When it comes to cleaning, many of us are constantly on the hunt for the next all-around miracle product that is effective and safe, but you might already have it laying around in your kitchen.
Baking soda – or sodium bicarbonate – is a popular ingredient used in baking due to its ability to give pastries and breads a light and fluffy texture.
However, the common kitchen ingredient has also garnered a name for itself over the years as a powerhouse cleaner for different surfaces and messes.
Many have begun opting for baking soda rather than conventional household cleaners with harsh chemicals because of its non-toxic and environmentally friendly properties, as well as its versatility, accessibility and affordability.
Despite being typically used as a household cleaning ingredient, a simple box of baking soda can also help you tackle messes in the office in between cleaning appointments. Here are 3 ways that baking soda can help you keep a clean and healthy workplace environment.
Baking Soda as a Deodorizer
When spending almost 8 hours a day in an air conditioned office space, the last thing that you want is to have an unpleasant odor wafting around.
Whether it’s from the refrigerator in the pantry or the trash cans in the corner, foul smells can really be distracting and can negatively affect your productivity throughout the day. Luckily, baking soda is well-known for being an effective deodorizer.
Compared to commercial air fresheners that simply release fragrance molecules to mask the nasty smells, baking soda actually works to absorb and neutralize these odors. All you need to do is sprinkle a good amount around the offending area and allow the baking soda to work its magic for a while.
If you’re dealing with the smell of spoiled food in the refrigerator, then you can just pour some baking soda in a cup or bowl and leave it inside to deal with it.
Baking Soda as a Way to Soak Up Liquids
Most offices and workplaces have carpeted floors to give the entire place a more professional and productive feel to it, but the downside is that carpeted floors tend to absorb and hold onto any liquid that accidentally falls on it.
You might have gone to get yourself a cup of coffee to get through the hours left in the day, only to have tripped and sent the contents of the cup onto the carpets.
There’s no need to worry about leaving lasting stains because baking soda is a great stain remover, especially for spilled liquids.
Pouring a generous amount of baking soda over the spilled liquid and leaving it for a few hours can be all you need to soak up everything from the carpet material and leave it looking brand new.
Baking Soda as a Stain Remover
If you’re faced with an old but noticeable stain on any other fabric—like the seat of your office chair—a combination of baking soda and white vinegar will get that off right away.
There’s a reason that these two ingredients are often paired together for effective cleaning. When mixed, baking soda and vinegar form carbonic acid, which is something commonly found in household ingredients.
To remove almost any stubborn stain from fabric, just cover the area with a thin layer of baking soda and fill an empty spray bottle with one part white vinegar and one part water before using this to spray the baking soda.
Allow the mixture to react to each other and leave it there for up to an hour or until the material dries. Afterwards, scrub the remaining baking soda off with a brush and use a vacuum cleaner or a dampened cloth to remove this residue.
These are only some of the ways that keeping a box of baking soda around in the office can help keep everything nice and neat, but there’s nothing quite like a professional tidying up by office cleaners.
Luce Office offers a wide range of high quality and affordable cleaning packages and services to accommodate your unique office cleaning needs.
Our professional cleaners are equipped with years of experience and training to handle anything so that your workers stay productive and healthy in a freshly cleaned work environment.
Send us a message to schedule your first cleaning appointment today!