13 Jun 2025 6 Things You Should Never Clean With Baking Soda, According to Pro Cleaners

See the full article in The Spruce

By Sarah Lyon

Key Takeaways:

• Baking soda can scratch or dull delicate surfaces like metals, stone, wood, and glass.
• Avoid using baking soda on electronics to prevent scratches and internal damage.
• In many instances, it’s best to use alternatives like microfiber cloths paired with gentle cleaners.

Baking soda is a versatile, affordable household cleaner that can be helpful in many circumstances. You can use it to clean certain types of pots and pans, remove stains from clothing, clean and deodorize carpet, and even unclog a drain, just to name a few common uses.

That said, while many people sing the praises of baking soda, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all cleaning product.

“While baking soda is great for cleaning many surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, and tubs, its abrasive texture can cause damage to more delicate materials,” Robin Murphy, the founder of Maid Brigade, says.

In order to preserve certain types of surfaces and materials in your home, it is important to develop an understanding of when to avoid cleaning with baking soda. Keep reading to learn about five categories of items that you should never clean with baking soda and why.

Metals

Baking soda and certain metals do not go hand in hand.

For one, you won’t want to use baking soda to clean your jewelry, Logan Taylor, the founder of The Dazzle Cleaning Company, explains. This is due to the fact that baking soda can scratch materials like gold jewelry as well as remove coatings from other finishes, Taylor shares.

Aluminum is another type of metal that you should not pair with baking soda. As Murphy explains, using baking soda on aluminum can result in tarnishing or discoloration. The results will only become worse if you leave baking soda on such a surface for too long, she adds, weakening it and reducing shine.