Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is not just for baking. This white powder has a wide range of uses covering everything from cleaning to beauty and even health.
Health
1. Treating heartburn
Heartburn is caused by acid reflux. Baking soda can help neutralize stomach acid. Dissolve a teaspoon of it in a glass of cold water and drink the mixture slowly. 8 Ways To Ease The Symptoms Of Acidity
2. Mouthwash
Mouthwash is a great addition to oral hygiene because it can reach places your brush may not reach. Baking soda can be used as a replacement for mouthwash. Studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate mouthwash can help freshen your breath and even provide antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It also gives teeth an extra shine. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of it to half a glass of warm water and swish as usual. This recipe also works for treating sores that form inside the mouth.
3. Relieve itchy skin and sunburns
A baking soda bath is often used to soothe itchy skin including itching from bug bites and bee stings. Traditionally it has been used to help soothe itching from sunburns. Add 1-2 cups of the white powder to a lukewarm bath. Soak the affected areas. You can also create a thick paste and apply it to affected areas.
It can also be used to soothe a baby’s bottom if they have a diaper rash. Mix two tablespoons of the powder into your baby’s bathwater and let them soak for 10 minutes.
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4. Soothe toothaches
Ease toothache pain by taking a cotton swab and moistening it with a bit of water then dipping it into and coating it with baking soda. Rub into the tooth and gums until the pain subsides. You can also swish some mouthwash made from it.
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5. Sore throat relief
Relieve a sore throat by mixing a ½ teaspoon of each baking soda in a ½ cup of warm water and gargling a few times a day.
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Beauty
6. Whiten your teeth
Studies have found that toothpaste containing baking soda is better for whitening teeth and removing plaque. 15 Practices For Healthy Teeth And DIY Home Whitening Remedies
7. Deodorant
Baking soda can eliminate the smell of sweat. Try patting some of it onto your armpits and you may notice a difference. 5 Natural Deodorant Alternatives That You Should Try
8. Exfoliate skin
Baking soda can be used to remove old and dead skin. Mix 3 parts powder to 1 part water and rub in a circular motion on the skin for a few minutes then rinse. This recipe can also be used to soothe tired feet.
9. Clean hairbrushes
Soak your hairbrushes in a bowl of water with a tablespoon of baking soda. Let it soak for 30 minutes then rinse and clean.
10. Treating your nails
Combine three parts of baking soda with one part water to create a mixture. Scrub your nails with it to smooth the surface. You can also mix equal parts powder and water to exfoliate cuticles and remove nail stains. 6 Home Remedies To Whiten Stained Nails
11. Fix dry elbows
Mix fresh lemon juice and baking soda to make a thick paste. Apply the paste to dry elbows, gently rubbing to exfoliate the skin. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Wash off and apply moisturizer or Vaseline.
Cleaning
12. Cleaning fruits and vegetables
One study found that baking soda is an effective solution for removing pesticide residue from fruits and vegetables. Just fill your sink or bowl with water, add four teaspoons of the powder and soak your produce for about five minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.
13. Eliminating odours
Baking soda is great for eliminating all sorts of odours. You can use it to get rid of the stink in your trash cans. Clean the trash can with baking soda paste or just sprinkle some of it straight into the trash can or trash bag to get rid of the smell. Sprinkle it in funky-smelling areas like closets or your teenager’s room. Leave a packet open in your fridge to freshen up the smell inside your refrigerator or any other area with a funky smell.
Fight the odours emanating from drains by pouring ½ a cup of baking soda into the sink followed by some warm water. You can also sprinkle some of it on your carpet the night before you vacuum or clean it to neutralize carpet smells. Freshen up smelly shoes by sprinkling it directly into the shoes. Let them sit for a day then shake it out. You can make little pouches of the powder that you put in your shoes whenever you store them. Do the same with any stinky clothes, just sprinkle some of the powder on them.
Cat litterboxes tend to stink no matter how often you clean them. To keep it smelling as fresh as possible between cleanings, add some baking soda to the bottom of the cat box before adding the litter. After you remove the litter, sprinkle some of it on top to give it a quick refresher.
To fight off the odour that lingers in lunch boxes, place a small spill-proof box of baking soda in them between uses. This will keep the odours at bay.
14. Clean carpet odours and stains
When cleaning your carpet, make a baking soda mix and cover any stains letting it sit for a while before washing or scrubbing it off.
15. Cleaning walls
Take some baking soda and apply it to a warm damp sponge and wipe. Those marks whether from children’s drawings or just accumulated dirt should easily come off.
16. Cleaning the bathroom
Baking soda is great for removing all manner of stains and stubborn dirt. Apply some of it to a damp sponge and scrub the bathroom tiles, sink, tubs, tiles, and fixtures.
17. Cleaning kitchen appliances
Use some baking soda and warm water solution to clean your microwave, oven, and fridge.
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18. Clean pots and pans
It is great for dissolving grease/oil and loosening stubborn stains. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to soapy dishwater and soak any pans with food stuck or caked on them. Then scrub the pots and pans with a sprinkle of the powder on the sponge.
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19. Deep clean and deodorize cutting boards
Sprinkle baking soda on your cutting boards, let them sit for a few minutes then scrub and rinse to remove odour from them and thoroughly clean them.
20. Clean your floor
Baking soda solution is a great homemade tile floor cleaner. Fill a bucket with warm water and add ½ a cup of the powder. Dissolve well then use this to mop your floor.
21. Removing oil and grease stains
If you have oil or grease stains on your concrete driveway, sprinkling baking soda can help you get rid of the stains. Scrub the area with a wet brush after letting it sit for a while.
General
22. Fighting fire
Douse any small kitchen grease fire flames in baking soda.
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