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Washing soda, also known as sodium carbonate, is distinct from baking soda, which is sodium bicarbonate. Image credit: Abi Porter/Flickr (CC By 2.0)With so many cleaning products available, some stand out as household essentials. Washing soda might be unfamiliar to you or you might confuse it with baking soda, borax, or regular laundry detergent. Although it looks like any other white powder, washing soda has exceptional cleaning abilities.
Washing soda is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and differs chemically from baking soda, which is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Also known as 'soda ash,' this moderately basic substance has a pH of 11, similar to ammonia. Historically, it was produced by burning plants that grew in sodium-rich soils. It's useful for cleaning tasks that require a higher pH than baking soda, which is mildly alkaline.
Bases are effective cleaning agents because they neutralize acids and oils, which could have been handy the time you spilled salad dressing on your favorite pants. Washing soda is a common laundry room staple for this reason — it can eliminate a variety of stains, such as coffee, blood, and grease. Dissolving washing soda in water creates a pre-soak solution to tackle even the toughest stains.
Sodium carbonate is also useful in addressing the challenges of 'hard water' — water with a high mineral content — when it comes to washing clothes. Hard water makes it harder to clean laundry because the minerals interfere with detergent performance. Washing soda 'softens' the water by binding with these minerals, allowing detergents to effectively remove dirt from fabrics.
Washing soda can also tackle coffee and tea stains on ceramics or grease on pots and pans. It cuts through soap scum in bathrooms and even helps unclog drains when you pour a cup (8 ounces) down the drain followed by 2 to 3 cups (16 to 24 ounces) of boiling water.
If you want to make your own washing soda, simply bake baking soda in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for an hour.
