How to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar for Cleaning

Freshen a stinky drain.

Pour baking soda, salt, and hot vinegar down your drain to break down grease. Mix 1/2 a cup (110g) of baking soda with 1/4 a cup (68g) of salt and dump the mixture down your drain. Heat 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar on the stove until it’s simmering hot, then pour that down the drain. The baking soda will fizz and bubble as it reacts with the vinegar. Wait 15 minutes before flushing your drain with a stream of hot water from your faucet or a tea kettle. Let the hot water run down the drain for at least 5 minutes to rinse away all the vinegar, baking soda, and grime. While this mixture is great for getting rid of odors and minor grease buildups, it won’t fix a clogged drain. Call in a professional or use a commercial drain cleaner if your sink won’t drain.

Lift out carpet stains.

Massage a baking soda and vinegar paste into your carpet to remove stains and odors. If something gets spilled on your carpet, grab a clean, dry towel and blot up as much of the mess as possible. Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar, then rub it into the stained area. Let it dry overnight, then vacuum the dried paste out of the carpet in the morning. If you’re worried about damaging your carpet, try the mixture out in an inconspicuous spot first, like an edge of the carpet that’s normally hidden under a piece of furniture. When you’re blotting up spills on a carpet, don’t rub with the towel—just press down or blot, instead. Rubbing will spread the stain around and damage the fibers.

Freshen your laundry.

Mix baking soda into your detergent, then add vinegar during the rinse cycle. When you start your load of laundry, mix about 1/2 a cup (110g) of baking soda into your favorite liquid laundry detergent. The baking soda will make the detergent more powerful and help neutralize odors. During the rinse cycle, open your washing machine and pour in 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar to kill odor-causing bacteria and soften your clothes. Never mix vinegar with bleach! The combination will create highly toxic chlorine gas.

Scrub dirty dishes or counters.

Make a paste by sprinkling baking soda on a surface and spritzing on vinegar. A baking soda and vinegar paste is abrasive and can rub away stuck-on grime. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the surface you want to clean (such as a grimy pot or dirty stovetop), then spritz on just a little bit of vinegar from a spray bottle. Grab a scrub brush or sponge and scrub hard to break down stubborn dirt and residue. When you’re done, rinse the surface with warm water. The foaming action you get when you mix the baking soda and vinegar may help trap and lift away dirt and grime. Don’t use enough vinegar to dissolve the baking soda completely, or you won’t get the benefits of its scrubby texture. Just use a light spritz or a few drops to make a gritty, foamy paste. Add a few drops of lemon juice instead of or in addition to vinegar for a fresh, citrusy scent.

Remove hard water stains.

Soak hard water stains with vinegar and follow up with a baking soda scrub. Spray white vinegar on your sink, shower door, or any other surface where you have a buildup of mineral deposits or soap scum. Let it soak for a few hours or overnight to let the vinegar work. Then, make a paste of baking soda and a few drops of water and use it to scrub away the gunk. Rinse the whole area with clean water. Scrub the area with a brush or gentle scouring pad. You can also use an old toothbrush to get into nooks and cranies or clean out the grout between tiles. Wipe the area dry with a clean, lint-free towel so you don’t end up with more hard water deposits.

Get rid of coffee stains on mugs.

Scrub the mug with baking soda, then follow up with a vinegar soak. Baking soda is great for breaking down coffee stains, and vinegar can help bust stubborn residue. If your favorite mug or carafe is starting to look a little gross, whip up a paste of baking soda and little bit of warm water. Put the concoction on a damp kitchen sponge and use it to gently scrub away the stains. If that doesn’t take care of the stains, fill the mug with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part hot, white vinegar, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, wash it with dish soap and a scrubby sponge. If none of that works, fill your mug with water and toss in a denture cleaning tablet. Follow the instructions on the denture cleaner to figure out how long to let the mixture soak. These tablets are made with (you guessed it!) baking soda, plus some extra ingredients, like citric acid and bleaching agents, to help break down stubborn stains.

Break down grime on grill grates.

Make a vinegar and baking soda paste to scrub away baked on grease and grime. Soak your gross grill grate in a bucket of hot, soapy water for at least 30 minutes. Then, mix up some baking soda and just enough white vinegar to make an abrasive paste. Scrub any stubborn spots with a grill brush or kitchen scrubber. Wash the grill again in a bucket of fresh, soapy water, then wipe it dry with a clean microfiber towel. You can also use baking soda and vinegar separately to clean your grill. For example: Use baking soda by itself or mixed with a small amount water for an abrasive scrub. Or, spritz your grill with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white vinegar, then let it sit for 10 minutes. Scrub or wipe it down with a gentle scouring pad or scrub brush, then rinse it when you’re done.

Neutralize gross fridge odors.

Scrub your fridge with a baking soda paste, then wipe the shelves with vinegar. Empty your fridge, then mix together enough baking soda and warm water to make a scrubby paste. Put the mixture on a sponge or scouring pad and scrub away any gunk and grime. Mix one part white vinegar with one part warm water and wipe the inside of the fridge down to kill any lingering odor-causing bacteria. You can also leave an open container of baking soda in your fridge to soak up bad smells. However, keep in mind that activated charcoal may be a more effective odor-eater!

Clean out a grimy oven.

Let a baking soda paste sit in your oven overnight and follow up with a vinegar rinse. Take out your oven racks, thermometer, and any other removable parts. Then, mix 1/2 a cup (110g) of baking soda with about 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of water. Put on some gloves and spread the paste all over the inside of your oven, except on the heating elements. Let the paste sit overnight to break down grime, then wipe it away the next day with a damp cloth. Spray any areas that are still gunky with some white vinegar in a spray bottle, then do a second wipe-down with a damp cloth or sponge. You might need to repeat the vinegar spray and wipe process a few times to break down all the remaining baking soda and greasy residue. While you’re waiting for the baking soda paste to do its work, wash your oven racks by soaking them overnight in warm water and dish soap, then wiping them clean the next day.

Brighten up dirty white shoes.

Scrub dirt out of leather or canvas shoes with a mixture of vinegar, baking soda, and water. Combine 1 tablespoon (14g) of baking soda with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of white vinegar and 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Dip an old toothbrush into the mixture and use it to gently buff away dirt and stains until your white shoes look bright and brand new again! As a bonus, the vinegar will help break down bacteria and leave your shoes smelling a little fresher!