23 Creative Uses Of Baking Soda You Never Knew

Written by Jyotsana Rao, BE  • 

Baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, is a key ingredient used in baking fluffy and delicious cakes. This baking staple helps to neutralize and regulate the pH level of a substance and ensures that it is neither too alkaline nor too acidic.

So the basic strategy is to encourage everyone to use baking soda for the applications mentioned below in order to protect ourselves from the array of toxins present in the household cleaning products.

Here are some ways to use baking soda:

1. Use It As A Toothpaste

Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with ¼th teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and then brush your teeth. It can be used as an alternative to commercial toothpastes.

For an extra boost, you can dip your toothbrush along with paste in baking soda and get sparkling teeth.

[ Recommended Read: 25 Effective Home Remedies To Get White Teeth ]

2. Deodorize Your Lunch Box

Freshen up the sour smelling lunch box and bags using baking soda. Open the lunch box and sprinkle a heavy layer of soda in it. Keep the lid open overnight. Wash it with hot water and dish soap the next day.

3. Use It As A Carpet Freshener

Baking soda is one of the cheapest natural carpet freshener. Sprinkle this baking staple on the carpet, leave it for a few hours and vacuum up. Your carpets will now smell awesome.

 4. Freshen Up The Closet

Place a box of baking soda on the shelf of your closet and keep your closet smelling fresh!

5. Use It To Wash Your Car

Now clean the lights of your car, windows, tyres, seats and floor mats using baking soda. Mix half cup of baking soda in half bucket of warm water and use this solution with a sponge or a soft cloth to clean your car.

6. As A Homemade Deodorant

Prepare a deodorant by mixing equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch. Combine the ingredients with tea tree oil and store it in an airtight container. Apply the mixture onto your underarms and neutralize the body odor.

[ Recommended Read: Can Baking Soda Whiten Your Underarms? ]

7. As A Fire Extinguisher

Baking soda can help in handling minor kitchen fires (electrical) or grease. Just throw a handful of baking soda at the base of the flame. Baking soda, when heated, produces carbon dioxide that helps to put out the fire.

Don’t forget to call the Fire Department – just to be on the safer side!

8. To Deodorize The Fridge

Keep the refrigerator smelling fresh by placing an open box filled with baking soda inside it. It will neutralize the odor!

You can also use it to clean your freezer tip. After washing the freezer thoroughly with soapy water, give a quick rinse wipe of baking soda and warm water. It will help to remove the soap residue and freshen up the freezer.

9. As A Hand Softener

Give a skip to the harsh soaps and scrub away the dirt and odor by making a gentle liquid hand soap at home using baking soda. Mix 3 parts of baking soda in 1 part of water. You can also add honey in it if you wish and use it to wash your hands.

[ Recommended Read: 10 Effective Home Remedies To Get Soft Hands ]

10. Use It To Heal Insect Bites

Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it as a salve on insect bites.

If it’s itching a lot, ease it by rubbing some baking soda on the affected skin after taking a bath.

11. As A Laundry Detergent

Give your laundry a boost by adding half cup of baking soda to your liquid detergent. It neutralizes the pH levels, and makes the clothes clean, fresh and bright!

12. As Mouthwash

Baking soda banishes bad mouth odor. Rinse your mouth with a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water – as you do with a store-bought mouthwash.

13. Pet Deodorizer

Give your favorite cuddly pets a dry shower of baking soda by sprinkling it on them and brushing it off after 15 minutes.

You can also make a pet deodorizer by mixing 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 2 cups of water. Soak a bandana in it, dry it in the sun, and then tie it around the neck of your pet and keep the odors at bay!

14. Room Freshener

Mix 2 cups of water with 3 tablespoon of baking soda and half cup of lemon juice; shake it well and then spray in the air. Ta-daaa! That’s an easy DIY-project!

You can also keep your room fresh by keeping a bowl of baking soda and dried flower buds in it.

15. Natural Shampoo

Baking soda along with apple cider vinegar can be the best alternative to store-bought shampoo. Baking soda helps to remove the dirt and left over residue of hair styling products and makes your hair cleaner and more manageable.

16. Clogged Sink

If you have a clogged sink, pour a cup of baking soda, a cup of white vinegar, followed by a glass of boiling water. It will also help to neutralize the basic and acidic odors of the drain!

17. Deodorize Sneakers

Deodorize your smelly sneakers by sprinkling some baking soda into them at night. Shake it off before wearing it the next morning. The bad odor will be gone!

18. Stove Top

Stovetops looking like a mess? Sprinkle baking soda over the top of the stove, followed by boiling water spray to dissolve the soda without making it run all over. Let it stand for half an hour and then scrub away the dust.

19. Toilet Cleaner

Drizzle a cup of baking soda in the toilet, top with a cup of vinegar and then allow it to frizz for 15 minutes. Scrub your toilet clean using a toilet bush.

20. Sticker

Remove the sticky goo left behind on surfaces by stickers by mixing baking soda with water to a paste and then rubbing gently into the goo. Wipe off with a warm cloth.

21. To Clean Wood Stains

Trying to remove water stains on wood surface? Don’t complicate the process, just make a paste of baking soda with a few drops of water; apply on the stain, and then wipe it off.

22.  For Smelly Ashtrays

Now fix the smelly ashtray by pouring a mixture of white sand and bicarb (equal parts) into it. It helps to diffuse the odor and also helps to mask the smoke in the air.

23.  As A Mattress Freshener

While stripping your bed sheets off for laundry, freshen up the mattresses by sprinkling baking soda on the top of mattress; let it sit for a few hours and then vacuum it.

[ Recommended Read: Amazing Beauty Benefits of Baking Soda ]

So, here are my 23 ways to use baking soda. Did I miss any of the tricks that you use? Share them in the comments box below!

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Image Credit: www.shutterstock.com

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