When it comes to home cleaning, most people are always ready to experiment with all sorts of products. In essence, trial and error is much easier than digging into the pocket every time a cleaning need comes up. Personally, I always reach to my pantry baskets for basics such as baking soda, lemon and vinegar.
Natural ingredients such as these ones have a reputation for getting the job done. However, their effectiveness improves significantly after they are mixed together or with other cleaning agents.
The most difficult part for home cleaning hacks is deciding the products to mix and the ones to use separately. That is why most people question whether it is possible to mix bleach and baking soda.
What is Baking Soda?
Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is a basic home ingredient that is commonly used in the kitchen for leavening baked foods. A combination of sodium bicarbonate and an acid manifests a bubbling chemical reaction that leads to the release of carbon dioxide gas.
When it comes to cleaning, the uses of baking soda are vast and diverse. In the kitchen alone, the product is used to clean kitchen sinks, fruits and vegetables, baby bottles, countertops and cutting boards among others.
The mentioned uses are linked to its ability to deodorize and remove dirt. Items such as baby bottles and cutting boards have the tendency to absorb odors from food substances thereby requiring a cleaning agent that deodorizes without leaving its smell behind.
In regard home cleaning, baking soda combines well with an array of cleaning agents to remove dirt, grime and stains from walls, upholstery, glass surfaces, floor, shower heads and carpets. In addition, it helps clear bad smell that results from pet’s waste.
Lastly, baking soda is used in laundry to clear moth, stains, mildew and other dirt causing agents. It is also used to absorb bad and strong detergent odors from clothes.
What is Bleach?
Bleach is a name for common household agents that are used to disinfect, whiten and brighten clothes and surfaces. They are mainly categorized into chlorine and oxygen or non-chlorine bleach. Generally, most bleach products are powerful and should be used as instructed by the manufacturer.
So, can you Mix Bleach and Baking Soda?
The answer is yes! Beach and baking soda can be mixed without causing any strange reaction. Nonetheless, the former reacts very strangely when mixed with some other home cleaning agents.
For example, a mixture of bleach and ammonia releases toxic gases that are known as chloramines. Similarly, mixing bleach and vinegar leads to the production of highly toxic chlorine gas.
On the contrary, baking soda is much friendlier to other cleaning agents because it does not lead to toxic reactions.
Ideally, a combination of baking soda and bleach offers better cleaning results than using the products separately.
All the same, the paste cannot be used to clean everything. It works best at removing molds and mildew and brightening white clothes.
Personally, I mostly use it to clean white baby stockings and socks. Those that wash these kind of clothes can agree that it is extremely difficult to remove stains. Most of the times, I resolve to this solution because bleach alone does not work.
What is the Ideal Ratio for Mixing Bleach and Baking Soda?
Mix baking soda and bleach in the ratio of 1:1. For example, add one cup of bleach to one cup of baking soda. The amount of product that you use should depend on the size of your laundry or the area that you intend to clean.
These products can be added directly to your load in the laundry machine. You can also use them to presoak clothes in a wash basin or bath tub.
When cleaning molds and walls, apply the paste to the target area and scrub with a brush or an appropriate scrubber until all the dirt is removed.
