10 Household Uses of Washing Soda That You Might Not Know

Yes, washing soda has much more significance than being just a helper in the laundry aisle. Apart from softening the hard water, washing soda has ample household uses as well. They are an excellent stain remover, thanks to the highly alkaline nature of the compound. Whenever you use washing soda, make sure to wear gloves as they might cause slight irritation to the skin. Even though not as famous as baking soda, washing soda has numerous benefits which are not known to a large majority of individuals.

What exactly is the difference between washing soda and baking soda?

So, what exactly is the difference between these two? Baking soda and washing soda cannot be used interchangeably as they are two entirely different chemicals. You can make washing soda at home by heating baking soda. Washing soda is slightly yellow and granular as opposed to baking soda and has a different set of uses. The most obvious difference between these two is that baking soda is used for, well, baking and washing soda are used for washing. Washing soda is not edible at all.

Lesser-Known Household Uses of Washing Soda

Now that we have our basics right, let us look at what are the uses of washing soda, apart from being a helping agent in detergents:

1. Effective floor cleaner

Take two to three liters of hot water and add a little bit of dishwasher into it. Then add one-fourth cup of vinegar and one-fourth cup of washing soda into it. Give this a good mix. You can use this solution to wipe the floor, to leave them sparkling. Soak the floor for 5 minutes in the solution before moping if the floor is extra dirty.

2. Excellent to clean drains

Keeping your drain clean is extremely important for maintaining a healthy home. An easy way to clean your drains on your own is with the help of washing soda. You can add half a cup of washing soda to one gallon of warm water. Mix the solution and then pour it down the drain. Make sure to pour in some hot water before adding the solution. You can repeat the process depending on how quickly your drain gets dirty.

3. Helps clean pots and pans

Grease stains are some of the most difficult stains to remove. Pots and pans are generally used to deep fry and deep cook food, making them prone to grease stains. You can use washing soda to remove the grease stains from pots and pans easily.

4. Good dish wash detergent

If your store-bought dishwasher detergent is not doing its job properly, maybe give washing soda a try. Take three tablespoons of castile soap and mix it with three cups of warm water. Then add one cup of washing soda to the mixture to get your own effective dishwasher detergent. This is in liquid form and is easier to use as well.

5. Removes carpet stains

Always check with the manufacturer before trying out washing soda in your carpets. Once you get the green signal, you are good to go. To remove stubborn stains from your carpet, sprinkle some washing soda on top of it and let it sit. Vacuum the whole space up after some time, and you can see that the stain has almost vanished. Repeat the process if needed, but make sure not to overdo it. You can also contact experienced carpet cleaners to get rid of the stains if they are too stubborn for you to handle.

6. Hard Water stains can be removed

You know you clean your clothes in hard water when you notice a white, chalky residue left after cleaning in your drain or shower. The stains caused due to hard water can be easily removed by making a paste of washing soda and water and applying it in the stained area. Scrub for some time and then wash off.

7. Helps reduce the musty smell of trash cans

Trash cans can smell nasty even after the trash is removed from them. To get rid of the smell, you can spray some vinegar all over the insides of the trash can. Follow it up by pouring in some washing soda to the bottom of the trash can. This ought to do the trick.

8. Great for garden tool cleaning

Garden tools can get dirty pretty quickly because they are rough used a lot. To clean them, scrub the surface with a hard-bristled brush after dipping it in washing soda. The dirt comes off easily.

9. Helps clean silver

Mix washing soda with salt and scrub the silver along with aluminum foil. This is one of the most effective and non-toxic ways to clean silver.

10. Also helps in cleaning patios

Mildew can be quite the trouble maker when it comes to the patio and the furniture present there. With the help of sprinkling washing soda on the mildew and other decaying dirt, you can easily remove them.