Baking soda is an incredibly popular cupboard staple, which is reflected in its global market size of a jaw-dropping $1676.6 million, per Market Watch. While it is often used for cooking, this gem of a product can actually help clean your home and improve the smell of your bathroom essentials. In particular, your favorite bath mat. If you’re struggling to keep your bathroom smelling fresh, one TikTok user has spilled their secrets and unveiled how you can use baking soda on your bath mats for a truly clean scent due to its absorbing properties. Like many other TikTok hacks, it’s relatively easy to do, and it may even become your “go-to” method for cleaning in the future.
Not only is this method incredibly easy, but it is arguably also pretty cost-effective, too. It’s also an attractive option if you’re looking for a more natural alternative to your typical cleaning products.
Use baking soda to eliminate smells
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Baking soda has many uses, including helping to neutralize odors. TikTok user @mama_mila_ explained how they used the product to clean their bathmat (via TikTok). “Sprinkle baking soda over your bathmats to remove musty odors before washing them,” they explained. However, ensure that you leave your baking soda on the bath mat for one hour before washing it to allow it to work its magic, then vacuum it afterward before tossing it in the wash. Once done, you should have a fresh and clean-smelling bath mat that you can continue to use time and time again. Thankfully, you can repeat this nifty hack whenever it begins to smell again. However, how does it actually work?
“Most smells are acidic in nature, and baking soda can be a pH neutralizer,” Alex Reed, co-founder of cleaning company Truman’s, told Martha Stewart. This makes it a great staple to keep in your cupboard, especially if you’re big on natural cleaning and like to keep your household items smelling fresh. What’s not to love? However, you can also use baking soda in plenty of other areas of your bathroom, such as the sink and bathtub.
Other ways to keep your bath mats fresh
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Alongside baking soda, there are other ways to eliminate odors from your bathmat using household items that are likely already buried away in your cupboard. One solution is tossing the mat into the washing machine and adding 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. However, Jennifer Kaminski, the product and brand manager for Affresh, explained why you need to be careful when using it. “White vinegar is an acid that can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your washing machine, leading to costly damage,” she told Better Homes & Gardens. However, you can still use it in moderation.
Likewise, if you want to eliminate any chances of your bath mat becoming smelly in the future, try keeping your window ajar to release moisture from the room. Removing the mat from the floor and placing it over the bathtub may also help prevent chances of odor. Taking the time to follow through with a good routine should help keep the problem at bay, ensuring your bathroom smells much cleaner.
