Washing soda - 6 applications in the home

Washing soda, also called sodium carbonate, is one of the most important household products, as it can be used for a wide variety of applications. It can replace almost any detergent and therefore must not be used by anyone who plastic free living would like to be missing. The advantages of washing soda are that it is environmentally friendly and therefore better for their own health, and also much cheaper than conventional detergents for cleaning.
Today I want to show you in this article, how you can make great DIYs at home with little effort and materials. This is not only good for the environment, but also for your wallet! 😉 In addition, I will show you the exact difference between washing soda and baking soda at the end of the article, so that you no longer confuse the two miracle products in the future. Let's go!
Here is another short Table of contents for you:

• Ideas for washing soda applications
• The difference of soda and washing soda
• Conclusion

Practical applications for washing soda

1. washing soda against clogged drains

Do you often have problems with the drain in the bathroom or kitchen? Then try the following washing soda application against a clogged drain:
You need:

• 4 tablespoons washing soda (Washing soda you get here)
• Vinegar

Add about 4 spoons of washing soda directly into the drain and pour half a cup of vinegar after it. Now white foam should form. Wait another two minutes so that the resulting solution can be well absorbed. Rinse afterwards with hot water.

2. use washing soda as a dishwashing detergent

Save the world a little bit with the daily dishwashing? No problem with this simple DIY dishwasher detergent.
You need:

• 150 g washing soda (Washing soda you get here)
• 150 g citric acid
• 150 g Baking soda (You can get sodium bicarbonate here)
• Optional: 75 g dishwasher salt (You can get the salt here)

Mix all the ingredients together well and store in a dry place. The optimum amount depends on the number of dishes, the degree of soiling and the water hardness. Try one or two spoonfuls to start with. After a few cycles, you will notice what the optimum amount of dishwasher detergent is for your dishwasher.
Important: Do not use the automatic program, but a program with a maximum temperature of 50 degrees Celsius, because at higher temperatures, the transformation of the citric acid can cause deposits.
If you want more natural dishwashing recipes, check out this article: Make dishwashing liquid yourself - natural & plastic-free

3. washing soda cleaning from grease, lime and dirt

Mix one to two tablespoons of soda with a liter of water and you get a simple solution that can easily remove almost any stain. Simply spray it on the affected area, let it soak in and wipe it off with a cloth or rag. Another cool washing soda application for household cleaning.

4. use washing soda as toilet cleaner

You don't even need a recipe for this great tip. Just put a tablespoon of soda in the toilet, spread it with the brush and let it work for a short time. Urine scale can also be easily removed with soda.
You need:

• 2 tablespoons soda (Soda you get here)
• Vinegar
• Water

Mix water and vinegar in a ratio of 1:1 and dissolve two tablespoons of soda in the solution. This mixture is a simple way to fight urine scale.

5. washing soda to neutralize odors in T-shirts.

If your cotton shirts still release an unpleasant odor after washing, it's time for a solution. Dissolve one tablespoon of soda in five liters of water and wait 30 minutes. Put the dirty laundry in the water and let it soak overnight. After that, the laundry can be washed normally. This tip is mainly for white laundry. With colored laundry you have to be careful not to attack the color. Therefore, it is better to start with less soda (one tablespoon per 10 liters).

6. cleaning upholstery/carpet with washing soda

To clean upholstery and carpet you need liquid soda. Take a cloth and wet it with warm water. Now put a little soda on the cloth and rub it on the affected areas. Repeat the process a few times. After some time the stains should be removed. Positive side effect: Upholstery and carpets smell fresh again after a "soda cleaning". A cool washing soda application in the household, right?

The difference of soda and washing soda

Surely you have also confused it once: soda and Baking soda. They are often confused with each other because they look very similar and have similar applications. So what exactly is the difference?
Soda ash (Na2CO3) is also known as sodium carbonate. It is especially known under the name washing soda or pure soda. Soda (NaHCO3) is also called sodium bicarbonate or far better known - food soda or under the brand name Kaiser soda. Soda and baking soda both have their base on sodium and are, as their scientific name suggests, carbonates. Carbonates are the salts of carbonic acid. The difference between the two agents is the term "hydrogen".

This is the hydrogen component. Sodium bicarbonate is very sensitive to moisture and heat. If it comes into contact with acid, the soda releases carbonic acid. That is why baking soda is also a component of baking powder. Washing soda reacts even more strongly than baking soda and is therefore usually more suitable for cleaning agents. Caution is advised with washing soda. In direct contact, washing soda irritates the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Washing soda is slightly dusty, so you should be especially careful. If you have small children in the household, you should be especially careful. The soda should be kept away from small children at all costs.

Washing soda - The all-purpose weapon

As you can see, the combination of soda and baking soda is perfect for household cleaning and maintenance. Washing soda and baking soda are cheap, environmentally friendly and versatile, which makes the simple means irreplaceable. Now that you know the difference between the two miracle products, you can get started right away with trying the tips above 😉.

If you have any questions about the use of washing soda in the household, suggestions or your own experiences, feel free to write me a comment below this article.

Stay sustainable,

PS: You want more tips and tricks on the subject of baking soda?
Then check out this article: 25 Applications of sodium bicarbonate in the home