Five Items You Should Never Clean with Baking Soda

Baking soda is praised for being the miracle cleaning agent. It’s cheap, natural and effective for everything from scrubbing your sinks to deodorising carpets. But did you know that there are a few things that even it is not compatible with? Despite its many uses, baking soda can actually be quite damaging to certain materials and surfaces. Its natural but mildly abrasive nature, although superb for tackling grime, can end up scratching delicate finishes or even cause wear /discolouration to certain components. Knowing when not to use it, is just as important as knowing when to use it.

This article will highlight 5 common household items that should be kept far away from your stash of baking soda. Whether you’re doing a simple tidy up or preparing for a more comprehensive and thorough expert end of lease cleaning Wollongong, understanding these limitations can help save you from some really costly repairs or lost security deposits. Now, let’s dive into it and learn what should not come in contact with baking soda.

1. Don’t Use Baking Soda on Any Glass Surface

It’s easy to assume that a bit of gentle scrubbing using baking soda on glass surfaces is a good cleaning measure, but when you do so, you’ll realise just how wrong that assumption was. Baking soda has a natural abrasiveness to it, and when used on delicate surfaces like glass (oven doors, stovetop panels or windows), it can cause fine scratches and dull their appearance over time. These scratches might not be visible to you right away, but they build up and eventually cloud the clarity of the glass.

For instance, modern glass cooktops are designed to be sleek and smooth and scratching them will only result in dulling their appearance and impacting its performance. If you need to clean glass, do so with a soft cloth and a non abrasive cleaner that is specially designed for cleaning glass.

2. Baking Soda Can Damage Aluminium

Aluminium by nature is a very reactive metal, and although baking soda won’t eat through it like an acid would, it can still trigger an unwanted chemical reaction in it. In this reaction, aluminium gets oxidised fast, leading it to develop dark spots or a dull cloudy appearance. Over time, the surface will end up losing its natural shine and even begin to pit in some cases.

If you’ve spent money on quality aluminium pans or utensils, its best to steer clear of baking soda as a cleaning agent. Instead you can opt for warm water, mild dish soap or even non abrasive sponges. This is especially important to take note of when carrying out tasks involving budget end of lease cleaning Wollongong, as here landlords inspect the kitchen very thoroughly. And if they find flaws in the cleanliness, it could cost you.

3. Don’t Clean Wooden Surfaces with Baking Soda

Baking soda is alkaline in nature making it great for removing odours, but when it comes to wood, that benefit is outweighed by the damage it can cause it. Wood is a very porous material that can absorb the fine particles of baking soda, altering its surface texture and staining it. Also, if the wood happens to be sealed with polish or lacquer, baking soda can break down that finish and make the surface look uneven and cloudy.

Timber flooring is particularly vulnerable when it comes to DIY cleaning. If you use the wrong cleaner it can lift the protective coatings and lead you to carry out some really expensive restoration work. When you’re cleaning wooden surfaces, it is safer to use products that are specifically formulated for wood care and cleaning.

4. Avoid Using Baking Soda on Marble and Natural Stone

Yes, marble countertops are beautiful and elegant to look at, but they are also extremely sensitive to household cleaners. Even though baking soda is gentler than most commercial cleaners you can find in the market, it’s still too aggressive for natural stone surfaces. With repeated usage the stone may get dull, lose it natural brilliance and leave behind a chalky residue that is difficult to get rid of.

Because marble and other stones like travertine or limestone are made of calcium, they react very easily to alkaline substances. This reaction can lead to permanent surface damage, which might not be fixable without professional interventions. If your home contains any of these materials and you’re preparing for a thorough end of lease cleaning in Wollongong, you’d better be cautious. Only make use of cleaners that are pH neutral, and only use soft cloths to clean and maintain their natural beauty.

5. Baking Soda Can Damage Gold Plated Items and Antiques

Whenever any gold plating is done, it is generally kept very thin, often just a few microns thick. Using baking soda on such surfaces may not seem harsh at first, but the fine abrasiveness can wear down the plating pretty quickly, especially if you’re scrubbing it rather than gently wiping at it. Once the gold layer wears off, you are simply left with a dull looking and uneven base metal.

Antique items, whether decorative or functional, can also be damaged when they come into contact with baking soda. Most antiques have delicate patinas or finishes that contribute to their value and appearance, and using baking soda on them can strip them of it. This could dramatically reduce their aesthetic as well as their resale value. So, before you go ahead and clean any antiques, always research the proper cleaning methods for them to avoid accidental damages.

Infographic: Don’t Ever Clean These 5 Items with Baking Soda

Wrapping Up

There’s no denying that baking soda is a very versatile cleaning agent, but like everything else in this world, it’s not universally compatible. When used on the wrong materials, more harm than good will be done. So be mindful and stay informed about where to and where not to use it. Good luck and Happy Cleaning!