7 Common Household Items You Should NEVER Clean With Baking Soda
I am the first person to sing the praises of baking soda as a cleaning product. It is cheap and effective and feels like a magic eraser for most messes in the house. I used to sprinkle it on absolutely everything until I learned the hard way that it is actually a mild abrasive. It is basically like rubbing sand on your surfaces as it cleans. While it is great for scrubbing a grimy sink, there are certain delicate items that just cannot handle the grit.
Aluminum Pots And Pans
We all want our cookware to shine, but you have to be careful with aluminum. I remember trying to scrub a burnt spot off my favorite pot with baking soda and watching the metal turn a weird dark color. It causes a chemical reaction called oxidation which leaves the aluminum looking brown or gray. It does not necessarily ruin the pan's ability to cook food, but it definitely ruins the look of it. Stick to regular dish soap here.
Antique Silver Pieces
You have probably seen those viral videos where people boil silver with baking soda and foil to remove tarnish instantly. While it works, it is often too harsh for valuable antiques. The abrasive nature of the soda can strip away the beautiful patina that gives the piece its character and depth. If the silver is plated rather than solid, you risk scrubbing the silver layer right off and revealing the base metal underneath. It is safer to use a professional polish.
Gold Plated Serving Ware
Gold is a naturally soft metal that scratches very easily. Most gold decor items in our homes are actually gold plated, which means there is only a tiny thin layer of gold over a different metal. If you scrub this with a baking soda paste, you are essentially taking sandpaper to that thin layer. You can easily scrub the gold finish right off in just a few minutes. A little bit of gentle soap and a microfiber cloth is all you need.
Marble Countertops
It is tempting to use natural cleaners on your stone counters, but marble is surprisingly sensitive. Baking soda is an abrasive salt and using it on marble can cause tiny scratches in the sealant. Over time, this damages the protective layer that keeps the stone safe. Once that sealant is worn down your beautiful counters become vulnerable to staining from wine or lemon juice. It can also make the shiny surface look dull and cloudy, so stick to stone specific cleaners.
Wood Furniture And Floors
I strongly advise keeping baking soda far away from your wood surfaces. The chemical properties of the soda can actually soften and eat away at the varnish or sealant that protects the wood. On top of that, the powder is incredibly difficult to remove from the grain. You end up with a white dusty residue stuck in the texture of the wood that makes your floors look permanently dirty. It is better to use products that nourish the wood rather than dry it out.
Glass Surfaces And Mirrors
Because baking soda is a crystal powder it creates micro scratches when you rub it against glass. You might not see the damage immediately, but over time your windows and mirrors will start to look foggy and frosted. It ruins that crystal clear reflection you want from your glass. It is also a pain to rinse off and tends to leave a streaky white film behind. Vinegar and water is a much better natural alternative for getting glass sparkling clean without the damage.
Ceramic Stove Tops
This one is tricky because baking soda is often recommended for clearing burnt food, but you have to be gentle. If you scrub too vigorously with baking soda, you can leave microscopic scratches on the glass surface of your stove. Those tiny scratches can trap grease and food later making the stove even harder to keep clean in the long run. I find that a razor scraper and a cream cleaner designed for cooktops is a much safer bet for your appliance.
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It is easy to get carried away when you find a cleaning trick that works on ninety percent of your house. Baking soda definitely deserves its spot in the cleaning hall of fame, but it is not perfect for every situation. Knowing where to draw the line saves you from accidentally ruining the things you love. I hope this list saves you a little heartbreak and helps keep your home safe.
Bliss Donahue-Power
