Bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar

[Spidey66]

i keep hearing it’s great for cleaning. How do you use it? I bought some from Poundland together with white vinegar and a spray bottle. I put some together, gave the bottle a little shake and it went mad. Obviously that’s not how you use it

so how do you use it? Separate obviously, but how and for what? And how does your house not smell like a chippy if you’re using white vinegar? Do you add zoflora to it?

No, they effectively cancel each other out. The only good thing is for down plugholes, the bubbles and foaming that you saw can physically dislodge grime in a small space, but other than that no real use.

They have other benefits separately though.

I use bicarb of soda with washing up liquid for stain removal on clothes, white vinegar with water for cleaning glass, but together is only for cleaning a blocked plughole I think.

Please dont add Zoflora to anything else, mixing chemicals can be dangerous.
White vinegar in a spray bottle with water and a bit of dish soap makes a good cleaner.
Bi carb and vinegar is only really good for plug holes. Give it a good flush with boiling water after

I use diluted vinegar for cleaning limescale and instead of fabric softener. Rinse off and there is no smell. Artificial fragrances are not welcome in my house so no Zoflora here.

Bicarb I mix into a paste and use for scrubbing things.

Why did you mix them? One is acidic and the other alkaline, and the bubbles were carbon dioxide.
Don't use chemicals if you haven't a clue what you are doing.

Why use natural products mixed with a nasty chemical?

Use the Zoflora for disinfecting, not cleaning, and follow the instructions on the pack. It is nasty stuff.

Ahh thank you. My mad moment has definitely taught me a thing or two!!!

I get that adding chemicals together isn’t great but white vinegar isn’t exactly a chemical, which was why I thought adding zoflora to it (in part for the better smell!) would be ok.

I admit I’m rubbish at this Ive definitely learnt my lesson!

Every days a school day.

God no, don't add zoflora to anything as pp have said.

Zoflora is pretty toxic stuff whereas white vinegar and bicarb are very non toxic don't undo all your good intentions by using zoflora!

I've used plain white vinegar diluted in water as a surface, window and floor cleaner for about 10 years. Wouldn't use anything else for those jobs now. Also use it to give the dishwasher and washing machine and deep clean (good for descaling them).

I only really use bicarb for deodorising, carpets and rugs. Leave it on to soak up the spill, then hoover up.

I swear by citric acid as a kettle descaler and toilet limescale remover.

I use bicarb of soda OR citric acid and aluminum foil - scrunched up into a little loose ball - to clean the glass inside my oven. It works wonders.

21 ways to clean with bicarbonate of soda - Good Housekeeping#57 Ways to Use White Vinegar for Cleaning

but white vinegar isn’t exactly a chemical It is exactly a chemical. It's a solution of acetic acid.

Please don’t beat yourself up! You’re not the only person to misunderstand what a chemical is. I’ve lost count of the amount of time. I’ve heard Mumsnetters talk about how they avoid chemicals in their beauty products, etc. it’s not (really) possible to avoid chemicals.

here is a basic Google AI definition of a chemical.

“A chemical is any basic substance that has a defined composition and is made of atoms or molecules. In science, everything made of matter—including water, air, food, plants, and the human body—is composed of chemicals.”

I've used them together to make a volcano for a school project

But, like you @Spidey66 , I 've heard people using them in their cleaning routine and have never been sure how to / what to use them for either.

You are not alone!

How to Clean With Citric Acid Safely and Efficiently
Citric acid is the acid in lemon juice. It is in powder or crystal form and you dilute it.

Water is a chemical.

I tipped a pot of bicarbonate of soda down the kitchen sink plug hole then poured white vinegar down. Left it for 30 mins then rinsed with boiling water. Don’t know what it did but I enjoyed watching it fizz 😬

What would work to get rid of limescale on taps-is that vinegar?

Washing-up liquid in hot water is a good cleaning product. Don't use a lot of the WUL, and wring the cloth. Wipe afterwards with a damp clean cloth.

Any detergent (washing powder, WUL, floor cleaner, shampoos, shower gels and handwashes containing SLS etc) are really bad for the environment.

@Shinyandnew1 , citric acid, or you could try neat vinegar (malt will do). Put it in a small poly bag and use an elastic band or something to keep it in place then after 10mins remove the bag and rinse the tap.

I've just used bicarb + bleach + Fairy liquid, added boiling water and scrubbed the patio stones with it. All ten of them which are like stepping stones out to the back gate and were manky! Left it on for half an hour and watered it off. Came up very good in the sunshine we're having here today. Well, a big improvement on what they looked like before!

It is Not dangerous to mix white vinegar, baking soda, and dishwashing liquid together. Combining them will not create any toxic fumes, health hazards, or dangerous chemical reactions🤣

I admit I only took biology up to o’level (yes I’m old!) and I failed that, so my knowledge of chemicals can fit on the back of a postage stamp (and an old one at that!).

I just hear of people using stuff like bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar as an alternative, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than Flash etc so as it’s a quiet Sunday and I was in the mood for cleaning out my kitchen cupboards I thought I’d give them a shot.

i should have done my research first

my cupboards are clean and tidy though. Mind you my husband’s moaning. He likes cup a soups for lunch and had about 3-4 open. I took them all out and have put the sachets into a Tupperware box and now he’s moaning he doesn’t know what flavours they are even though it’s written on the sachets. There was also half used boxes of stock cubes everywhere. I got two small Tupperware boxes, labelled one ‘chicken stock’ and one ‘beef stock’ and he’s moaning about that. Serves him right for falling asleep in front of a James Bond film lol.

Nancy Birtwhistle is your woman for natural cleaning recipes. Also, baking recipes.
OP, fresh lemons are a good natural cleanser for anything that needs de-greasing or freshening like the microwave. They make the kitchen smell lovely too.

I bought rubbing alcohol on Nancys say so, it's fucking incredible. Took an ink stain out of dd's best top.

@Maisymouse2 ,washing-up liquid is toxic, and mixing the bicarb and vinegar will release gas, so might burst a full bottle.

We should all be dead so, given all the dishes washed with W.U.L. every day, then eaten from.

Every day is a school day op, sounds like we’d muck in well together, I went into a very quiet hardware shop and asked for white vinegar and the smallest they had was a huge drum! I felt bad at how happy the guy seemed to sell anything so paid the twenty quid and it’s now sitting in the shed🙈

leperol

I could once taste washing up liquid off the food I was eating obviously from the plate which was especially clean!! Disgusting!!! But yes I lived!!!!