Baking soda, black soap or even essential oils surely no longer hold any secrets for you when it comes to home maintenance. But what about soda crystals? You may have come across them in the cleaning products section without knowing what they were. So you don’t know everything that can be done with this powerful, multi-purpose and very effective ecological degreaser, disinfectant and cleaner. When we know how to use it, we are sure: they deserve their name of crystals as their usefulness quickly becomes precious to us against everyday dirt. Here’s what you need to know about this grandmother’s miracle product and its best uses.
Some precautions for use:
– This versatile product has nothing to do with caustic soda which is much more dangerous… Never confuse them!
– Contact with skin and eyes should be avoided (wearing gloves is recommended). Needless to say, ingestion is a bad idea and you should be careful not to leave any within reach of children.
– Crystals do not mix well with fragile fabrics, aluminum and waxed or painted surfaces. On the other hand, they are great on plastic to remove yellowing and degrease it!
Uses of this eco-friendly cleaning product:
1) Save a burnt pot or pan
Sprinkle the bottom of the pans to be treated with the crystals and cover with hot water. Leave for a few hours (six at most) before rinsing and cleaning with your dishwashing liquid. Burnt stains will come away effortlessly!
2) Unblock a sink or pipe
Fill half a glass with these crystals and pour this into the sink. Then pour very hot water on top! You can also combine it with white vinegar: place a handful mixed with a glass of white vinegar at the bottom of the sink and leave to act for half an hour before rinsing with boiling water. A blow with a suction cup can then possibly finish the job.
3) Wash more efficiently in the dishwasher
The crystals fight against limescale which clogs the machine and makes your usual product more effective. Just add a tablespoon to the compartment where you already put the cleaner. And of course, you can also put some in your dishwasher pods!
4) Find impeccable tile joints
Make a mixture of 60 cl of water and 125 g of crystals. Take an old toothbrush and soak it in product before scrubbing your joints.
5) Shine the glasses
Add one to two spoons of soda to a liter of hot water and pour it into the glasses. After a few minutes, you will be able to empty the glasses and notice their newfound shine.
6) Remove wallpaper
Prepare a hot water solution in which you dilute 3 tablespoons of soda crystals. All you have to do is moisten the wallpaper and remove it! You can also use this degreaser cleaner to wash the walls before painting them.
7) Maintain laundry
As explained earlier, delicate laundry (wool, silk, etc.) should never be treated with soda crystals, but for less delicate textiles, you can consider making a detergent based on soda crystals. Our favorite use is to add a handful of crystals to the drum when laundry is very dirty!