Crafty Little Gnome

  • Shop
  • About
    • Press
    • Work With Me- Sponsor my craft website
    • About
  • DIY
    • Jewelry
    • Decor DIY
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Plant and Flower Crafts
    • Outdoor
    • Sewing and Fiber Art
    • Pets
  • Health and Beauty
    • Make Up
    • Beauty Recipes
    • Hair
    • Health
  • Food & Drink
    • main dishes
    • sweets
    • appetizers
    • drinks
  • Household
    • My House
    • Home Tips
    • Repairs & How To
    • Cleaning
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Washing Soda vs Baking Soda

Washing Soda vs Baking Soda

June 30, 2019

Learn the difference between washing soda vs baking soda and which to use for different cleaning recipes. Find out if you can substitute baking soda for washing soda and what other homemade ingredients you can mix them with. Can’t find washing soda in the supermarket?  You can make your own washing soda from baking soda with my easy recipe.

Washing soda vs baking soda

Table of contents

  1. Washing Soda vs Baking Soda
    1. What is the Difference Between Washing Soda and Baking Soda?
      1. What is washing soda used for?
        1. What is another name for washing soda?
        2. Where do you buy washing soda?
          1. What exactly is baking soda?
            1. Is bicarbonate of soda the same as baking soda?
            2. So, what is the difference between baking soda and washing soda?
              1. Can I substitute baking soda for washing soda?
                1. Is borax the same as washing soda?
                  1. Can I use borax instead of washing soda?
                  2. How do you transform baking soda into washing soda?
                    1. How do you know when the washing soda is fully cooked?

                    Washing Soda vs Baking Soda

                    When you start making your own cleaning products you will find a lot of the same ingredients are listed over and over again.

                    These are the following most common ingredients in homemade cleaning products:

                    • Washing soda
                    • Baking soda
                    • Borax
                    • Vinegar
                    • Hydrogen peroxide
                    • Castile soap
                    • Lemon juice/ citric acid
                    • Essential oils
                    • Epsom salt

                    Most of these ingredients are pretty straightforward, but some are a little more confusing. Washing soda and baking soda are particularly troublesome for some people.

                    Related: Learn how to remove stubborn toilet stain with Coca-Cola in this crazy cleaning kitchen hack!

                    Let’s take a deeper look into baking soda vs washing soda. What’s the difference, which one should you use and how to make your own washing soda from baking soda if you can’t find it at the stores.

                    What is the Difference Between Washing Soda and Baking Soda?

                    What is washing soda used for?

                    Washing soda is a chemical compound that can be used to remove stubborn stains from laundry and is an essential component in most homemade laundry detergent for powder, liquid, or single pod formulas. It is often used in commercial detergent mixtures as well to treat hard water.

                    Check out my recipe for homemade OxiClean using washing soda and hydrogen peroxide here.

                    What is another name for washing soda?

                    Soda ash! The chemical formula for washing soda is Na2CO3 or sodium carbonate. It is a salt of carbonic acid, a chemical which produces a wide range of salts collectively known as carbonates. One common source of washing soda is the ashes of burned plants; for this reason, it is sometimes called soda ash.

                    Where do you buy washing soda?

                    You can purchase washing soda at most grocery stores or places like Target or Walmart. Look in the laundry aisle for the big yellow box near the detergent. It’s usually next to the borax.

                    Washing soda can be difficult to find but it is becoming available at more and more grocery stores. If you can’t find it you can always buy it on Amazon.

                    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for being part of Crafty Little Gnome.

                    What exactly is baking soda?

                     Baking soda’s chemical makeup is NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules).

                    It comes out of the ground in the form of minerals nahcolite and trona, which are refined into soda ash (a.k.a. calcium carbonate), then turned into baking soda (a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate), among other things. 

                    Baking soda is often used in cooking. This is because it has leavening properties, meaning it causes dough to rise by producing carbon dioxide. Aside from cooking, baking soda has a variety of additional household uses and health benefits.

                    You may also like: How to Make a DIY Ant Trap

                    Is bicarbonate of soda the same as baking soda?

                    Yes! Baking soda and bicarbonate of soda are the same thing, just with different names.Baking soda tends to be the American name, while in the UK and in Australia it is usually called bicarbonate of soda. Whether a cleaning or cooking recipe calls for baking soda or bicarbonate of soda you can use either because they are the same thing.

                    So, what is the difference between baking soda and washing soda?

                    The difference between baking soda and washing soda is water and carbon dioxide. That’s it!

                    When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it breaks down to become washing soda, water steam, and carbon dioxide.

                    Both products can be used to improve liquid laundry performance for cleaner, fresher clothes. Baking soda can be used in baking, as a dentifrice and as an antacid, washing soda cannot be used in baking, on or in the body.

                    Never, ever ingest washing soda!

                    I’ll show you how to turn baking soda into washing soda at the end of this post. This is a really great trick to know if you can’t find washing soda at the supermarket.

                    Can I substitute baking soda for washing soda?

                    It depends on the recipe but probably not. Since they aren’t the same thing you aren’t going to get the same results by substituting one for the other. Washing soda is better for cleaning and removing stains from laundry and baking soda is better for removing odors and neutralizing acids.

                    You may also like: DIY Dog Shedding Remedies

                    Is borax the same as washing soda?

                    No, borax is made from boric acid (this is a whole different post for a different day)

                    Can I use borax instead of washing soda?

                    Though washing soda and borax are often used in household purposes (mainly for cleaning), they are not the same. Both of them are used as laundry boosters. Many households uses borax as a catalyst while washing soda as the main cleaning agent.

                    baking soda vs washing soda
                    baking soda vs washing soda

                    How do you transform baking soda into washing soda?

                    If a cleaning recipe calls for washing soda and you don’t have any on hand or can’t find it at the grocery store, no fear!

                    It is actually really simple to make your own. You probably already have a box or two of baking soda in your pantry or fridge. You can use your oven to heat the baking soda and create the chemical reaction needed to turn it into washing soda.

                    When you heat the baking soda long enough the carbon dioxide and hydrogen are released transforming it back into washing soda.

                    You can buy boxes of baking soda for a dollar or less, so this is a really great way have a cheap supply of washing soda on hand for household use.

                    Simply pour the baking soda into a shallow oven-safe dish and heat it at 400 degrees for 40 minutes and it will become soda ash.

                    You may also like: Ants are no match for these all-natural ant-killer home remedies

                    close up of washing soda
                    Washing soda will look grainy compared to baking soda

                    How do you know when the washing soda is fully cooked?

                    The texture is slightly different. Baking soda looks like a smooth powder and washing soda is more grainy.

                    You can remove the dish from the oven and check it every now and then. When the texture has changed you will know it’s ready.

                    Yield: 1 cup

                    How to Make Washing Soda

                    washing soda and baking soda side by side

                    Bake baking soda in the oven to create a chemical reaction that will transform it into washing soda

                    Prep Time 5 minutes
                    Active Time 45 minutes
                    Total Time 50 minutes
                    Difficulty easy
                    Estimated Cost $1

                    Materials

                    • 1 cup of baking soda

                    Tools

                    • oven
                    • glass oven safe dish

                    Instructions

                    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
                    2. Sprinkle baking soda into a shallow pan about a half inch deep
                    3. Bake for 40 minutes or until the composition of the baking soda changes

                    Notes

                    You can make as much or as little of the washing soda as you like. Just use a large enough baking dish so that the soda is no thicker than a half inch deep.

                    Stir occasionally to make sure the baking soda cooks evenly.

                    © adrienne
                    Project Type: cleaning recipes / Category: Cleaning

                    · Cleaning, Household, Uncategorized

                    Comments

                    1. Tracie C Krueger says

                      July 1, 2019 at 12:25 pm

                      Great Blog! I had seen many DIY cleaning recipes but so many call for “washing soda” but no one explains what it is or how both of these sodas work the way they do! Very informative! Thanx!

                      • adrienne says

                        July 1, 2019 at 1:24 pm

                        Thank you Tracie! Happy cleaning 🙂

                    Welcome to Crafty Little Gnome

                    woman sitting at desk

                    Hi, I'm Adrienne. My mission is to help women to tap into their creativity and gain the confidence they need to tackle DIY projects around the home. I want women to realize they don't have to "wait for hubby" to do renovation projects around the home. They can teach themselves how to use power tools and create a home of their dreams on a budget. Click on my photo to learn more about me!

                    Visit my new travel blog

                    Backyard Camping

                    Reader Favorites

                    st patricks day ideas

                    10 St. Patrick's Day DIY Ideas

                    slow cooker garlic mashed potatoes on wooden countertop with soft squeeze spread

                    Garlic Mashed Potatoes Made in a Slow Cooker

                    diy mushroom craft pin image

                    Toilet Paper Roll Mushroom Craft

                    fun items to paint and decorate for football

                    Game Day Face Paint Station

                    DIY pine cone bird feeder graphic.

                    How to Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder

                    15 recycled K cup crafts for kids.

                    15 Recycled K-Cup Crafts for Kids

                    painted heart friendship rocks

                    Friendship Rocks: Valentine’s Day Kindness Stones

                    COPYRIGHT © 2019 · CRAFTY LITTLE GNOME