10 Surprising Uses for Baking Soda

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Between personal hygiene products and household cleaners, it is possible to feel like you are sitting on a mound of chemicals! Such products can be quite expensive, as any trip down the cleaning aisle in the grocery store can tell you, and furthermore it can introduce chemicals into the home that are not particularly good for you and your family. Baking soda may help with all of that. From personal hygiene to household cleanliness, it serves an amazing number of uses.

Baking Soda Toothpaste
A toothpaste made from a combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can give you a bright white healthy smile without exposing your body to the fluoride in many toothpastes. It is also much cheaper to make!

Breath Freshener
Instead of reaching for the breath mints after your next meal, try a mixing baking soda in a little water, rinsing your mouth, and spitting it out afterwards. This will actually neutralize breath odor rather than just masking it.

Facial Scrub
A little paste made up of baking soda and water, rubbing gently onto the skin and then rinsed off will exfoliate your face, removing dead skin cells and dirty and leaving the skin with a fresh and youthful glow and it gently enough to use every day.

Deodorant
If you do not want to expose yourself to the dyes, fragrance and aluminum that many deodorants contain, then try simply sprinkling your underarms with baking soda to keep feeling dry and fresh.

Antacid
Has your mom’s four alarm chili set off those alarm bells in your stomach? Sipping baking soda water provides safe and fast relief from indigestion or a sour stomach.

All-Surface Scrub
For delicate surfaces like the porcelain of the toilet, tub and sink, use baking soda as a gentle but effective scrub to remove dirt and grime, then rinse and pat dry. You will be amazed at how good the bathroom looks!

Pots and Pans Cleaner
Pots and pans can be stubborn, particular if they have had food baked onto them or have not been soaked. Adding a small amount of baking soda to the dishwater before doing them by hand, though, can make them much easier to scour.

Freshen Sponges
If your sponges are foul- or stale-smelling, you don’t have to throw them away. Just soak them in a combination of baking soda and warm water, then wring them out thoroughly to help neutralize their odor.

Microwave Cleaner
If your kid has exploded a bean burrito in the microwave (or something equally hard to get out), never fear: baking soda applied to a damp sponge acts as a mild but very effective scrub which will help you remove even the toughest food messes.

Silver Polish
If the silver candlesticks you got for your wedding are looking a little dull, a small amount of baking soda paste, rubbed gently onto the surface and then rinsed and dried will have them sparkling again.

So, for personal hygiene or simply for a squeaking clean home, consider using more baking soda around the house. Again, this will save you tons of money on cleaning while at the same time allowing you to opt out of using harsh chemicals that you’d probably rather not have in your home in the first place.

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Mayimina
Mayimina has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.