14 Soda Crystals Uses Around The Home For A Natural Clean
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Here are my top soda crystals uses around the home to help you tackle everyday cleaning jobs the eco-friendly way.
Soda crystals are one of my go-to green multi-tasking products. They’re simple, affordable, and powerful – especially when it comes to cutting through grease and grime without relying on harsh chemicals.
As such, I’ve always got a bag to hand – I keep them in my eco-friendly cleaning kit, which I use to make my DIY natural cleaning products.Â
If you’ve bought a bag of this green cleaning product and are wondering how to use it up, or if you’re curious about how to use soda crystals, then let me help. Here are 14 of the many practical ways I use soda crystals in my home.
I’ve covered all my top cleaning tips – including how to use soda crystals for everything from laundry and drains to ovens and floors, along with a few tips to help you get the best results.
14 Clever Soda Crystals Uses Around the Home
One of the main reasons I love soda crystals is just how versatile and effective they are. They are commonly used for cleaning grease, softening water in laundry, unblocking drains, and freshening appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. Their natural alkalinity makes them especially effective on oily and stubborn grime.
Ready to get cleaning? Here are my favourite ways to use them:
How To Clean Your Washing Machine Naturally
Soda crystals are fantastic at giving your washing machine a good clean. Once a month, simply place roughly 150 grams in the drum and run an empty 90°C wash (or the hottest your machine will go). Then sit back and relax, and let them get to work without having to lift a finger!
They work by dissolving soap build-up and hard water deposits. This helps prolong the life of your machine and leaves clothes feeling fresher.
Want to know more? Try my in-depth guide on how to clean a washing machine.
How To Naturally Clean Your Sink & Drains
Got a slow-draining kitchen sink? Never fear, another great use for soda crystals is as a natural sink and drain cleaner.
Simply pour a cup of soda crystals down your sink or drain, then carefully pour a kettle full of boiled water. This will remove any fat or grease deposits, making your drain smell sweeter. It will also allow the water to drain away faster.
Check out my full guide on how to naturally unblock a drain for the full how-to.
How To Use Soda Crystals To Soften Your Water
If you live in a hard water area, then try putting a spoonful of soda crystals in with every laundry load, alongside your regular detergent. This helps soften the water, prolonging the life of your machine. It also has the added benefit of improving the cleaning effectiveness of your usual laundry detergent.
How To Clean Wood-Burning Stove Glass The Non-Toxic Way
If the glass of your wood-burning stove is quite sooty, then soda crystals will take care of that. All you need to do is dissolve a quarter cup of soda crystals in a litre of hot water. Saturate a cloth with the solution and use it to clean the soot off the glass. Clean glass in no time!
How To Clean Greasy Kitchen Surfaces Naturally
Greasy cooker hood? Greasy tiles? Fear not. Dissolve one part soda crystals in three parts water. Pop on some rubber gloves, wet a cloth with the solution, and the grease will wipe off with ease.
And if you have food splatters on your hob, you can sprinkle a little bit of soda crystals on it, and then wipe it with a damp cloth. The splatters should wipe away with ease.
How To Clean An Extractor Fan Filter Naturally
Is your extractor fan filter full of grease? I used to dread this job, but soda crystals really do make it easier without too much elbow grease!
All you need to do is dissolve two large spoons of crystals and three large spoons of laundry detergent in hot water. Pop your extractor fan filters in to soak for around 20 minutes before giving it a light scrub. They should come up clean with minimal effort!
How To Clean A Toilet With Soda Crystals
Soda crystals make a good bleach alternative for cleaning stained toilets. Try combining equal parts crystals and water. Then pour your solution down the toilet and leave for 15 – 30 minutes before giving it a good scrub with your toilet brush.
How To Use Soda Crystals To Remove Stains From Clothes
Stained clothes? Remove stains the natural way by adding one cup of soda crystals to a pint of hot water. Next, pre-soak your clothes for an hour before washing them as normal.
This solution is especially good at naturally removing stains such as tea, coffee, blood, oil, grease, and ink from clothes.
Want to go deeper? I also have heaps more natural stain removal tips this way.
How To Remove Tea And Coffee Stains From Mugs Naturally
You know those pesky stains you get in the bottom of mugs? To remove these tea stains from cups, add half a teaspoon of soda crystals per mug and fill with boiling water. Leave to soak until cool, and then rinse and wash as normal. The stains should wash out easily.
How To Clean Burnt Pots, Pans & Baking Trays With Soda Crystals
If your pots have burnt-on food that just won’t budge, then add a quarter cup of soda crystals and fill the pan with boiling water. Leave to soak overnight and clean as normal.
The food should shift quite easily with very little scrubbing. Avoid using this solution on any aluminium pans or bakeware, though, as they can damage the surface.
How To Clean Oven Racks Without Harsh Chemicals
If your oven racks are looking a bit crusty, then soda crystals can help get them clean and shiny again.
Simply run a shallow amount of hot water into your bathtub, and add a cup of soda crystals. Pop your oven racks and grill tray in the solution, and leave them for 30 minutes. Then give them a quick scrub, and they should come up lovely and clean without too much hard work!
See my full guide to homemade oven cleaner for more tips and tricks.
How To Reduce Your Use Of Laundry Detergent
Laundry detergent tends to be much pricier than soda crystals. For a really thrifty take on laundry, you can use soda crystals to reduce the amount of detergent you use by half, without impacting on performance.
To reduce your laundry costs, use a ratio of 50% detergent and 50% soda crystals in the drawer for really clean and fresh-smelling clothes.
How To Clean Solid Floors Naturally
For an eco-friendly solid floor cleaner for everyday tiles, vinyl, and sealed surfaces, simply add 1 tablespoon of soda crystals to a mop bucket of hot water. Swirl with the mop to mix, and then wash your floors as usual – just avoid using it on laminate, wood, or stone floors.
How To Remove Crayon Marks From Walls With Soda Crystals
Finally, if your kids have got a little too creative and got crayon on the walls, then you don’t need to redecorate!
Simply add equal parts water and soda crystals and mix to form a paste. You can then use this paste to scrub the crayon mark off the wall.Â
An important word of warning, though – don’t use this paste on wallpapered walls. It’s also advisable to spot test on a hidden part of your wall (maybe behind some furniture). This is because the crystals can remove some of the paint on brightly coloured walls.
Where To Buy Soda Crystals
If I’ve been able to convince you to give them a go, your next question might be where you can find soda crystals.
Soda crystals are widely available in supermarkets – find them in the laundry aisle. Failing that, hardware shops often stock them in the cleaning section. They’re usually very affordable – generally under £2 for a 1 kg bag.
If you can’t find any locally, take a look at my guide to where to buy soda crystals for the best online options.
What Are Soda Crystals?
After all of this, you might be wondering just what soda crystals are. Sometimes known as washing soda, soda crystals are made from sodium carbonate, a simple mineral salt with no added ingredients.
What makes it so effective at cleaning is that soda crystals are alkaline. In everyday terms, that means they’re particularly good at breaking down grease, oil, and fatty residues, which is what you want when you’re doing the laundry and cleaning your kitchen.
They contain no toxic ingredients, which is why they are favoured in green cleaning recipes. They’re also biodegradable, free from synthetic fragrances, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and suitable for septic tanks.
What’s more, because of their simple ingredients, soda crystals are much less likely to cause an allergic reaction, compared to perfumed or enzyme-based products.
A quick word of warning. Many people think soda crystals are the same as borax, but they’re not the same. They have different chemical compositions, which means they work in different ways. Soda crystals are particularly effective at cutting through grease, while borax tends to be better for lifting stains and tackling odours.
Soda Crystals Safety Guide
Soda crystals may be a natural product, but they’re still a chemical, so it’s worth using them with care.
They can irritate skin in strong solutions, so I would always recommend wearing gloves for heavier cleaning jobs. It’s also best to avoid using them on aluminium or lacquered surfaces, as they can damage these types of surfaces.
Finally, I would advise against mixing soda crystals with vinegar. Whilst not a safety concern, much like mixing baking soda and vinegar, mixing the two creates a weak salt water solution that isn’t very good at cleaning anything.
More Green Cleaning Resources
Once you start using soda crystals regularly, you might start to look at what other cleaning products you can replace with natural alternatives.
If you decide to look at what else you can swap, then I’ve got loads more green cleaning tips to help you out:
- Try my post uses for borax for top tips on how to use this natural cleaning product.
- Here’s my big guide on how to clean with bicarbonate of soda.
- And try my big guide on cleaning with white vinegar.
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Does anybody have any recommendations on where I can buy soda crystals in a cardboard box? I currently buy them from tescos but they come in a plastic bag.
Thanks in advance
Hi Melissa – Big Green Smile do some in cardboard box – here’s the link!
I pour mine into an vanish pot stores really well, don’t use vanish now just the pot
Soda crystals are great BUT i tried on my hob…some lazy flatmates hadn’t cleaned it and tbh it left greasy smears that I needed to then use a cleaner on. A lot of residue with soda so I’d not use it on the hob again. However its great in the loo and fab on a stainless steel sink!
I have always worked with older people, and my best tips have always come from old ladies – including my must have, all purpose spray.
I use it for all kinds of things: as a surface spray, on walls, as a toilet and bathroom cleaner, as a pre wash stain remover in the laundry, on garden furniture, even on our camper van after it has sat on the drive all winter. It brings everything up really clean and shiny.
Get a small (500ml or similar) spray bottle
Pour in 1 tbsp. washing up liquid
Add 3 tbsp. washing soda
Top up with water and swirl around to mix then it’s ready to use
I’ll try that for my bathroom tiles! anything to sot me using Cillit Bang!
Cleaning carpet by hand use some soda crystal in the carpet shampoo mixture -it cleans a treat. I just started this combination, beige carpet, cant believe how ingrained dirt has disappeared. May need to repeat two or three time when first starting to tackle the heavy dirty carpet.
I have used soda crystals to clean a grey non metal sink and it has left white residue. I wipe it and it goes but then comes back again. How can i get rid of it please
Hi Sisan, I would try wiping down with white vinegar a couple of times!
My dog had a accident on my carpet I’ve been looking for natural remedies to clean and remove the smell of urine as disinfectants off the shelf just seem to mask it and it returns when it’s dry. Can you offer me some tips please
I would mix one part water with one part vinegar and pour on to the problem spot. Not too much, just enough to moisten the area. It will smell of vinegar but vinegar is odourless when dry so don’t worry! Once dry, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda on the spot, leave for around half an hour and then hoover up. Good luck!
Regarding using soda crystals (also known as soda ash) to clean the glass of a wood stove. An even cheaper method is to take a damp cloth, dip it in the wood ash and use that. You’re basically making your own soda crystals.
I would never use soda crystals on my skin as its effect would be to degrease the skin. Not something you really want to do. Although I guess it depends on the concentration of the soda crystals.
Thanks for a very helpful article.
I want to descale my nespresso coffee machine. Do you know whether I can run through with soda crystals in some water?
I’m not too sure Maryanne I’m afraid. It might be worth contacting the manufacturer to see what they say?
Hi – manufacturer here :-). No – you need an acid for descaling. Citric acid is best, but white vinegar is also good. Make sure it’s pure white vinegar (like Dri-Pak white vinegar) and not a ‘white vinegar cleaner’ that may have other added ingredients that can taint the flavour. More tips at http://www.dri-pak.co.uk
Are soda crystals the same thing as washing soda?
Yes!
Could you please tell me if soda crystals would remove moss on our garden slabs
I seem to remember reading this on the packet but doesn’t seem to be printed on now
I remember reading this too. I would try sprinkling the soda crystals on the moss, leaving overnight, and then rinsing away the next day. Keep any pets or children away from the soda crystals whilst the soda crystals are on the moss though.
Defo works for cleaning paths and patios. Just sprinkle on and leave – if it doesn’t rain (or the air is very dry) after a couple of days – give a light spray with water – don’t wash away!!
I think Charlotte is definitely getting the two mixed up. Thanks for the tips, however citric acid is much better for cleaning a dishwasher than Soda Crystals.
Soda is brilliant! Have you ever tried soda for personal hygiene? I’ve been told you can use it to clean your hair, mixed with some water and rubbed in, cleaning teeth and even as deodorant! Beth Terry (My Plastic Free Life) has tried it for these uses..not sure I’m tempted, but maybe one day!
I’ve not tried it for those uses, but I’m wondering if you are maybe thinking of bicarbonate of soda, as soda crystals can be quite caustic on the skin? The similar names do get confusing!
So what’s the difference? Why would you use soda crystals over sodium bicarb? They seem to be used for basically the same cleaning purposes.
Bicarbonate of soda has more of a deodorising property, and is a good gentle abrasive, which is why you find it in things like toothpaste. Soda crystals is in the same family as bicarbonate of soda, but is much more alkaline and caustic so has much much better grease cutting/cleaning properties, but you would definitely not want it in your toothpaste! So, for example, you could add bicarbonate of soda to your laundry to neutralise bad odours it wouldn’t actually clean your clothes. Whereas you could clean your clothes with a weak soda crystals solution. I’ll do a post soon on uses for bicarbonate of soda.
If using soda crystals to soften laundry water, would you place them in the washing machine drum or drawer?
I normally pop soda crystals in the laundry powder drawer, Joyce, but it would be totally fine to pop it directly into the drum.
They are completely different products. Soda crystals aka washing soda aka Sodium Carbonate and DEFINITELY NOT for personal or food use!
Bicarbonate of soda aka Baking soda(USA) used in food and hygiene products eg toothpaste.
Indeed Xiao, I’ve used soda crystals dissolved in water to prevent or defeat an infection. On advice of my doctor, too. It worked wonders! However, soda is abrasive, I would never use it as a toothpaste!