The Wonders of Washing Soda

It wasn’t until I discovered washing soda that I felt I could clean everything in the house using less toxic ingredients.

I stumbled upon washing soda because I needed to peel old wax off a floor. Washing soda worked for this, as it did for cleaning up engine oil, and other tough materials that people generally use solvents.

Washing soda—sodium carbonate—is in the same family as baking soda. It has just been processed differently. It is much more caustic/alkaline, with a pH of 11, and while it doesn’t give off harmful fumes, you do need to wear gloves. It is found in the laundry section of most supermarkets. Arm & Hammer is one brand; Shop and Save has a generic house brand.

Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax or lipstick, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Don’t use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors—unless you intend to remove the wax.

Click here for a washing soda soot remover.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
1 bucket warm water
1/2 cup washing soda

Wash surface, wearing gloves; then rinse.

For really tough jobs, make a thick washing soda paste by mixing it with water, and then spread the paste on the soot. Keep the paste damp by spraying every hour or so with a spray bottle. Leave the paste on overnight, and then rinse. Make certain to only use this formula on inert surfaces such as glass and stone, as this amount of washing soda can peel off paint, wax, etc.

Read more: Home, Non-Toxic Cleaning

By Annie B. Bond

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Danuta W.

1:11AM PST on Jan 22, 2012

thanks for the info

send a green star

Chuck K.

5:40AM PDT on Sep 28, 2010

Many household products can be used as green cleaning implements, such as soda. It is better for the environment that you do use these products. Everyone in their home has eco-friendly toys
that can help both them and their environment.

John D.

4:22PM PDT on Sep 12, 2010

Thank you Janet!!! I live in tempe and have been looking everywhere trying to find the washing soda. All I have found is large boxes of baking soda.

pool service jacksonville

Sushma W.

11:47PM PDT on Apr 2, 2010

Thanks for the info. I have recently bought a packet of washing soda and was wondering how to use it.

Julie M.

2:55PM PST on Feb 25, 2009

Just type in washing soda and you'll find a website where washing soda can be purchased. Also you can find a laundry bar called for in the recipe. I use a recipe I found on the "Duggar" website, "18 kids and Counting" they make their own laundry soap to save money and I have used it and it works just great and isn't harmful to your sewer or appliances.

Nic H.

8:54AM PST on Feb 7, 2009

I use baking soda to neutralize the stinky from ds's cd's when I do the cool pre-rinse prior to the hot wash with the 1/3 amount of free-n-clear liquid detergent-followed by a cool double rinse. Does anyone know of a homemade cd detergent recipe using either baking soda or washing soda?

Michelle R.

7:06AM PST on Jan 5, 2009

Wow, I didn't know about Borax being toxic. The Queen of Clean heavily endorses it and is even on the box! I have been making my own laundry soap for a couple of months and since I can't find washing soda in my area I have been substituting it for Purex 2, which contains both sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate, the latter of which is listed on the box as a bleach alternative. I bought a box for less than $3.00 US. You can find sodium carbonate in the swimming pool supply section of Wal-Mart in a product called PH Plus but at $7.00 US, it is not an option since the whole reason I'm doing this is to save money. Also, in my area, the Hispanic stores carry a bar laundry soap at less than $1.00 US.

Chilli M.

4:22AM PST on Nov 18, 2008

I believe washing soda is the same as soda ash. Can I buy the kind of soda ash that is used to control the ph in a swimming pool? I can't seem to find any other kind. Thanks

Richard P.

10:28AM PDT on Aug 20, 2008

Thank you for your fine information about washing soda. Have a question. There are magic pills advertised on TV that you dump in a pot of hot water and clean the grime from pots and pans.
Can this be duplicated with a mixture of washing soda and borax? It would be a lot cheaper

Annie B.

7:47AM PDT on Aug 8, 2008

HI Tiffani, yes, washing soda is the same as soda ash, and as I mention it IS caustic, but not giving off harmful fumes it is a life saver for heavy-duty-cleaning. Amonia is very caustic, too, and I never recommend it because of the toxic fumes. As I mention, of course wear gloves when working with washing soda.