Top Uses of Baking Soda

This cheap and easily available ingredient has several other handy uses, for health, beauty, childcare and even household cleaning. Try these easy tips and put baking soda to work in every room of your house!

Whiten your teeth

Dip your toothbrush into some baking soda and use it to brush your teeth. It will clean your teeth and whiten them.

Freshen your breath

Put one spoon of baking soda in one glass of water and gargle with it for fresher breath.

Manage body odor

Instead of spending money on expensive deodorants, just pat some baking soda on to your under arms to prevent body odor.

Exfoliate your skin

Make a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water. Use this paste to scrub your skin – it will get rid of dead skin cells and soften your skin.

Soften your feet

Soak your feet in a bucket of warm water with three spoons of baking soda added to it. Then, scrub them with a thick paste of baking soda and water. Your skin will become softer and calluses will slowly disappear.

Shampoo your hair

To get rid of the chemical build up in your hair, wash your hair with a mixture of baking soda and apple cider vinegar once a week.

Soothe diaper rash

If your baby has diaper rash, mix two spoons of baking powder into their bathwater to relieve the redness and discomfort.

Neutralize beans

Eating certain beans or lentils can give you gas or make you feel bloated. Avoid this by mixing a spoon of baking soda in the water that you soak the lentils in.

Wash produce

Wash your fruits and vegetables with water and a little baking soda to get rid of any pesticide residue.

Make better tea

Adding a teeny tiny pinch (and we mean really tiny, just a few grains) of baking soda to your tea will get rid of the bitterness and cloudiness of the tea and make it taste better.

Clean hairbrushes

Soak your combs and hairbrushes in warm water that has one spoon of baking soda in it. Rinse them with water and let them dry.

Clean dental appliances

If you have dental appliances like retainers, mouth guards or dentures, store them in a solution of water and two spoons of baking soda to keep them clean when you are not using them.

Polish silver

Real silver turns black over time, so keep it shiny by making a paste of baking soda and water, rubbing it onto the silverware with a cloth and then rinsing it off.

Mop floors

Add half a cup of baking soda to a bucket of warm water and use it to mop the floors. Your flooring will be shiny and any scuff marks will fade.

Clean your microwave/oven

Wet a sponge, sprinkle some baking soda on it and use it to clean your microwave or oven. It will help you tackle any gunk that is stuck to the sides and get rid of unpleasant odors.

Clean surfaces

Use baking soda and water to clean surfaces like countertops, kitchen counters, stovetops, mirrors and cabinets. You can even use it to clean and brighten furniture.

Remove crayon marks from the wall

If your kids are at the age where the walls look like a great surface to draw on, sprinkle some baking soda on to a wet cloth and use it to get the crayon marks off the walls.

Wash greasy dishes

If you have particularly greasy or oily dishes, add a couple of spoons of baking soda to your regular dish soap and use it to clean the dishes. You may have to let them soak in the soap and soda mixture for a while before you scrub them.

Wash clothes

Laundry detergents can be harsh on clothes, so to protect delicate materials or your baby’s clothes, mix baking soda with your laundry detergent (preferably a chemical free variety) and use it to wash the clothes. You can even add it to your regular laundry cycle to make clothes look brighter and fresher.

Deter ants

Make a paste of baking soda, salt and water and apply it to places where you usually see ants in your home. Ants tend to enter from windows and doorways, so you can apply this paste to these areas to prevent them from entering your home.

Unclog drains

If any of the sinks or bathroom drains in your home are clogged, mix one cup of baking soda with one cup of apple cider vinegar and pour it down the drain. Alternatively, put four tablespoons of baking soda in the drain and wash it down with warm water. You can do this once every two weeks to ensure that your drains don’t get clogged in the first place.

Get rid of unpleasant odors

If food odors tend to linger in your home, turning stale and unpleasant, mix one spoon of baking soda and some water into a spray bottle. You can add a few drops of any fragrant essential oil to it if you like, but it’s not necessary. Spray this mixture around your home and it will banish any foul smells.

Deodorize your home

Similarly, you can use baking soda to get rid of smells in your refrigerator, by keeping some in a bowl in the fridge; your trash cans, by sprinkling some at the bottom; and your toilet, by pouring some in the toilet, leaving it for half an hour and then flushing it away. You can also sprinkle baking soda onto your cutting boards, ashtrays, gym bags and pet’s bedding before putting them for wash, to deodorize them. Dust some of it on to your shoes, slippers and stuff toys to freshen them up.

Source: healthmeup.com