Sally Dankner, Grade 12
Ms. Crosby, Teacher / Hingham High School, Higham
"Baking Soda, Saving Water"
In today's society there is a product to solve every household problem, a different soap for every part of the body, a differently scented spray for every room, and a different laundry product for pre-soaking, washing, and drying, but all this variety comes at a cost - a cost that the environment has to pay. Each of these products is filled with toxic chemicals that are dangerous to humans and the environment alike.
Most cleaners only have one purpose, therefore filling houses with many chemicals while bringing up the bills. Houses are covered in these chemicals that are deadly to inhale and consume, so why use them?
There are perfectly good alternatives for cleaning houses that will not negatively impact water quality and can make houses safer while saving money; one such product is baking soda. Baking soda is a naturally occurring material in many life forms and therefore does not impact the environment. There is an exhaustive list of the ways baking soda can be used as a cleaner, from the kitchen, to the bathroom, and even outside the house.
Baking soda can replace many kitchen cleaners and become an all in one kitchen helper. This staple is not only necessary in many recipes, but can also end the need for odor control, surface cleaners, and harsh chemicals to clean up burned-on messes. Baking soda is ideal for keeping refrigerators, cabinets and trash barrels from smelling because it absorbs the smell.
The web site http://www.thenewhomemaker.com says that baking soda can be used as a surface cleaner for floors and counters (among other things) by sprinkling a little bit on the surface and then wiping away with warm water. This eliminates the need of harsh chemicals such as bleach for cleaning surfaces.
In bathrooms baking soda is also quiet efficient. It is a great way to remove mildew and stains as well as ease the smell of a dirty hamper. Baking soda is a great replacement for drain cleaners. By using baking soda instead of a normal drain cleaner, a homeowner can easily cut back on the amount of chemicals they are pumping into the water by means of the drains. It can also be used to clean things that one would never want chemicals to touch, such as a hairbrush.
Outside the home baking soda is also a big help. It can be used to clean yard furniture, and wash off children's toys as well as to get burnt on messes off of a grill. It can be used to keep garage-stored things fresh, such as tents and patio cushions. Baking soda is also a safe way to cut through grease stains on a drive way or in a car. All the chemicals that might normally be used to perform these tasks would be washed away with the water into the soil and sewer, polluting the water and runoff. However, Baking soda will not contribute to this negative impact on the water.
Baking soda is a great alternative to normal household cleaning products. It can be used to replace cleaning products all over the home, from the kitchen to the bathroom and even outside. It has an unimaginable amount of uses and is very economical. At only four dollars a box it can save hundred of dollars a year on household products because it is all-purpose unlike most cleaners that cost seven dollars a bottle and can only perform one task. But more importantly this product will not harm water quality, as so many other products do.
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