14 Surprising Household Uses For Club Soda
Fizzy, refreshing, and versatile, club soda is a favorite ingredient for professional bartenders as well as at-home mixologists. Club soda is made by injecting water with carbon dioxide and then infusing it with minerals, which create vibrant bubbles and give it an extra flavor dimension that make it a popular pick for cocktails.
But there are plenty of ways to use club soda on the other side of the bar, so we asked a group of experts including chefs, bartenders, recipe developers, home renovation and cleaning experts, and gardeners to share their favorite (and most surprising) club soda applications in the home.
1. Tackling Red Wine Stains
A spill of red wine, tomato sauce, or any other darker liquid on a white shirt, tablecloth, or carpet can feel disastrous. Luckily, Chi Ip, owner of Tidy Here Cleaning Service in Boston, Massachusetts, assures us that club soda is an easy antidote to these stain-related stresses. “The carbonic acid in the club soda breaks down the stain from the fibers and cleans them. It always works, and it works fast,” Ip explains.
Karishma Pradhan, recipe developer and founder of Home Cooking Collective, talks us through the process here:
Pour a generous amount of club soda onto a red wine-stained surface and gently pat with paper towels (do not rub).
Repeat two to three more times until you see the red coloring disappear.
Allow to dry completely.
"Try to move as quickly as possible," says Pradhan. “This hack works best with fresh red wine stains. Once the wine has dried, it becomes less effective.”
Related: How To Get Coffee Stains Out Of Carpet
2. Cleaning Glass
If you run out of Windex but happen to have a bottle of club soda in your fridge, our experts tell us that the soda can be swapped in as an effective glass cleaner. “Just add it to a microfiber mitt and buff out smudges and fingerprints. It works equally well on your home's windows, both for the inside and outside surfaces. I even use it on my car's windshield because it removes dirt and streaks with far less scrubbing than traditional window cleaner,” says Todd Saunders, CEO of FlooringStores, which sells home renovation materials.
Aside from windows and mirrors, club soda can also help you “remove any residue or lingering odors” from glass drinkware, according to Jason Hedges, beverage director of LT Hospitality.
3. Watering Plants
Club soda, unlike seltzer or sparkling water, contains minerals to give it more flavor and more fizz. Miguel Camperos, VP of Operations of SunVara, a brand that produces gardening and beekeeping supplies, says that these minerals can give your homegrown herbs a much-needed boost.
“If you’re like me and you grow potted herbs in your kitchen to get fresh ingredients for cooking, then you can actually use club soda to water them on occasion. The minerals in club soda are generally considered beneficial to plant growth, and while you don’t want to always water plants with it, using club soda—even when it’s gone flat—about once a week can be a great idea,” Camperos explains.
Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Torie Cox
4. Freshening Up The Fridge
Fridge odors are a plague on many of our houses, which is why we were surprised and delighted to learn that club soda has the power to tackle these annoying smells. “Fill a small bowl or dish with club soda and place it on one of the shelves. The natural properties of club soda will absorb unpleasant odors, leaving your fridge smelling clean and fresh,” insists Christy Stewart-Harfmann, founder and recipe developer of Happy Family Blog.
Related: 11 Ways To Make Your House Smell Good
5. Lightening Up Cream Cheese
The next time you put out a bagel platter for brunch, try this pro tip from founder Justin Shugrue of Shug’s Bagels in Dallas, Texas: “All legit bagel shops put a splash of club soda in cream cheese while whipping it, which helps keep it airy and light without becoming soupy. I learned this trick in New York and have seen it used many, many times. At Shug’s, we use Philadelphia Cream Cheese which we whip, as well as flavor, in house, always with the splash of club soda.”
6. Frying Batter
Excellent fried chicken, fried fish, fried veggies, or fried anything relies on a batter that can get perfectly crispy. When prepping her own fry batters, Executive Chef Kristin Beringson of Henley in Nashville, Tennessee, sees club soda as her secret weapon.
“I like to use club soda when making tempura batter. It can even be used as a substitute for beer in beer batter recipes, if you are looking for a less boozy option. The fizziness of club soda, along with its unique flavor profile, create a light and airy batter that gets extra crispy when fried!” she says.
7. Tenderizing Meat
The mineral additions to club soda are what turn standard sparkling water into a magical elixir, and Alex Bayev, creator and recipe developer of Bayev’s Kitchen, urges us to add meat tenderizing to the list of surprising club soda abilities. “The sodium bicarbonate in club soda can help tenderize meat, making it a handy ingredient for marinades. Soaking tough cuts of meat in club soda for a few hours before cooking can help soften the meat,” Bayev says.
Related: Kebab Marinade
8. Cleansing The Palate
When she conducts chocolate tastings at Delysia Chocolatier in Austin, Texas, owner and master chocolatier Nicole Patel always recommends that customers use club soda or carbonated water when tasting chocolate. "The carbonation cleanses your palate in between tasting chocolates, allowing you to fully experience the difference between each confection,” she notes
9. Cleaning Your Jewelry
Fill a bowl with club soda and add few drops of dish detergent to help cut oils. Soak your jewelry for 15 minutes, then gently scrub any remaining grime with a toothbrush. Wipe with a soft, clean cloth to make your jewelry sparkle.
10. Loosening Rusty Bolts
Use club soda's carbonation to help bubble away the rust on bolts. Soak the bolts in club soda or use a spray bottle to apply. Follow up with a penetrating oil like WD-40 to make it easier to loosen the bolt.
11. Cleaning Your Cast Iron
Club soda can also help remove rust spots or stuck food from your cast-iron skillets. Pour club soda into the skillet while it is still hot. Allow it to soak for several minutes, then gently scrub with a nylon brush. A spoonful of sea salt will provide more abrasion if needed.
12. Cleaning Pet Stains
Club soda helps to remove unpleasant pet odors while it cleans. Apply club soda to pet stains on carpets and upholstery and allow it to soak for about five minutes. Then blot up the stain with a paper towel or clean cloth.
13. Cleaning Stainless Steel
Use club soda to clean fingerprints and stains from stainless steel appliances and countertops. Pour some soda onto a soft, clean cloth, then gently rub the stainless steel to make it shiny again.
14. Cleaning The Bathroom
Club soda can be used as a gentle cleaner for porcelain sinks and toilets. Spray and wipe away with a soft cloth for sparkling clean results. Pour a can into the toilet bowl, allow it to soak for a few minutes, and scrub away any stains with a toilet brush.
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