Three old-fashioned ingredients worth keeping in the cupboard

There was a time before we had a different bottle for every square inch of the house. One for the sink, one for the taps, one for the kettle, and one mysterious spray that has lived under the sink since 2019.

I am not proposing we all start churning butter before sunrise. I just like an ingredient that does several useful jobs without demanding its own shelf. These three make a sensible small cleaning kit: one mild powder for scrubbing and smells, and two acids for hard-water deposits. They are household cleaning ingredients, not medical remedies or substitutes for a disinfectant when one is needed.

01 · The powder for smells and light scrubbing

Bicarbonate of soda

Also called baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, bicarb is mildly alkaline and slightly abrasive. It earns its keep on suitable sturdy surfaces and in places where stale smells linger.

Where I would use it

• Tea-stained mugs and suitable sinks: make a soft paste with a little water, rub gently, then rinse thoroughly. Test a hidden area first on delicate finishes.
• A smelly bin: once it is washed and dry, add a little bicarb to the bottom before the liner goes back in.
• The fridge: wipe the interior with bicarb dissolved in warm water, then wipe with clean water and dry. An open pot can help with lingering odours, but still find and remove the source of the smell.
• Cooked-on residue: a water-and-bicarb paste can soften grime on suitable pans. Check the pan’s finish before scrubbing.
• Whiffy shoes: leave a small amount inside overnight and empty it completely before wearing.

Skip it on: easily scratched or manufacturer-restricted surfaces. Be cautious with carpets: fine powder can be difficult to vacuum out and may be unsuitable for some machines and fibres.

The one I picked: * Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, 454 g on Amazon. It is a small food-use box, so if you need lots for cleaning, compare the price per kilogram against a plain food-grade multipack. I have not personally tested this listing.

02 · The bottle for mineral marks

White vinegar

White vinegar contains acetic acid. That is why it is useful for dissolving the pale crust hard water leaves around taps, glass and kettles. For ordinary household jobs, choose plain white vinegar and check the label: cleaning vinegar can be stronger than food vinegar and should not be used in cooking.

Where I would use it

• Shower glass: try diluted vinegar on suitable glass, leave briefly, wipe and rinse. Keep it away from vulnerable stone and fittings.
• Tap limescale: use a little on a cloth, clean the affected area, then rinse and dry. Check the finish first, especially on plated taps.
• Windows: a small amount diluted in water can help remove film from ordinary glass; finish with a clean cloth.
• The kettle: use vinegar only if the manufacturer allows it, follow its dilution and contact-time instructions, then rinse thoroughly.
• Toilet limescale: it can help shift mineral marks in a toilet bowl, provided no other cleaner or bleach is present.

Skip it on: marble, limestone and other acid-sensitive stone, and any seal, grout, metal or appliance whose maker warns against acid. It is a cleaner, not a reliable replacement for a registered disinfectant.

The one I picked: * Distilled white vinegar, 5 litre bottle on Amazon. A large bottle suits regular descaling, though do check whether you have somewhere sensible to store it and compare the current price per litre.

03 · The crystals for hard-water households

Citric acid

Citric acid comes as small crystals or a powder. Dissolved in water, it tackles limescale without the lingering vinegar smell. If your kettle furs up at the mere sight of a tap, this one may become your favourite.

Where I would use it

• Kettle limescale: if the manual permits citric acid, dissolve it in water at the maker’s recommended strength and follow the specified soak and rinse steps.
• Showerheads and taps: soak only removable parts that are safe for acids, then rinse thoroughly. Avoid soaking plated or delicate finishes without checking first.
• Shower glass: a mild solution can loosen hard-water film on suitable plain glass; rinse and dry after use.
• Toilet-bowl mineral deposits: useful for limescale when the bowl is free of bleach and other toilet cleaners.
• Some appliances: only if the manufacturer specifically allows citric acid; coffee machines and washing machines have parts and programmes that vary.

For food: use only a product explicitly labelled food grade and follow a tested recipe. A cleaning tub should stay a cleaning tub.

The one I picked: * Citric acid, 1 kg food-grade crystals on Amazon. A kilo is most useful if you descale regularly; a smaller pack makes more sense for an occasional kettle.

Three things in, fewer things to think about

You do not have to buy all three today. Start with the problem you actually have. A stale-smelling bin? Bicarb. Chalky shower screen? White vinegar. A kettle with its own geology? Citric acid. Then see whether the cupboard genuinely needs anything else.

Keep the ingredients in their labelled containers, away from children and pets. Never mix vinegar or citric acid with chlorine bleach, including bleach already sitting in a toilet bowl: acid and bleach can release chlorine gas. Rinse surfaces and tools between different products, follow labels and appliance instructions, and use a suitable disinfectant when disinfection is required. Natural is still chemistry.

Sources and product notes

These are selected examples, not a claim that I have tested or bought each product. Amazon prices, reviews, availability and bestseller positions change, so check the live listing before ordering. Product details: baking soda, white vinegar and citric acid. For chemical-mixing safety, see the UK Health and Safety Executive guidance.