A TikToker shared her top tip for dealing with stubborn dish stains, and the solution might be right under your nose.
The scoop
Homesteader Sam (@barefootfarm_) had some tough stains to take care of while she was washing dishes.
"In case your grandma didn't tell you, boiling baking soda in your enameled Dutch ovens makes the stains wipe right off," Sam wrote in the video caption. "It works so good!"
@barefootfarm_ It works so good! #lifehack #cookinghack #farmlife #sahm ♬ Bake & Shake - ZayZonic
Other homemakers have used baking soda in a variety of cleaning scenarios, including unclogging drains, scrubbing stainless steel, removing grout, cleaning countertops, and a bunch of other uses.
Just be cautious about combining it with vinegar, as this neutralizes both baking soda and vinegar, leaving a salty residue on whatever you're trying to clean in the process.
How it's helping
Since baking soda is chemically basic, it's able to neutralize acidic stains, helping them lift from the surface of pans. Its abrasive texture also helps to release persistent marks.
Baking soda is much cheaper than commercial cleaners, which often contain volatile organic compounds. These VOCs can pose health risks to users, ranging from mild irritation to organ damage.
Baking soda is better for the environment downstream. Cleaning products often contain phosphates, which, when flushed out into bodies of water, feed algal blooms. These consume much of the oxygen in the water, suffocating other life in a process called eutrophication.
Using natural cleaners helps avoid these potential health and environmental risks while also saving you a few bucks at the store.
What everyone's saying
Sam's TikTok followers were duly impressed by the quick and easy tip for cleaning enamel cookware.
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From a barista 💸 "I couldn't believe how beautifully it worked on my pot," wrote one community member.
Another replied, "Girl. Say what. My sourdough Dutch oven is a hot mess. Gonna try this."
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