The Kitchen Cleaning Hack That Puts Leftover Bottles Of Club Soda To Use

While there are hundreds of "natural" and eco-friendly kitchen cleaning products to choose from at the store, most still contain much more than one ingredient. Some people who prefer homemade concoctions swear by a solution of vinegar and water for cleaning everything from coffee machines to dishwashers. But for those who aren't fans of vinegar's strong, pungent smell, there is another kitchen cleaning hack that contains virtually no scent at all. Club soda, which is probably already in the pantry or refrigerator to drink on its own or mix with other beverages, can be used to clean most, if not all, of your kitchen.

Dirty sinks and countertops? Pour club soda directly in or on it, rinse with warm water, and dry. Spray the stainless steel surface on your oven range and refrigerator with club soda, wipe it down, follow with a warm water rinse, then wipe it dry. The effervescent beverage can even clean your chrome or porcelain faucets and light fixtures; you don't even need to rinse them afterward. When you're done, you can use the remaining club soda to make yourself an Italian soda or fizzy cocktail to sip on while you admire your sparkling kitchen.

Cleaning with club soda goes beyond surfaces — it can also be used for other items in your kitchen and cupboards. Even your cast iron pots and skillets can be cleaned this way; just pour club soda in when they're warm to help lift any stubborn food gunk. Rinse with warm water, then dry right afterward to keep your cookware from rusting. The inside of your refrigerator could probably benefit from a deep cleaning done with one cup of club soda and a tablespoon of salt, and this mix will also work to loosen up your kitchen drain.

For coffee and tea drinkers frustrated by the brown stains and discoloration inside their cups, club soda works for that, too. Fill your cup with some at the end of the night, and the stains should easily wash off the next morning. The list doesn't end there: Club soda even works beautifully to clean kitchen windows.

Curiously, while it's common to hear people rave about the cleaning powers of club soda, Scientific American claims that "there's no particularly good chemical reason why club soda should remove stains: it's essentially just water with carbon dioxide dissolved in it, along with some salts." Most likely, the key to club soda's success as a cleaning product is the carbonated bubbles and minerals, as they help loosen up the dirt and other stuck-on particles.