Baking soda can be used for more things than you think aside from baking. This natural product, also known as sodium bicarbonate, doesn’t only make your cakes taste better, but it also improves your life in the most toxic-free and eco-friendly way (other friendly multi-purpose products include lemons and olive oil). This super-cheap wonder product helps regulate and neutralize pH, which means a substance is never too acidic or too alkaline.
Here are 55 special reasons why baking soda is the bomb when it comes to … well, everything!
Body
1. Make a toothpaste. Dip your toothbrush into some baking soda like they did in the olden days to whiten your teeth and freshen your breath.
2. Use as a deodorant. Lightly pat baking soda under your arms to chill out body odor.
3. Use as a mouthwash. Neutralize the odor in your mouth by putting one teaspoon of baking soda in a small glass. Swirl around your mouth, spit it out and rinse.
4. Use as an exfoliant. When used as an exfoliant, baking soda can gently remove dead skin cells when mixed with three parts baking soda and one part water. Rub in a circular motion and rinse off.
5. Treat insect bites. If you make a paste out of baking soda and water and apply it onto your skin, you can ease an itchy mosquito bite.
6. Use as a shampoo. It might affect the pH of your scalp, but using baking soda as a shampoo topped off with apple cider vinegar is a good alternative to shampoo.
7. Add to your bath for a spa treatment. Add baking soda or bath salts to your bath for a DIY spa treatment.
8. Relieve diaper rash. An itchy baby bum can use two tablespoons of baking soda in bathwater to relieve a red rash.
9. Use as an antacid. Baking soda can relieve heartburn, stomach upset and acid indigestion. Half a teaspoon of baking soda with half a cup of water should do the trick.
10. Soothe your feet. Pamper your feet by soaking them in a warm basin of water with three tablespoons of baking soda.
Cleaning
11. Unclog your sink. One cup of baking soda plus one cup of vinegar will help unclog your drains at home.
12. Clean baby clothes gently. For a non-harsh cleanser, add half a cup of baking soda to chemical-free liquid laundry detergent and wash clothes.
13. Keep your combs and brushes clean. Keep your combs and brushes clean by removing the natural oil build-up by soaking them in a small basin of warm water with one teaspoon of baking soda. Rinse and let dry. This will brighten up your dull hair.
14. Keep your oral appliances clean. Mouthpieces like retainers and dentures need odor neutralization, so add two teaspoons of baking soda dissolved in a cup of warm water to keep them clean.
15. Polish silver. Brighten your silver with a baking soda and water paste. Rub onto silver with a clean cloth, rinse, and dry.
16. Brighten your floors. Get rid of grime easily by using half a cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water. Mop and rinse clean for a shiny new floor. This also helps scuff marks.
17. Cut oil and grease. Baking soda makes oil easier to clean when you add a heaping scoop to your regular dish soap. Let soak for a while.
18. Clean dishwashers. Deodorize and cleanse your dishwasher by putting baking soda in the wash cycle.
19. Clean patio furniture. Sprinkle baking soda under chair cushions to freshen your patio furniture.
20. Clean batteries. Make a baking soda paste and apply with a damp cloth to scrub corrosion from a battery. Be careful because batteries contain acids. Disconnect the battery terminal before cleaning and reconnect afterwards. To prevent corrosion, wipe with petroleum jelly.
21. Clean cars. Use baking soda and warm water applied on a soft cloth, sponge or brush to remove road dirt and bugs.
22. Remove oil and grease stains. Light spills can be cleaned by sprinkling baking soda on the spot and scrubbing with a wet brush.
23. Clean the microwave. Add baking soda to a sponge and clean the insides of your microwave and reduce odors.
24. Clean the oven. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom surface of your oven and spray with water to dampen the soda. Let sit overnight and scrub in the morning, rinsing thoroughly.
25. Soak cloth diapers. Dissolve half a cup of baking soda in 8 cups of water to soak cloth diapers.
26. Clean crayons from the wall. A wet cloth with baking soda will remove crayon marks from a wall.
27. Make a simple soft surface scrub. Sprinkle baking soda lightly on a damp sponge and scrub your bathtubs, tiles and sinks. Rinse and wipe dry.
28. Discourage weeds. For a natural way to get rid of weeds, sprinkle baking soda between the cracks of your walkway.
29. Clean pots and pans. Remove baking residue by shaking a generous amount of soda onto pots and pans. Add hot water and dish detergent, soak for 15 minutes and wash.
30. Clean furniture. Add baking soda to a damp clean sponge and rub furniture lightly. Wipe off with a dry cloth.
31. Clean vinyl shower curtains. Sprinkle baking soda on a damp brush and scrub the curtains, rinse clean and hang to dry.
32. Boost your laundry detergent. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your liquid detergent to get your clothes brighter.
33. Fill holes in a wall. Mix white toothpaste and baking soda to fill holes in a plastered wall and allow the mix to dry.
34. Extinguish small fires. Turn off the gas or electricity if it’s safe, stand back, and throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the blame to help put a fire out.
Deodorizing
35. Air freshener. You won’t need chemicals and toxins around anymore when you add one tablespoon of baking soda to distilled water and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Find out more here.
36. Deodorize the refrigerator. Place an open box of baking soda to deodorize your refrigerator.
37. Freshen your rugs. Sprinkle baking soda on a carpet, wait 15 minutes or overnight, and vacuum up for rug that looks and smells brand new.
38. Deodorize garbage cans. Sprinkling baking soda on the bottom of your rubbish bin will keep unfortunate smells away.
39. Freshen sports gear. Sprinkle baking soda into gym and golf bags to reduce the smell.
40. Freshen your closet. Place a box of baking soda in your closet to freshen your wardrobe. Add a few drops of lavender oil to ward off moths.
41. Remove toilet odors. Add one cup of baking soda to the toilet and let sit for one hour before you flush.
42. Deodorize the kitty litter box. Cover the bottom of the box with baking soda and add litter on top.
43. Freshen stuffed animals. Cuddle your toys clean by sprinkling baking soda onto plush toys. Wait 15 minutes before brushing off.
44. Freshen your fireplace. Reduce the odor of soot by cleaning the ashes out of your fireplace and placing a bowl of baking soda inside.
45. Deodorize your wooden cutting board. Sprinkle baking soda on your boards, scrub and rinse.
46. Remove the odor from vacuum cleaner. By vacuuming baking soda into the body of the vacuum cleaner, you are helping to deodorize the equipment.
47. Deodorize sneakers. Shake baking soda into unused sneakers to keep them fresh until wearing them again.
48. Deodorize pet bedding. Sprinkle baking soda liberally onto pet bedding, wait 15 minutes or more and vacuum.
Food and plants
49. Keep flowers fresher longer. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a vase of flowers to keep them living longer.
50. Deodorize lunch boxes. Placing a spill-proof box of baking soda in a lunch box between uses helps absorb odors.
51. Neutralize beans. Bloated by beans? Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda in water while soaking dry beans.
52. Wash your produce. Scrub baking soda under water to your fruits and vegetables to remove pesticides and residue.
53. Make a fluffier omelette. Half a teaspoon of baking soda for every three eggs will yield a fluffier omelette.
54. Make tea taste better. A pinch of baking soda in a gallon of freshly brewed tea will remove bitterness and cloudiness.
55. Keep ants away. Mix baking soda and salt 50/50 and sprinkle the mixture when the ants come marching in.
~ Erin Pehlivan
