The humble baking soda is humble no more. The uses for baking soda abound. from babies to batteries, gardening to cooking and personal care to pet care, baking soda uses continue to grow with each homemakers discovery. Here are the most common and the most helpful of said ways to use baking soda arranged in alphabetical order, just so you can have quick reference.
Baby Care
Instead of using store-bought detergents, combine baking soda with hot water to thoroughly clean and disinfect baby bottles.
Diaper Rash:For diaper rash irritations, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda in babys lukewarm bath water.
Your baby will benefit from the eco-friendly ways with which you take care of him/her.
Bathroom
Often, bathrooms are the bane of a mothers cleaning schedule. With baking soda, you can sprinkle good amounts on sinks, showers and tubs before scrubbing them.
On the toilet, add one cup into the water and leave for an hour before flushing, which will simultaneously clean and deodorize it.
Even your shower curtains will be cleaner once soaked in water with baking soda!
Clothing
Baking soda has deodorizing properties ideal for clothes with sweat, smoke and spit-ups on them.
You can either place the baking soda directly into the spit-up of the baby to counteract the smell in a quick fashion or introduce clothing that is sweat-drenched/smoke-tainted from headbands to socks in a water-baking soda solution about an hour before washing them.
Even your malodorous shoes will benefit from baking soda. Just place a small pouch of baking soda into the shoe to remove the odors.
Cooking
And of course, uses for baking soda center on cooking. However,the uses for baking soda extends beyond making your cupcakes and omelets fluffier!
You can sprinkle baking soda on tomato-based foods so as to lessen their acid content, which is especially beneficial for people suffering from hyperacidity.
Fish and chicken can be made easier and yummier to prepare with baking soda, too.
When dressing chicken, combine one teaspoon of baking soda into the water to allow feathers to come easily.
For raw fish fillets, marinating them in baking soda solution for about an hour ought to remove the fishy smell.
And if you are entertaining guests, mix in a small pinch of baking soda into a gallon of iced tea to take out the tannins and to prevent cloudiness. Your guests will even notice the difference albeit in a positive way!
First Aid
Some interesting uses for baking soda is to alleviate the pain and itchiness associated with bee stings and bug bites, sunburns and rashes, and even poison ivy contact. Mix in baking soda and water to make a paste and apply directly into the affected areas.
Sufferers of chickenpox and measles will find much-needed relief from baking soda poured into bathwater.
For heartburn and acid indigestion, combining ½ teaspoon of baking soda and ½ glass of water ought to relieve pain.
However, be careful using this baking soda mixture in people with high calcium intake as it can lead to side effects like kidney stones.
Garage
Baking soda uses even extend to the hard-to-clean garage!
When car batteries spill over, neutralize its acid with handfuls of baking soda so as to prevent severe accidents.
And if your car battery has grease and grime in it, remove them by using a soft brush and a baking soda paste.
Instead of using expensive car cleaners, make a baking soda paste to polish stainless steel and chrome as well as mask the little scuffs on the bumper.
Also, wipe baking soda directly into the windshield to repel rain.
Gardening
Go beyond the kitchen, and move into the garden for more uses for baking soda.
Keep away fungi, black spots and mildew from your precious plants by applying baking soda mixed with soap and horticultural oil directly into the affected leaves.
For your precious roses, spray them on a weekly basis with a mixture composed of one teaspoon baking soda, one galloon of water and just a few drops of dishwashing soap.
Grills
Baking soda is a dirt-buster! Use it to clean coal-blackened grills, which will help you avoid using chemical products and thereby adding them to your food the next time you have a barbecue. And keep a box of baking soda handy when you do grill food.
It is also a great fire-stopper, with just a handful effective in putting out fires caused by grease, wood, fuel and electricity.
Kitchen
Arguably, the kitchen has more uses for baking soda than any other part of the house.
For delicate china and inexpensive plastic, sprinkle soda on food stains and wipe away with damp paper towels.
For ovens, combine four tablespoons baking soda and a quart of lukewarm water to scrub its inside.
Or you can just apply baking soda directly to cutting boards and countertops to take off the smells of food as well as clean it.
Mix with salt for better cleaning and deodorizing.
Clogged drains will go away when four tablespoons of baking soda are placed in them every week, which should then be flushed with hot water to clean the insides.
Or you can freshen up the kitchen by combining your perfumed bath salts with baking soda, placing the mixture in sachet bags and then putting them in strategic places.
Personal Care
Dont turn up your nose at the uses for baking soda in your personal care routine. Use it as an effective skin exfoliant by mixing one of part water to three parts of baking soda. Apply on your face using either your fingertips or a soft washcloth in gentle, circular motions and rinse thoroughly. You will notice the natural glow in just a few days!
Transfer such natural glow for a healthy mane of hair. Just mix a pinch of baking soda into your favorite shampoo and conditioner, which should strip undesirable chemicals from your hair for a healthier look.
For better oral care, soak your retainers, dentures and mouth guards in a baking soda solution of a glass of warm water mixed with 2 teaspoons of baking soda. These oral appliances will come out cleaner and better smelling, too.
So, the next time you want affordable and eco-friendly solutions around the house, think of these use for baking soda!
