The Many Uses of Baking Soda Can Make Life Easier

Trista - November 29, 2019
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The Many Uses of Baking Soda Can Make Life Easier
Photo: The process of baking soda is quite interesting. Pexels

We always look for ways to streamline things to make our lives better. Whether it is using automated products or items that can simplify tasks, we tend to seek assistance from anything and possibly everything to make things easier. Home remedies and DIY solutions to our problems have become an integral part of human lives. These hacks work wonders when you find yourself in a befuddling situation. There are plenty of natural ingredients that are used in home remedies and DIYs. Whether it is to cure any disease or make something, we use plenty of natural ingredients daily. Have you heard of baking soda? Probably a million times on a regular. In this article, you will get to know more about this fantastic chemical component that has instantly become a part of our households.

History of Baking Soda

How did baking soda come into existence? Pixabay

If you think baking soda is just a kitchen ingredient that is used for baking cakes and giving them nice fluff, then you have been underestimating this chemical component all your life. It is an alkaline powder. There’s a long story behind baking soda, becoming the popular household staple that it is today. Back in 1846, there were two brothers-in-law, John Dwight and Dr. Austin Church. They came together to distribute baking soda.

The baking soda made in Dwight’s kitchen was named Arm & Hammer Church & Co’s bicarbonate soda. The company’s sole aim was to showcase the ingredient’s versatility and its benefits in daily life. By 1860 Arm & Hammer started distributing cookbooks that contained the recipes for cakes, bread, puddings, and more with baking soda. Among all of their rewards and recognition, Arm & Hammer were featured in a women’s magazine in 1920. It was for their efforts to popularize such a great ingredient. According to the records, by 1972, people started utilizing baking soda daily and began stashing boxes in their refrigerator.

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Famous Brands

Arm & Hammer is one of the most popular baking soda brands ever. Good Housekeeping

Baking soda works as a chemical leavener when it is used in baking. It produces carbon dioxide reacting with acids to create bubbles that help in making the cake tender, fluffy and moist. Understanding the prominence of baking soda in baking and other cooking endeavors, people started to adopt baking soda widely and made it a part of their daily lives. The credit goes to the Arms & Hammer Co. who took the initiative to bring this fantastic ingredient into mainstream households.

The Journal of Chemical Education in 1927 stated that baking soda could be used to prevent common symptoms of a cold by maintaining the alkaline balance in the body. You can help treat a cold with sodium bicarbonate doses with quantities of iodine and calcimine. There’s no doubt in asserting that baking soda has antibacterial properties, and it can also alter the bacterial vulnerability to antibiotics by targeting the proton force. Baking soda is primarily used in household chores. From removing mildew build up to polishing your silver utensils, baking soda can effectively help your household chores.

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How Is Baking Soda Made?

The process of baking soda is quite interesting. Pexels

The more common name for baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. This chemical ingredient was found around 4 million years ago when the salt lakes were evaporated and formed trona deposits. The trona rocks are then further processed into soda ash, i.e., sodium bicarbonate. Wyoming has the world’s largest trona deposit. Seventeen million trona are produced every year. The combination of acid and carbonic forms baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. A base, sodium hydroxide that reacts with other chemicals working as a mild alkali. Baking soda decomposes into sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide, and water.

The natural chemical and physical properties of baking soda make it ideal for a wide range of applications in cleaning, buffering, deodorizing, and fire extinguishing, as well. It is genuinely a fantastic chemical when we look further into all of its applications and how it can be applied today. With people being pushed to be “more green,” this is an outstanding chemical to help you transition into using and making your own products as well. More often than not, these products work much better than store-bought versions. That is great not only for the environment but also for your pocket.

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The Science of Baking Soda

Baking soda is a unique chemical. Pixabay

It is a crystalline salt with the chemical name of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Baking soda is naturally formed in nahcolite deposits. The science of baking soda is quite impressive. Baking soda was first isolated in the 1790s by Nicolas Leblanc. After the introduction of the Solvay process, it increased the production of baking soda on a large scale. According to scientific theories, baking soda is highly preferred for both domestic and industrial usage. It is used as a food additive and cleaning product as well. Baking soda has also found its place in fireworks, fungicides, pesticides, and fire extinguishers.

Companies looking to improve their environmental footprint must concentrate on the maximum usage of baking soda throughout all areas and departments. With its many properties and uses, it can replace something in almost every company. An example of this would be cleaning products. If larger companies purchase products like this from smaller companies instead of making their own, this could substantially impact small businesses in that companies area. What a great way to give back to the community and aid in local economic growth while being proactive in using greener and cleaner supplies.

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The Incredible Uses of Baking Soda

There are various benefits of baking soda that you never knew! Pixabay

Due to its leavening properties, baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is used in the baking process in most recipes. Apart from baking, there are numerous other baking soda uses that can make your life a lot better. It can be used in almost every area of your home, so don’t limit yourself to just the kitchen! You can take the baking soda right out of the kitchen and put it in your medicine cabinet. You can make your cleaning products(we’ll discuss specifics later in this article), it is a natural deodorizer, a polisher, etc. the list goes on.

However, why baking soda? Read on to discover the uses of baking soda that you never knew existed — many of which are related to your health. The benefits of baking soda will make your daily life much happier and healthier. There are probably applications you didn’t even know it could be used for and daily “hacks” that will make you wish you had thought of this before or discovered this before. You are now one step closer to making your home a little cleaner and greener for the environment when you read and learn the many application of baking soda.

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Treats Heartburn

Baking soda has a fantastic ingredient to treat heartburn. Pixabay

Heartburn can be excruciating. Also known as acid reflux, heartburn causes a burning sensation that starts in your upper stomach and gradually spreads to your throat, causing severe discomfort. Generally, heartburn is a result of acid refluxing in your gut that eventually reaches the esophagus. Overeating, stress, and spicy are the common cause of acid reflux. Also, acidic foods such as tomatoes (think pizza sauce) and oranges are widespread triggers for acid reflux. If you have never experienced acid reflux, it is painful, and most people only find relief from taking over the counter medication or avoiding certain foods.

Baking soda can help you tame the burns. Just dissolve half a teaspoon of baking soda in a 4-ounce glass of cold water, stir the solution, and slowly sip this drink. It is the recommended ratio for adults, so you may want to increase or decrease the rate depending on your size. You will want to sip this drink, not drinking it all at once, to avoid common effects like gas and diarrhea. Baking soda is a proven solution to treat heartburn. You can repeat this every 2 hours. It is not recommended as a long-term solution, so it is best to see your doctor if the problem persists.

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Rinses as a Mouthwash

Did you know that baking soda can be effectively used as a mouthwash? Pixabay

Your oral hygiene is vital to maintain if you want to lead a healthy life. Following a proper oral hygiene regime is essential to ensure your overall well-being. Mouthwash is an integral part of good oral health and should be done along with brushing every day. Cleaning the corners of your mouth and crevices of your teeth, tongue, and gums, mouthwash helps clean your mouth where your brushing couldn’t be effective. That is why it’s crucial to swish it around in your mouth hard enough to go in between your teeth. Mouthwash not only helps in cleaning your mouth but also leaves your breath fresh.

You might be using several commercial products of mouth washing solutions. Nevertheless, what if you can find a cost-effective product in your home that is also very easy to make? Baking soda can effectively replace the pseudo mouthwashes with its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Just add a half teaspoon of baking soda into half glass of warm water and swirl it in your mouth to get a clean mouth and fresh breath. Do not swallow this solution when you are done – just spit it into the sink like regular mouthwash. That is a great alternative because it is also alcohol-free.

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Soothes Canker Sores

Baking soda can do wonders for all types of mouth ailments. Pixabay

Have you ever got those painful sores in your mouths that are incredibly discomforting and often painful? Those sores are known as canker sores, small and painful ulcers formed in your mouth. Unlike cold sores, canker sores are not contagious and don’t spread to your lips as well. Canker sores are often caused when you have bitten the inside of your lip but can also develop from acidic or spicy foods and even stress. They can occur on your gums as well. Because it is an open sore, it usually makes it uncomfortable to eat when you have one.

There are plenty of medications and home remedies to treat canker sores. If you are looking for some effective yet organic way to manage your irritating and painful canker sores, then baking soda can certainly help you in that case. Research has found that baking soda can work effectively to soothe the severe pain caused by canker sores. You can prepare a mouthwash with baking soda to rinse your mouth and heal canker sores. Use the mouthwash at least twice a day to get better results. To make this solution, dissolve half a teaspoon into half a glass of warm water.

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Improves Exercise Performance

Baking soda can assist you in boosting your stamina. Pixabay

There are instances when you need to boost your stamina and peak your exercise performance. While athletes use power supplements to increase their strength, little do they know that there is an organic way to pump up their performance in the most natural way. Sodium bicarbonate has proven to be a popular supplement for athletes to increase their performance during workouts. Studies have shown that baking soda helps in performing better at athletic activities for longer. It also helps in performing anaerobic exercises that involve high intensity sprinting. Basically, in the simplest terms, it helps reduce the cramping sensation you get when you’ve done a hard workout, which means you can exercise longer.

When you perform high-intensity tasks, muscle cells tend to produce lactic acid that results in a burning sensation during workouts. The lactic acid eventually lowers the pH level in your cells, making your muscles tire quickly. Baking soda with its high pH level will help treat fatigue and allow you to exercise at your stamina’s peak. A study has shown that people who consumed baking soda could perform at a rate of 4.5 minutes longer than those who didn’t. You would take a baking soda dose according to your body weight, which is around 90-135mg per pound. For best results, take this 60-90 minutes because doing any physical activity.

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Relieves Itchy Skin and Sunburns

Baking soda has a high healing power for sunburns and itchiness. Pixabay

Rashes and sunburns are common when you go out regularly in the sun, especially if you don’t use any sunscreen. Though one of the common skin problems, rashes and sunburns can be irritating and painful as well. Trying aloe vera gel and other ointments might get you instant results, but you might have to bear the side effects as well, and some gels or creams can be sticky and uncomfortable. There’s an organic way to treat sunburns, i.e., baking soda. By taking a baking soda bath, you can manage your itchy skin and get a smoothing effect.

Baking soda baths are beneficial for bug bites and bee stings rashes. It is also proven helpful to treat sunburns and its itching. You can mix baking soda with other ingredients like cornstarch or oatmeal to create a paste and apply it to the affected areas to get better results. For a baking soda bath, you would need a quarter cup to half a cup of baking soda dissolved in lukewarm water. Make sure to soak the affected areas properly. It is recommended that adults soak in a bath for around 30 minutes, and children should soak for 10-15 minutes.

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Whitens Your Teeth

Baking soda improves your smile by whitening your teeth. Pixabay

Who doesn’t want a whitened and brightened smile? When your teeth are clean and uber white, it gives you a dab of confidence to smile more in public. While it can be a hefty affair on your wallet to get your teeth whitened now and then, there is a home remedy that you can use anytime, anywhere, to get entirely white teeth on the go. Baking soda is considered ideal for teeth whitening at home on a budget. Studies have found that toothpaste containing baking soda is beneficial to whiten your teeth and remove plaque buildup.

Baking soda has some mild abrasive properties that break the bond of molecules staining the teeth. Hence, it works wonders for whitening teeth at home. Along with whitening and removing teeth plaque, baking soda’s antimicrobial and antibacterial properties are also beneficial for fighting harmful bacteria attacking the teeth. Forget making appointments with your dentists to get your teeth whitened at a hefty price – save that money for your regular cleaning visits and use this method in between meetings. Just get a box full of baking soda and follow a proper whitening regime at home by making a simple baking soda paste.

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Acts as a Deodorant

You can even use baking soda as a deodorant. Pixabay

Sweat issues and foul odor following it are among the common problems that haunt everyone. Generally, human sweat is odorless unless bacteria break its molecules. These bacteria turn your effort into acidic waste, generating a slight odor in it. From many deodorants to fancy perfumes, you must have tried everything if you have sweat issues. It can be costly if you are trying lots of different products and can end up irritating the sensitive skin in your armpits. There are also many harsh chemicals in many of these products found at your local drug store or pharmacy.

If you have been looking for some home remedies to treat your sweat issue and cut costs on the expensive deodorants, then baking soda might help you. Baking soda is proven to eliminate the sweat smell making the bacterial reaction less acidic. It can turn into your cost-effective deodorant that can reduce your sweat issue forever if used regularly. Pat your baking soda deodorant recipe on your armpits and let them rest there for a few minutes before rinsing them off. If you have sensitive skin, look for a recipe made with shea butter or coconut oil.

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Treats Calluses

Baking soda is miraculous for skin issues. Pixabay

Calluses can be hard to sustain. They are the hard and rough skin patches that are generally formed due to high friction and pressure. Frequent walking, gardening, and engaging in sports activities can cause severe calluses in people. Calluses often become severe pain and discomfort if not appropriately addressed, and they are not very pleasing to look at. If you’re not having any pain and just want to get your smooth skin back, you can use this natural home remedy for this as well. This home remedy makes it much easier to remove calluses, saving your time and money.

If you have been investing in expensive ointments and creams, then there is a natural solution to the problem, which you can find in your home as well. Yes, you can use baking soda to treat calluses as well. Isn’t that great? Baking soda has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that help in healing the callouses. All you need is a bath to soak your callus in, some water, lemon juice, and baking soda. Start with warm water and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice for several minutes, then add your baking soda. Soaking your calluses patches in baking soda can help improve the situation. A baking soda bath will reduce the discomfort and lessen the pain.

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Slows Chronic Kidney Disease

Baking soda can even slow down your chronic kidney diseases. Pixabay

Chronic kidney disease can turn into a severe health ailment if not diagnosed at the right time and provided the proper treatment. There are different stages of chronic kidney disease that decides the severity of the issue. Your kidneys are located near your lower back and are an essential organ of the human body system that removes the waste and water from the blood. It also helps in balancing vital minerals like calcium, potassium, and sodium. When you ingest baking soda, it makes the blood less acidic, giving your kidneys a bit of a break when doing their essential functions.

While there are different treatments for chronic kidney disease that you need to follow, you can seemingly slow down the progression of kidney diseases through an easily found ingredient in your kitchen. Research has shown that baking soda can slow down the progression of chronic kidney diseases. A study was conducted on 134 adults suffering from chronic kidney diseases. It was found that the usage of sodium bicarbonate supplements tends to decrease the rapid growth of kidney failure by 36% in those people. Talk to your doctor to see if this is something that can be added to your daily routine.

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Improves Cancer Treatments

Baking soda is used as a cure for cancer. Pixabay

According to one medical journal, cancer is the second largest cause of death worldwide. There are different treatments for cancer according to its type and severity. Chemotherapy is one of the conventional procedures that slow or gradually stop cancer cells’ growth in the body. Cancer cells are the diseased cells in the body that rapidly grows and worsen the body condition. It is essential to follow the chemotherapy and make sure it works properly. Baking soda can be used to improve the efficiency of chemotherapy.

Studies have shown that baking soda expedites the effectiveness of chemotherapy medicines and allows them to work more efficiently and quickly. Baking soda makes the body condition less acidic for the tumors so that the chemotherapy could work efficiently for the body. Working towards introducing more alkaline foods and regulating your Ph levels is a great start to living a healthier lifestyle. Some other foods you can eat to help boost this are kale, spinach, and avocado. Eating a more alkaline diet and paying attention to eating more whole natural foods will help you live a healthier lifestyle.

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Neutralizes Fridge Odors

Baking soda removes all the bad smell from your fridge. Pixabay

Your fridge is the place where all your food is stored for days and even months. Have you ever experienced a foul smell from your fridge when you open it? You may open it and know the culprit of the offensive odor right away – a forgotten science experiment, perhaps? It might be some stale food that remained in your fridge for days. There can be many reasons for the foul smell coming from the refrigerator. It is crucial to get rid of such a foul odor because it is entirely unpleasant to open the fridge door with a foul smell every time.

There are plenty of things that you can do to improve the smell of your fridge. However, there’s one home remedy that will cost you only a few pennies and have long-lasting effects as well. Baking soda can help you remove all the bad smells from your fridge and make it completely odor-free. It helps in refreshing the smelly fridge by neutralizing the foul odor. It reacts with the odor particles present in your fridge to completely mask them and eventually throw them out. Fill a cup full of baking soda and place it inside any corner of your fridge for hours and let the magic began.

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Works as an Air Freshener

You can even use baking soda as an air freshener. Pixabay

Refreshing the air to create a cheerful and pleasant milieu can instantly enlighten your mood. There are plenty of refreshing air products in the market that claims to provide odor-free and fragrant air. But, not all commercial air fresheners are successful in eliminating the foul smell revolving in your room. Some air fresheners sprinkle the fragrance molecules that work for a few moments, and the air becomes a foul smell again. These air freshener brands won’t even depict the ingredients that can result in allergies due to chemical reactions. Also, many are in an aerosol can, which is not great for the environment.

If you have been searching for some home remedies to keep your air fresh and fragrant, then you must give baking soda a try. Baking soda is a fantastic alternative to the chemically packed air fresheners that hardly create any difference or eliminate odors. Take a small jar, add 1/3 cup of baking soda, 10-15 drops of essential oils, cover it with the cloth and secure it with a string or rubber band. Place the jar in your room and let the fragrant infuse in the air. When the scent fades, give the jar a quick and gentle shake or stir.

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Cleans Your Laundry

Baking soda can give you tidy clothes. Pixabay

White clothes can be severe headaches as they tend to get dirty quickly, and it is quite hard to keep the whites intact. It takes much more effort and hard work to whiten and brighten your laundry. Are you tired of trying all kinds of laundry whitening products? Furthermore, are you looking for a reliable solution? The omnipotent baking soda will come to your rescue and revive your white clothes. Baking soda is the most cost-effective way to clean and whiten your laundry. You can pretreat a stain with a baking soda pasta as well – making your detergent work more effectively.

As baking soda is an alkali, a soluble salt, it removes dirt and stains from your clothes. Baking soda interacts with the acidic molecules of soil when it gets dissolved in the water. It can instantly clean all the dirt and keep your garments white for a long time. Forget all the tiring efforts for whitening your laundry; bring baking soda when you are washing your clothes. Add a cup of baking soda along with your regular detergent and wash your clothes in it. Baking soda also helps soften your water, which will help your detergent work more effectively.

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Works as a Kitchen Cleaner

Clean your kitchen with baking soda and you will be surprised with the results. Pixabay

Spending hours to remove dirt from your kitchen counters, as well as the floor, can be the most tiring process you can do in your entire day. Numerous kitchen products are used as a kitchen cleaner. Most of the products contain chemicals that can be harsh on your skin and generate several skin allergies. Hence, it is crucial to find a reliable solution that is safe for your skin and have effective results on kitchen stains. Baking soda can come in handy as a kitchen cleaner. There are different kitchen spots, and baking soda will work efficiently on every sort of stains that your kitchen can form.

Not only removing the stains, but baking soda also helps eliminate the foul smell from your kitchen. You can use baking soda in your kitchen to make your kitchen look clean and smell nice. Make a paste of baking soda by mixing it with water. Apply this paste to the affected areas in your kitchen, where stains are found. Let the paste sit there for a while. Then gently scrub it with a cloth or sponge to remove the paste. Not only the kitchen walls and slab, but you can also use baking soda to clean the oven, stained coffee cups, kitchen tiles, clogged drains, microwaves, and tarnished silver.

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Removes Carpet Stains

Carpet stains can also be easily removed using baking soda. Pixabay

Carpets are the most attractive décor of your living space. You spend a lot of money buying the most expensive and beguiling carpet to boast the milieu of your living space. Though rugs can be all attractive and beautiful, they tend to get dirty quickly. They are prone to dirt and stains that can be stubborn. It is quite challenging to wash carpets regularly, just like any other laundry. Hence, the carpets remain dirty for long until you find the courage to wash them off. You can use baking soda to treat stubborn carpet stains.

Combine vinegar with baking soda to remove the stains. Vinegar and baking soda together create carbonic acid, which is commonly used in cleaning products. It makes many fizzes that react with the dirt and eradicates them. Cover the carpet stain with a fine layer of baking soda to address the affected area. Mix vinegar and water in 1:1 and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Gently spray the solution on the stained area and wait for an hour to let the surface become dry. Once the surface is dry, scrub off the baking soda with a brush or vacuum. You can see the stain will be removed entirely, along with retaining the natural color of the carpet.

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Multipurpose Bathroom Cleaner

Your bathroom will sparkle after you clean it using baking soda. Pixabay

Like kitchens and carpets, bathrooms are the most affected and stained part of the home requiring regular cleaning. From the toilet seat, washbasin to the floors, every area of a bathroom needs special attention. Many cleaning products in the market are deemed to clean the bathroom surfaces like nothing, wiping away any residue or dirt with little to no effort. But, they are brimmed with chemical ingredients that can be hard on your skin, so they are not great to use than a natural solution. If you have children or pets, too, a natural solution will likely be a better option.

Hence, it is crucial to go for more natural organic components that do not leave any side effects on your skin. Baking soda is a fantastic alternative for those harsh bathrooms cleaner that can leave their side effects on your skin. Baking soda will help in cleaning and whitening your bathroom surfaces like nothing else. Make a paste with baking soda and water and rub the paste onto the affected areas. Keep them for a while and gently scrub them off using a sponge or cloth. It is vital to keep the paste for at least 15-20 minutes. You can also use a damp cloth to rub the paste off of the surface.

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Cleans Fruits And Vegetables

Baking soda also helps in removing pesticides from your fruits and vegetables. Pixabay

The growing use of pesticides in fruits and vegetables has made people worried about the things they eat. There have been instances where people have gone ill by eating the veggies affected by pesticides. Hence, it is essential to cleanse the fruits and vegetables before cooking them or consuming them. Generally, people peel their fruits to safeguard their health from pesticides, but peeling can take all the essential fiber, minerals, and vitamins from the fruit. Sometimes the peels of fruit and vegetables are some o the best tasting parts, so we want to wash them but not get rid of them.

You need to find the best way to clean your veggies and fruits and make them suitable to eat. Recent studies have proven that eating fruits and vegetables that are cleaned with baking soda is one of the safest alternatives. With baking soda, you don’t have to compromise with the necessary vitamins and minerals anymore. Soak your fruits and veggies in baking soda solution for at least 12-15 minutes before using them to cook or eat. Ensure you also rinse your fruit and vegetables afterward, ensuring that they are dry before storing them. You don’t want to go through all the work of cleaning and prepping only to have them spoil quicker with improper storage.

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Polishes Silverware

Your silverware will shine like new after you clean it using baking soda. Pixabay

If you have been using silverware, you would know how difficult it is to keep them clean and tidy for long. After some time, silver tends to tarnish and develop a black layer that eventually makes it look less shiny. When you buy silverware, they are all shiny and sparkly. Over time, with air, dust, and dirt, the chemicals of silver start reacting, which makes the silver tarnish. Baking soda can help cleaning agents polish your silverware and keep them shining for a long time. It is a speedy and easy process, so if you need to repeat it, that’s no problem.

Baking soda reacts with silver tarnish’s acidic content. It completely removes the tarnish layer, and keeps the shine alive. Put baking soda into an aluminum baking pan and gently pour some vinegar onto it. Add some boiling water into it and put the silverware into the water. You can immediately see the tarnish vanishing from the silver. Let the solution sit until it is cool enough to handle, then pour out the solution and rinse your silverware. You can use this right away, but some people either rewash it by hand or run it through their dishwasher again.

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Saves a Scorched Pot

Don’t throw away scorched pots and pans when baking soda can make them look like new again. Good Housekeeping

We have all been there a few times – you are cooking a new recipe, and you get distracted for one minute. Next thing you know, the smoke alarms are going off, and your dinner is slightly ruined. You always manage to save it, but your pots need some love afterward. Burnt on foods are extremely hard to get off the bottom of your pots and pans, especially if you didn’t notice it first or if it was very saucy or sticky. With baking soda, this very annoying task has become much easier and takes much less time.

To save your pots and pans, fill them with water until the bottom is covered plus a couple of inches. Add one cup of vinegar to your pot, then bring this to a boil. Take off of the heat and add one or two tablespoons of baking soda to the pot and let the magic begin. It will fizz up a lot, breaking up the burnt bits on the bottom of your pan. Let this sit for at least 15 minutes. Then you can empty the pot. There will probably be leftover burnt pieces, but this will be much easier to clean. You can repeat the process if necessary too.

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Extinguishes Oil and Grease Fires

Never use water on an oil or grease fire. Keep baking soda handy in the kitchen instead. CBS

We all try to be very careful in the kitchen regularly, but more caution should be taken when using appliances like deep fryers that involve lots of hot greases. It is even riskier if you are using just a pot with grease in it, heated on the stove to fry different foods. You need to keep a close eye on these, as any small spills can lead to a much bigger problem – a kitchen fire. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, you can use some other solutions in a pinch for a small kitchen fire. Hopefully, you won’t have to use these.

You can use baking soda to extinguish small grease fires in your home kitchen or a working kitchen (hopefully, they will have the proper fire extinguishers handy – if not, they should!). The only downside to using baking soda to extinguish a grease fire is you need to use a lot of it, so don’t be shy with it. You need to smother the fire with the baking soda – when the fire heats baking soda, it becomes sodium carbonate, and when this happens, water and carbon dioxide is made. You can also use salt in the same way for a small grease fire.

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Makes Homemade Weed Killer

Don’t use dangerous chemicals around your yard when baking soda does the job. Herald

One task of both homeowners, and sometimes home renters, is keeping your lawn looking presentable. In some neighborhoods, you can get fined by local bylaws for having a property that doesn’t look appealing. Many municipalities want yards and the front of homes to look nice and neat to attract other home buyers and residents to the area. That means keeping lawns mowed and your weeds at bay. So what do you do if you have a pesky weed problem that you need to tame? Baking soda is your solution to this problem, and it is effortless to use in your garden!

If you have weeds growing in between the cracks in your walkway or driveway, it can look unsightly. Baking soda will erase these weeds as if they weren’t there to begin with, and it is a safe and natural solution to use on your lawn. Simply pull the weeds, then pour baking soda onto the cracks where the weeds were growing. The baking soda is high in sodium, so it makes the earth not ideal for weeds to grow in, and so the roots of the plant don’t regrow. Be sure to only use this in inconspicuous areas like the cracks in the pavement – if you use this in your garden near other plants, it will compromise the soils and kill them. 

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Deodorizers Shoes

Say goodbye to stinky shoes thanks to baking soda. Parenting

It can be embarrassing to have any odor, but some of the most offending odor is from your shoes. It is not noticeable until you take your shoes off, and when you take them off, everyone around you knows it’s your shoes. Don’t get stuck in this situation next time your at a family gathering or party, and keep the foot odor at bay. You can use a simple trick every time you notice your shoes getting a bit stinky, and it is quick and easy. It is a cheaper alternative to some of the shoe deodorizers you can get at the store.

All you need to do for this simple and quick hack is sprinkle some baking soda in each of your shoes – about 1-2 tablespoons per shoe should be good. You will want to leave the shoes at least overnight, or longer if you can. Once you want to wear them, just shake out all of the powder into the garbage. You could also take a dry paper towel to get the excess powder out of your shoe. Your shoes should now be much fresher and free from offensive odors! Be warned – this hack is not recommended for use in leather shoes. 

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Exfoliates Gently 

Skip the unfamiliar chemicals and go for baking soda to exfoliate your face. Spa Weekly

Everyone is always looking for the next excellent skincare product promising a youthful glow and younger-looking skin. Sometimes we are sucked into the advertising promoting this, and sometimes it comes at a considerable cost. Usually, the simpler the skincare routine, the better, as using many products on your skin can irritate it more and do more harm than good. Many products promising clear and healthy skin can have a lot of very harsh chemicals or lots of fragrance in them. Paying attention to your skincare is essential as your skin is your largest organ!

Part of a good skincare routine is exfoliating – which can sound scary, but it is very gentle and will help your products to work better once you have removed old dead skin cells and dirt. Exfoliating with baking soda is an excellent alternative to buying an abrasive exfoliant from the drug store, and it will be much more cost-effective. Simply mix three tablespoons of baking soda to 1 tablespoon of water to make a paste. Apply this to the skin and gently rub in a circular motion, not pressing hard. Rinse off with water or use a damp cloth to remove. 

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Relieves Insect Bites

Bug bites can be itchy, but baking soda provides quick relief. Medical News Today

No matter where you live, at some point in the year, you will often have to deal with either mosquito, black flies, or some other kind of insect that likes to bite us. That is the one downfall of many outdoor activities, and the annoying itch is enough to deter anyone from actually participating in them. Don’t let the uncomfortable itch of bug bites stop you from exploring and enjoy mother nature and her beauty! If you can find a good bug spray to begin with and only have to deal with a few bug bites afterward – we have a solution for you to be able to deal with the annoying itch. 

Like a lot of other remedies using baking soda – you will want to make a paste. A good ratio for most of these is three parts baking soda to 1 part water. To keep this simple, we like to use three tablespoons of baking soda to one part water. Once you have made your paste, you will want to apply it to the bug bite and leave it on the surface for about ten minutes. Wipe it away with a damp cloth afterward and leave the area to dry. If skin irritation occurs, do not repeat the process or apply it to other bug bites. 

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Creates No ‘Poo (Shampoo)

Do you want an organic way to wash your hair? Try baking soda. Shampers

A couple of years ago, there was a trend – it was the “No ‘Poo” movement, which sounds much worse than it is. Some people still follow it, but it has lost most of its hype as it’s no longer a new trend. People opted out of using shampoo or conditioner instead of natural products or no products. The idea was that they didn’t want to use the chemicals in these standard products anymore and wanted a natural alternative to this beauty norm. It was an unconventional way of managing your hair hygiene for most people.

However, if you were in a pinch and didn’t have any shampoo, you can use baking soda! That is what many people used during their No Poo journey to find an alternative to shampoo. To use baking soda as your shampoo, simply mix one tablespoon of baking soda into one cup of warm water. Pour this onto your scalp and work it with your fingers massaging gently. Make sure to rinse this solution out well. This method is not recommended for long term use but can work when you have forgotten to pick up more shampoo from the store. 

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Makes for an Easy Microwave Cleanup

Stop wasting your time scrubbing the dirty microwave when you can just use baking soda instead. Good Housekeeping

One of the hardest things to clean in your kitchen is your microwave. Most people use this small appliance every day to get dirty quickly, and hard-cooked foods can be a pain to try and clean up. If you catch it right away, it’s not as bad, but it can be easily missed. Another unfortunate thing that happens in most microwaves is the smell inside lingers – have you ever accidentally burned some popcorn and notice it still smells like burnt popcorn several days later? There is a solution that will clean and deodorize your microwave in the same step!

All you will need to do is two tablespoons of baking soda in a microwave-safe dish and one cup of water. Place this in your microwave and microwave for 3 minutes. Some microwaves will require longer, while some may take less time. When the baking soda is heated, it eliminates the offensive odors, while the steam from the water loosens up any caked-on foods making clean up very easy. Carefully take the bowl out of the microwave as it will be very hot, and use a damp cloth to wipe the inside of the microwave.

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Cleans Crayons from Walls

Don’t worry if your little ones colored on the wall. Just use baking soda. Parenting

It is not a very lovely surprise to come home and see marking on your walls from crayons. Hopefully, it is just a small space, and there have not been little artists exploring for too long. Not to worry when this happens, there is a quick and easy solution for this small problem as well! Baking soda can take care of this, leaving your walls looking new, and you won’t have to worry about using it on painted walls. Since it is a natural stain fighter, it is the perfect solution that can be done quickly and easily so you can get back to using crayons on paper.

For a bigger batch of baking soda paste, mix half of a baking soda cup with a quarter cup of water. This paste is slightly abrasive, so you don’t want to apply much pressure when you put it on the wall. Gently rub the mixture on the wall in a circular motion, and you will start to notice the waxy crayon beginning to lift. You can also wipe off the mixture with a damp cloth then reapply more. Once you have removed all of the crayons and wipe the mixture off, make sure to dry the wall of excess water.

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Deodorizes Litter Boxes

Get rid of those smelly odors in the litter box thanks to baking soda. ASPCA

One of the worst jobs of cat owners is having to clean their litter box. Unfortunately, it’s a task that needs to be done often – every day or at least every other day. Our furry friends deserve to have a nice clean litter box, and it helps your cats just be more sanitary in general. Not as much gets into their nails, and the fur doesn’t have a lingering smell if the litter box is clean. You can take a couple of easy steps to take your cat’s litter box’s cleanliness to the next level. 

Also, with baking soda being a natural product, there is no worry about using it inside the litter box. It won’t harm your cats. When you use baking soda in your cat’s litter box, it helps to absorb any unpleasant smells coming from the litter box. Of course, the best way to keep litter box odors at bay is to clean it often, including completely changing out the litter and washing the box. Once you do wash it, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the pan, fill it with litter, then sprinkle some more baking soda on top of the litter as well. 

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Future Applications of Baking Soda

Oh the many possibilities of baking soda! Pexels

It is quite evident that baking soda has taken over the many tasks by extending its ubiquitous benefits. Not just in households, baking soda is now being used in every prominent industry for multiple purposes. Scientists have been continuously working towards finding more innovative and beneficial applications of baking soda in our lives. New research in baking soda is focused on finding its extensive scale application in cleaning and absorbing. It is also proven to be an active component in fruit production for removing pesticides. Baking soda works more efficiently than commercial sanitizers to clean the surface of fruits and vegetables before cooking. Pesticides chemically degrade when they come in contact with the salt of sodium bicarbonate.

It is also anticipated that baking soda can be used on an industrial scale to clean coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities. It will work as a cost-efficient solution to neutralize flue gases as well. December 30 is celebrated as the National Bicarbonate of Soda Day. The day is dedicated to recognizing the science of baking soda. It is quite amazing to find that a little salt can provide such extensive benefits. There are no possible signs of baking soda losing its utility in the near future. The above mentioned were some of the best and credible uses of baking soda in our lives. Baking soda has indeed made our lives better and more straightforward with its chemical properties. If you underestimate baking soda as a baking ingredient, then it’s time to revamp your perception and start using baking soda for its multiple benefits.

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