20 Little Known Uses For Baking Soda That Can Make Life Easier

Almost every single one of us has it in our home, either lurking in our spice cabinet or chilling in the back of our fridge. Perhaps some of you have used it today to make a festive, delicious baking recipe. It’s baking soda, and we count on it to cause crazy chemical reactions that give us big, fluffy, delicious baked goods. It’s also ideal for sucking up odors in your fridge — but there are so many more amazing ways you can use it! A key ingredient in plenty of home remedies, baking soda and its odor-eliminating properties and gritty texture can be applied all over your body as well as in your home. Even avid users of the stuff will likely be surprised by some of the ingenious uses on this list — check them all out below and you’ll be scrambling to buy a fresh new box! 1. Natural Deodorant: Create your own deodorant by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with enough water to create a milky paste, then rub it under your underarms or even on your feet. 2. Feet Soother Create your own foot bath with a tablespoon of baking soda and warm water. The baking soda will remove bacteria and odors, and it will help to prevent toenail fungus. 3. Bug Bite Soother Rub baking soda on your bug bite to relieve the itching. Create a paste with a teaspoon of baking soda and water. Keep applying the paste – about three times a day until the bite dissipates. 4. Sunburn Relief Your fragile sunburned skin will benefit from soaking in a mixture of baking soda and water. Draw a warm bath and add half a cup of baking soda; you can also mix baking soda into your favorite body lotion. 5. Brush and Comb Cleaner You don’t want to use harmful chemicals in your hair products, so use baking soda to clean your brushes or combs. Take advantage of this baking soda benefit by creating a natural paste by combining two teaspoons of baking soda with one cup of water. Rub the paste into your hair product and then rinse. 6. Homemade Toothpaste Baking soda is known to increase plaque removal — that is why it’s commonly used in toothpaste. Straight baking soda has abrasive qualities, and over time it may wear away enamel. Instead, to keep fresh breath, you can add baking soda to your toothpaste or just dip your toothbrush in baking soda a few times a week. 7. Cancer Prevention Baking soda is known to increase the pH of acidic tumors without affecting the pH balance of healthy tissues and the blood. When you have a pH imbalance, unhealthy organisms are able to flourish, which damages tissues and organs, and compromises the immune system. Baking soda consumption can be used as a means of nutritional and immune support for people with cancer. 8. Improve Kidney Function As an alkaline substance, baking soda buffers acids in the body and helps to keep pH levels balanced. Low-functioning kidneys have a hard time removing acid from the body, so consuming baking soda will help with just that. 9. Heartburn and Indigestion Baking soda is a cost-effective way to reduce heartburn and indigestion, as opposed to other options like Tums and Rolaids, which also contain bicarbonate. Simply add half a teaspoon of baking powder to two cups of water. An hour after eating, drink this mixture to gain some relief. 10. Natural Kitchen Scrub Sprinkle baking soda on the surfaces in your kitchen and use a sponge or rag to scrub. You can even add lemon, lavender or peppermint essential oil to add a natural and healing fragrance to this DIY cleaning product. 11. Gentle Baby Clothes Cleanser Baking soda can be used as a natural cleanser and even a fabric softener. It’s the perfect way to clean baby clothes — just add one cup to your laundry load. 12. Silverware Cleaner Create a paste that is three parts baking soda and one part water. Rub the paste onto your silverware and let it sit in a large tray or bowl. After 15-20 minutes, rinse the silverware. 13. Microwave Cleaner Don’t use harmful chemicals to clean your microwave; instead, just add a teaspoon of baking soda to a damp rag. This combination will wipe away food and grease easily. 14. Drain Cleaner Mix baking soda with apple cider vinegar to create your own drain cleaner. This is a much safer option than the harmful chemicals that are typically used to clear drains. Let the combination bubble for 15 minutes, then rinse it with hot water. 15. Shoe Deodorizer Can’t get that smell out of your shoes? Sprinkle baking soda inside your shoes and the smell will clear up within minutes. 16. Wash Your Car Ever hear of a baking soda car wash? Because baking soda easily removes grease and dirt, it’s the perfect ingredient for the ultimate car cleaning. Create a paste with one-fourth cup of baking soda with one cup of warm water. With a sponge or rag, rub the paste onto your car (tires, lights, seats, windows) and then rinse. Or dilute in a gallon of water to remove dirt and grime off your paint as well — just make sure to thoroughly dissolve as baking soda is abrasive in its powdered state. 17. Kitty-Litter Deodorizer To keep your cat box smelling as fresh as possible, cover the bottom of the box with baking soda first, and then fill it in with kitty litter as usual. After cleaning out the liter, give the box a quick refresher by sprinkling baking soda on top. 18. Fight dandruff. Fight dandruff by tabling the shampoo for a few weeks and massaging your wet scalp with a handful of baking soda instead. 19. Splinter Removal Splinters will come out naturally after a few days of soaking it in baking soda (use a mix that includes a tablespoon of baking soda and warm water). Soak the affected area twice a day. 20. Itchy Skin Relief Baking soda can help to reduce discomfort from sunburn, allergic rashes, and skin affected by poison ivy or poison oak. Mix a teaspoon with some water to create a paste – then rub it on your skin. Credits: draxe.com Share this story on Facebook with your friends.