Baking soda, more formally known as “bicarbonate of soda” is often used in the kitchen for cooking and baking, but did you know that this product is far from limited to uses in the kitchen? Not only is baking soda often used in common household items and personal uses, but it also has some incredible health benefits. Here are some of them.
1.Clean Your Produce
Unless you’re growing your fruits and vegetables in your own backyard, chances are that there are pesticides and gross germs all over your produce when you take it home from the grocery store. Sprinkle one teaspoon per every two cups of water in a bowl with all of your produce in it and scrub away until it’s clean.
2.Clean Rugs And Carpets
If you have stains or smells in your rugs and carpet, easily get rid of them with baking soda. After you sprinkle some onto the carpet, pour hot water on top. Let the baking soda sit overnight and then vacuum over it the next morning. Repeat this routine if you need to for a tricky stain.
3.Mouthwash
If you are suffering from bad breath despite all of your best efforts in fixing it, try using a baking soda mouthwash. Mouthwash can reach the small crevices that toothpaste can’t, and baking soda can be a great solution to freshening up your breath. Baking soda has great power in providing antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits. This recipe is simple: baking soda and water!
4.Deodorant
Baking soda is a natural ingredient, and it’s a great way to get a reliable deodorant without using all of these heavy chemicals on your body. To make this, just mix baking soda with water to create a paste. If desired, add in a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil.
5.Air Freshener
Usually, air fresheners you buy from a can in a store simply mask bad smells instead of eliminate them, and on top of the fact that these items contain a ton of harsh chemicals, it’s not worth it. Baking soda and essential oils will work together to eliminate the odors and make the room smell fresh.
6.Whiter And Brighter Clothing
Adding one cup of baking soda into your laundry detergent will keep things whiter and brighter than by just using detergent. Baking soda is what’s called an alkali, which means that it breaks up the acid in stains of clothing and helps to make clothes cleaner.
7.Bathroom Cleaner
When you’re scrubbing away at your bathroom and it just isn’t getting clean, it can feel like there’s no solution. There are a lot of checmical-heavy products you can buy to clean your bathroom, but baking soda is the cheapest and safest option. You can use it on your toilet, your tub, and anything else you need to clean in order to get a sparkling clean bathroom. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes before wiping it off.
8.Polishing Silverware
The worst part about silverware is the ware and tear that it experiences after a while. When you take the time to clean these items, you’d be amazed at how much nicer they can look! Baking soda fights off the chemicals on the silverware that are making it look tarnished and leaves everything looking top-notch and spotless. Soak the silverware in a mixture of hot water and baking soda for a short amount of time and rinse it off. You’ll notice a change immediately.
9.Spa Treatment
Are you longing for a relaxing spa night but you know that your schedule and wallet can’t handle it right now? Combine an ounce of baking soda with your hot bathtub water and soak your feet. You can get a spa-grade pedicure without even taking off your pajamas!
10.Disinfect Toothbrush
With winter upon us, that means cold and flu season is also here; germs are all over the place, which means you need to disinfect your toothbrush. Most people don’t tend to think about disinfecting a toothbrush, but as it’s something that goes into your mouth multiple times each day, you want it to be fresh and clean. Baking soda, water, and vinegar combined together make the perfect solution. Just let it sit for 30 minutes and rinse it off.
11.Treating Bug Bites
While it’s not safe to apply baking soda or baking soda mixtures directly onto your skin every day, it can come to the rescue when you’re suffering from an itchy bug bite or reaction. You may not realize this, but most of the creams and solutions you’d buy at the pharmacy already contain baking soda!
12.Burnt Pot
When you accidentally burn the bottom of your pot while you’re cooking and you can’t seem to clean it properly, no matter how many times you scrub, bring in some baking soda to save the day. pour boiled water over the baking soda you’ve sprinkled onto the pot and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing off.
13.Cleaning Shoes
Smelly gym shoes are nothing to be embarrassed about; everyone sweats, and especially when they are shoes you wear while working out, it happens to nearly everyone. Still, no one wants to smell your shoes, and you likely don’t want to experience the smell in your home. To fix the problem, pour 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a tied up piece of fabric. Leave it in your shoes as long as you need.
14.Heartburn
Heartburn, which is commonly known as acid reflux disease, is a burning feeling that travels down to your esophogus. There are a lot of things that can cause heartburn, and it can be an extremely uncomfortable feeling, but that’s where baking soda comes in for help. Baking soda neutralizes the acids in your stomach and eases the pain. If you add a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water and drink it, you should feel better soon.
15.Fluffy Omelet
If you’re someone who loves eggs but wants to spice things up a bit, we have just the trick for you to try tomorrow morning. Adding half a teaspoon of baking soda for every three eggs you’re cooking will help make the omelet lighter and fluffier, as carbon dioxide bubbles will form inside.
16.Cleaning Drains
Is there really anything more annoying than having backed up drains around your house? The answer is no, there is nothing more annoying. Luckily, solving this problem is quite simple with baking soda. Combine vinegar, baking soda, and boiling water to create a mixture that you’ll pour down your drain and let sit for up to ten minutes.
17.Garbage Disposal Odors
Usually, your garbage disposal can be one of the most useful parts of your kitchen. Sometimes, though, you need to call for backup in the form of a baking soda and vinegar mixture. Just pour in a quarter cup of baking soda into the drain and turn the disposal on for only two seconds. Wait ten minutes before adding one cup of vinegar to the disposal, then watch the bubbles start to develop. After you run warm water down the drain, you’ll notice the smell is gone and your disposal is good as new.
18.Whiten Your Teeth
Unfortunately, most of us love coffee or tea too much to voluntarily give them up, even if they are staining our teeth right before our eyes. Spending money on professional teeth whitening treatments can cost an arm and a leg, and sometimes they are quite time consuming, as well. All you really need to do is combine a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with a bit of water to create a paste and brush your teeth with it.
19.Sore Throat
Are you one of the unlucky ones who can’t go more than a few weeks without getting a sore throat or strep throat? This one is for you, then. Taking too many antibiotics can actually start to cause more harm than good to your body, so we have a better quick-fix solution; gargle a mixture of baking soda and water three times a day. Your throat will instantly feel better.
20.Whiten Yellow Nails
It’s easy to lose track of how long you’ve had your nail polish on for, but leaving it on for too long can cause your fingernails to turn yellow! By mixing baking soda with a small bit of peroxide and scrubbing it on your nails, they’ll be back to looking fresh and beautiful in no time.
21.Lighten Dark Underarms
There’s nothing worse than wanting to wear your favorite tank top but realizing your underarms are looking dark. Getting rid of these marks is actually much easier than you’d expect; all you need is baking soda and warm water! Create the mixture and apply and massage the area for 1 minute. Let the mixture sit for up to 30 minutes and repeat up to three times per week.
22.Exercise Performace
Baking soda can help athletes improve their performance during high intensity workouts, which can make their workouts much better and more productive. Baking soda works with your body to delay a fatigued feeling and keep you feeling stronger for longer.
23.Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease means that over time, you lose a lot of strength and capability in your kidneys. As kidneys remove excess water from our bodies, having kidneys that work properly is very important. Thanks to baking soda supplements, you can slow the progression of kidney disease.
24.Kill Weeds
Nobody likes going out into their front or backyard to find that a whole family of weeds has started to grow on their property. Weed killers contain harsh chemicals that can harm any animals that tend to be in those areas, like squirrels or even your family dog, and no one wants to put animals at risk. Instead, sprinkle baking soda on the weeds and repeat as needed.
25.Clean The Microwave
Sprinkling baking soda onto an used damp sponge and scrubbing your microwave with it can really help with cleaning and taking care of any leftover smells inside. When you’re done scrubbing, rinse it out with a damp towel of warm water. Your microwave will be left smelling fresh and you won’t even be using any chemicals.
26.Melt Ice On Driveway
If you live in a geographical area that gets a lot of snow and ice in the winter, you likely know the pain of trying to avoid an icy path at all costs. If your walkway is covered in a sheet of ice and you didn’t have time to go to the store to buy salt, sprinkle baking soda on it.
27.Cure Dandruff
If you have dandruff and can’t seem to find a good cure for it, we have a new idea for you to test out for yourself. Replace your shampoo with baking soda for a few weeks. Massage the baking soda into your wet scalp and let it do its job. Within a few weeks you’ll see big improvements.
