlier mentioned, these agents can be used individually with absolutely no danger or risk posed. You only need to attach or screw a spray top to each of your bottles. That is your vinegar and hydrogen peroxide bottles respectively.
Different cleaners should also be used to avoid the two substances coming in contact.
-
Hydrogen Peroxide + Baking Soda
We’ve established that hydrogen peroxide and vinegar shouldn’t be mixed. But how about making a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for cleaning? Is it safe?
First, this mixture has been prepared and used with success in cleaning.
A solution of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is effective for stain removal. However, the two will need to be mixed in the right ratio to achieve the best results. You need a tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, to begin with. You can also choose to add some dish soap if you wish.
This mixture is spread across stained clothing or fabric and left to sit for some time. This procedure is then followed by normal washing. Results are very visible after washing.
Not only is this mixture effective on fabric, but it can also be applied to appliances used in the kitchen such as microwaves.
The safe use of this solution involves NOT storing it in an enclosed container. You should only make just the right amount of solution that will be used. Storing it in a capped bottle can lead to an explosion, leakages, or bubbling out uncontrollably when opened.
This further messes up your surroundings.
-
Baking Soda + Vinegar
There’s a tendency when mixing these two substances to think that the bubbles represent their capability to cleanse deeply. This is plain wrong!
Baking soda is a basic compound while vinegar is acidic. The resulting reaction from this mixture is water and sodium acetate. This has little or no cleaning properties. Hence, only a waste of precious time and resources. Using these agents individually will give a much better result than trying to combine them.
Having discussed these safety precautions, the following sections will focus on how to use any of the above for cleaning.
GUIDE: Cleaning Tile Floors With Baking Soda and Vinegar
Cleaning With Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent cleaning agent. It can be used to clean a variety of things in many ways. Not only is it great for cleaning, but baking soda also possesses great deodorizing properties.
The following are some of its uses that you’re sure to find useful.
-
Underarm Deodorant
Sometimes, your underarms get so stinky. In most cases, this condition defies even the most thorough scrub when bathing.
However, it doesn’t stand a chance with baking soda. All you need is to apply a pinch of this agent under clean-shaven dry arms. You will notice in no time that the bad odor has been gotten rid of.
It’s a cost-effective way to solve this nagging problem.
-
Grout Cleaner
Over time, grout lines get clogged with dirt. This is likely to persist even after using other cleaning agents, but not with baking soda. You only need to sprinkle baking soda along your grout lines and spray some water on them. This should be left for upwards of 10 minutes before scrubbing.
One of the easiest ways to do this effectively is by using a toothbrush to scrub. You should see a marked improvement. Clean up the surface to clear up any residue.
-
Clean Out Hair Product Build-Up
Many hair products leave some form of buildup. This can be quite uncomfortable, as some shampoos won’t solve the problem either. This is where baking soda comes into the equation.
Add some into your shampoo and work it into your hair when washing it. This will completely remove such buildup leaving your scalp feeling fresh.
-
Carpet Deodorizer
Carpets’ smell may be a result of several factors. Some of these include water or moisture penetration, excess dirt buildup, etc.
Baking soda provides an easy way to deal with the problem. You only need to sprinkle it across your carpet. Yes! This might look messy but is necessary.
Allow this to sit for 30 minutes to an hour before cleaning. Vacuum cleaners are ideal for cleaning up your carpets during treatment.
After cleaning, you will notice that the previous odor from the carpet has been eliminated.
Cleaning With Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another agent that can be used for cleaning.
It is used by homeowners for a variety of cleaning tasks. Not only does this agent help with cleaning, but it also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Hydrogen peroxide kills mildew and molds.
Here, we will mention some of the ways you can use hydrogen peroxide to clean up the dirt.
-
Used On Hard Surfaces and Appliances
Hydrogen Peroxide is used on a variety of hard surfaces to provide deep cleaning.
You only need to put a spray cap on the bottle and apply it to targeted surfaces. After spraying onto the surface, it shouldn’t be cleaned off immediately. Allow some time (a few minutes) to pass before cleaning off. This does a good job of removing dirt.
Common hard surfaces to apply hydrogen peroxide include floors, walls, countertops, cutting boards, refrigerators, bathtubs, sinks, showers, windows, mirrors among many others.
Hydrogen Peroxide is applied much the same way if you wish to use it as a disinfectant only. One of the easiest ways is by soaking whatever you wish to disinfect it. Larger items can be sprayed with it and allowed to stand for a while before cleaning.
-
Used For Laundry
Not only is hydrogen peroxide used to clean hard surfaces, but it is also used for laundry.
It is good for stain removal as well as whitening fabric. You don’t need so much to get the job done. Only a cup added to laundry should suffice.
Cleaning With Vinegar
Vinegar is a product to have around as it can be used as a cleaning agent. You only need to know how it’s used to enjoy its numerous benefits.
The following are ways to use vinegar for different types of cleaning jobs.
-
Using Vinegar for Laundry
When doing laundry, you may encounter several issues.
Some of the common problems include odors resulting from mildew, as well as dull whites. One and a half cups of cleaning vinegar can be added to your laundry. This will help deodorize such fabric or clothing.
Dull whites, on the other hand, can be soaked overnight in water containing a cup and half or two of vinegar. Your cotton materials should be brilliant white by the next morning.
-
Unclog Your Pipes
Your water system is likely to be clogged at one point or the other. Vinegar provides a cheap and easy way to get rid of the problem.
First, boil some water and empty it into the pipe. This is followed by a cup of cleaning vinegar, water, and baking soda.
After allowing the mixture to sit in the pipe, hot water should be used to flush the contents. This procedure should be enough to unclog your pipes.
Cleaning with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar is effective in getting rid of dirt. We have provided possible mixtures you should avoid, as well as discussed each compound individually.
This information should help you adopt basic safety measures while getting the best cleaning results possible.