40 Fantastic Uses For Baking Soda
40 Fantastic Uses For Baking Soda
40 Fantastic Uses For Baking Soda
By Melissa Breyer
Posted Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:01am PDT
Related topics: Health, Cleaning, Tips, House
More from Care2 Green Living blog
688votes
Buzz up!
11diggsdigg
(Photo: Veer)
Most of us know that baking soda can be used for more than just making homemade cookies and other
dough rise. It's not uncommon to see an open box of this leavening agent deodorizing refrigerators, for
example. But did you know that there are at least 40 different ways to use baking soda?
Baking soda makes a perfect stand-in for many personal care, cleaning, and deodorizing products. The
list of benefits is long: It is inexpensive, free of toxic chemicals, versatile, and effective.
Wondering how baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, works its magic? It helps regulate pH — keeping a
substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an acidic or
an alkaline substance, its natural effect is to neutralize that pH. Beyond that, baking soda has the ability to
retard further changes in the pH balance, known as buffering.
This dual capability of neutralizing and buffering allows baking soda to do things such as neutralize acidic
odors (like in the refrigerator) as well as maintain neutral pH (like in your laundry water, which helps boost
your detergent's power). It's a simple reaction, but one that has far-reaching effects for a number of
cleaning and deodorizing tasks.
And so without further ado, here are some of the many creative ways you can use baking soda.
Personal Care
1. Make toothpaste
A paste made from baking soda and a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be used as an
alternative to commercial non-fluoride toothpastes. (Or here’s a formula for a minty version.) You can also
just dip your toothbrush with toothpaste into baking soda for an extra boost.
5. Skip harsh deodorant
Pat baking soda onto your underarms to neutralize body odor.
6. Use as an antacid
Baking soda is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, and/or acid indigestion.
Refer to baking soda package for instructions.
Cleaning
12. Make a surface soft scrub
For safe, effective cleaning of bathroom tubs, tile, and sinks — even fiberglass and glossy tiles — sprinkle
baking soda lightly on a clean damp sponge and scrub as usual. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. For extra
cleaning power, make a paste with baking soda, coarse salt, and liquid dish soap — let it sit then scour
off.
Deodorizing
27. Deodorize your refrigerator
Place an open box in the back of the fridge to neutralize odors.
Miscellaneous
37. Cure all camping needs
Baking soda is a must-have for your next camping trip. It's a dish-washer, pot-scrubber, hand-cleanser,
deodorant, toothpaste, and fire extinguisher, and has many other uses.
OK, so there are my 40 suggestions (with a little help from the Arm & Hammond baking soda site, thank
you). Do you have any tips or tricks that I missed? Please share in the comments.