Let’s be honest: we’ve all implemented Baking Soda as a homemade solution for something. And this is due to its amazing uses and benefits.
You do not?
It is that this mineral has numerous functions, both for health and for the home, and can be used in hundreds of different ways. You just have to know how!
In this post we will tell you their 50 most common uses. Yes, fifty! These include cleaning the bathroom, combating bad odors, taking care of personal hygiene and health. All with a single product!
Learn below everything you need to know about this almost magical element.
What is baking soda?
But before talking about its uses, it is important to know exactly what we are talking about when we say “sodium bicarbonate”
Also known as Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, bicarbonate of soda or vichy salt, sodium bicarbonate is a solid white crystalline compound that is obtained from a naturally occurring mineral called natron.
It is a water-soluble compound and has a slight alkaline taste.
One of the most notorious peculiarities that it has is that when it is exposed to a moderately strong acid it decomposes into carbon dioxide and water. This is what gives this product some of its many uses.
For example, thanks to this chemical characteristic, it can be used as a stomach antacid, at the same time that it is used in bakery as baking powder replacement and it is even used in the production of soft drinks.
The best thing about baking soda to use at home is that it is a cheap, harmless, ecological, natural and non-polluting product. Everything you need to have at home!
Now that you know bicarbonate a little better, you surely want to know more about its uses… Here we go!
Sodium bicarbonate for personal and health care
This product has been used since ancient times as a remedy for different diseases. Today we know that part of its medicinal use has to do with the fact that this substance dilate blood veins, allowing oxygen to expand throughout the body and the pH in the blood to balance.
But it also has many uses that have to do with personal hygiene and beauty. You should never miss a ration of Baking Soda in the medicine cabinet! Here are the most common uses when it comes to health and personal care.
Sodium bicarbonate is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, heartburn, and/or indigestion.
To use it for this purpose, just add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water.
Do not use it more than three days in a row.
- 2. Treatment of insect bites and itching
For insect bites, make a paste of baking soda and water, and apply as a balm to affected skin.
To relieve itching, sprinkle the off-white product on your hand and rub into damp skin after bathing or showering.
- 3. Relieve the tiredness of your feet
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of warm water and soak your feet. Gently rub.
Wait until the water cools and then rinse.
To prepare a simple scrub with baking soda, you just have to mix three parts of this ingredient with one part of water, to form a smooth paste.
Rub in gentle circular motions to exfoliate skin and rinse. You can use it every day, but always keeping in mind that your skin may dry out, so you must counteract this by using moisturizing elements.
You can add 1/2 cup of the product to your bath water to neutralize acids in the skin and help remove oil and sweat. Also, this technique will help you exfoliate skin and get rid of pimples and other imperfections, making your skin feel very smooth.
The same clarification applies as in the previous point: you must be careful to rinse well after bathing and moisturize your skin with a natural or pharmacy cream.
- 6. Natural toothpaste and whitening
To make baking soda toothpaste, just add a little water to 1/4 cup of baking soda until you have a thick paste. You can add a little salt to make it more abrasive.
If you find it too bitter, add a few drops of peppermint oil or peppermint extract and a pinch of powdered sweetener.
If you also add a few drops of lemon, you will get, in addition to a natural toothpaste, an incredible whitener.
Ideally, you should use it once a week.
Put a teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water, swish, spit and rinse.
Odors are neutralized, not just hidden.
Apply baking soda under your arms to neutralize body odor.
- 9. Hand cleanser and softener
To neutralize odors on your hands, exfoliate them and leave them super soft, prepare a paste with 3 parts of the off-white product and 1 part of water. Apply on your hands and then rinse.
Get other tips for soft, smooth hands here.
- 10. Hair Solution
Vinegar is amazing for hair, but baking soda has its place in the shower, too. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on your palm along with your favorite shampoo.
Apply and rinse as usual – this product helps remove residue from styling supplies, leaving your hair cleaner and more manageable.
- 11. Brush and comb cleaner
To keep your hair shiny you must keep your brushes and combs clean. Remove natural oil and hair product residue buildup by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of the off-white product in a small amount of warm water.
Rinse and let dry.
- 12. Oral Appliance Solution
Soak oral appliances, such as retainers and dentures, in a solution of 2 teaspoons of baking soda dissolved in a glass or small bowl of warm water.
This product loosens food particles and neutralizes odors to keep appliances fresh. You can also clean them by rubbing an oral appliance brush with baking soda.
To remove dark circles, the off-white product is also a good option. You need to mix a teaspoon with another of filtered water (you can replace it with chamomile tea to further enhance the effect).
In a small bowl, mix the baking soda with your chosen liquid until it forms a runny paste. Dip a bit of cotton in the mixture, and apply it to the skin under your eyes.
Leave the mixture on for at least 20 minutes, and then rinse it off.
Sodium bicarbonate in household cleaning
In addition to having baking soda in your medicine cabinet, you should also count it among your household cleaning supplies. Due to its abrasive power, it is perfect for removing tartar, removing moisture and fungus, washing dishes and more.
- 14. Mild abrasive for homemade surfaces
For safe and effective cleaning of bathtubs, tile and sinks (including fiberglass and glossy tile) sprinkle the off-white product on a slightly damp sponge and rub as usual.
Rinse well and dry. For extra cleaning power, make a paste with baking soda, salt, and liquid soap, apply, let stand 5 minutes, scrub, and rinse.
- 15. Wash dishes, pots and pans
Baking soda can also help you more easily remove grease and food residue from all your dishes.
To do this, add 2 heaping tablespoons of this product to your regular dishwashing detergent.
For pots with stuck-on food, soak them with baking soda, detergent, and water first, then use the product dry on a sponge or cloth. clean, damp cloth in powder form to prevent scratches.
- 16. Eliminate bad odors from sponges
Soak smelly sponges in a strong baking soda solution to get rid of grime (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water).
- 17. Clean the microwave
Sprinkle baking soda on a clean damp sponge and gently wipe it in and out of the microwave. Rinse well with water.
- 18 Polish silver cutlery
Use a paste made from baking soda (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water).
Rub the silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse well and dry to shine.
- 19. Clean Coffee and Tea Containers
Remove coffee and tea stains and eliminate the bitter taste of cups and pots with a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda in 1 liter of hot water.
For stubborn stains, try soaking overnight with a solution of this product and detergent, or wash with a clean damp sponge with baking soda.
Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the oven. Mist with water to moisten baking soda and let stand overnight.
In the morning, scrub away baking soda and dirt with a sponge, or vacuum, and rinse.
Remove dirt and grime (without unwanted scratch marks) from unwaxed floors and tiles with 1/2 cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water. Mop and rinse for a shiny floor.
For wear marksuse baking soda on a clean damp sponge, then rinse.
You can clean and remove marks (including crayons) from painted walls and furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly.
Wipe afterwards with a clean, dry cloth.
- 23. Clean shower curtains curtains
Clean and deodorize your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda directly onto a clean damp sponge or brush.
Rub the curtain and rinse. Hang to dry.
- 24. Increase the power of liquid laundry detergent
Give your clothes a better clean by adding ½ cup of baking soda to your clothes. A better pH balance in washing clothes leaves them more cleaner, fresher and brighter.
- 25. Remove tough odors and stains
There are many specialized products on the market, but the smell and stains are difficult to remove.
For tough stains add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your liquid detergent, or 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle for deodorization.
- 26. Clean cloth diapers
Along the same lines, baking soda can also be your ally in cleaning your baby’s cloth diapers. These are an option super cheap and ecological, but its cleaning can be complicated, but this solution can help you.
To do this, dissolve ½ cup of baking soda in 2 quarts of water and soak diapers in it. Then rinse normally.
- 27. Clean sports equipment
Use a baking soda solution (four tablespoons of baking soda in 1 liter of warm water) to clean and deodorize smelly sports equipment.
Sprinkle baking soda on golf bags and gym bags to deodorize them. You can also clean golf clubs (without scratching them!) with a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water) and a brush. Rinse well when finished.
- 28. Remove oil and grease stains from cars
Use baking soda to clean the oil…