Happy Birthday Recycling Buddy!
It’s my Tita’s nth birthday today. I guess she will remain the most environment-concious member of the family. If you want her fuming the whole day, then break our waste segregation rule. Her other rule: all recyclables go to garbage collectors for their extra income.
Since I was small, I witnessed how she did little things to contribute to the cause of saving Mother Earth. She recycles a lot! She turns cloth scraps into nice rags and broken plastic containers or used cans into flower pots, old newspapers into paper bags and most of all, old bread into irresistible bread pudding.
For cleaning, Tita has a constant companion - baking soda. She taught me cleaning tips, but before I share them with you, here are basic information about this cleaning agent.
Baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda, as it is also known) is a naturally occurring material, present in most organic life forms. It can be “made” from sodium carbonate, or soda ash. The soda ash is dissolved in a carbon dioxide rich solution, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) precipitates out. (source: http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/bakingsoda) As its name suggests, baking soda can be used for cooking.
These are the useful tips my Tita taught me : leave a box of baking soda in the refrigerator and cupboard to keep away unpleasant odors; sprinkle the bottom of the garbage bin with baking soda to keep the odor away; sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and rub on dirty surfaces like tiles; soak food container overnight in baking soda and water mixture to remove obnoxious smell; clean silver using a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water; clean hairbrushes and combs in a baking soda solution; and keep clothing fresh, especially during rainy days, with baking soda and water mixture for the final rinse.
There is a cleaning tip only 3-10 year olds are priveleged to know. If you have one in the family, I’ll tell you the secret. Hint : it’s a miracle tip for the crowning glory. Works every time!
Grab baking soda next time you plan a general cleaning.
