The Many Uses of Baking Soda

What makes you beautiful?

cleans your house?

and extinguishes kitchen fires?

That would be soda. Nope, not the kind you drink, but the kind that comes in a box for baking. Good old bicarbonate of soda -- an item in practically everyone’s cupboard.

I am aware of some of the uses for baking soda. As a kid, when we ran out of toothpaste my mother would give us soda to brush our teeth. I hated it, but it prevented a trip to the store. And I saw my daddy mix with water and take as a treatment for upset stomach.

Other uses? Well no, not really; not beyond placing a box in the refrigerator to neutralize odors.

But then I got on Pinterest. (Oh my, are you there yet? if so, are you hooked?) I am, at least for now. I trust the new will wear off soon, but I find myself there far to often looking at all the beautiful photos and finding useful information.

There's so much from which to choose: beauty tips, makeup tricks, decorating, gardening, crafts, photography, technology. Think up anything, search for it and you'll find it. 

I keep seeing “pins” on the wonders of baking soda. It seems many people are "into" this so I'm listing below some of its uses. This information is from the websites Arm and Hammer and care2 make a difference.

Care2 makes the point that we, as consumers, can "combat the ills that many corporations are perpetrating in the name of fighting grime and germs" by lessening our use of the products that produce environmental pollutants in our water systems.

Substituting baking soda for these products would show kindness to aquatic life and protect us from the "toxic tangle of pollutants" in personal care products, which are mainly in the form of synthetic fragrance and parabens.

I've only provided skeletal information on baking soda usage, but do click on over to the care2 page for details and further explanation.

Personal Use

Toothpaste
Freshens  Mouth 
Soak Oral Appliance 
Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant 
Invigorating facial and body scrub
Deodorant
Antacid
Treat Insect Bites & Itchy Skin
Hand Cleanser and Softener
Hair 
Clean Brushes and Combs
Bath Soak
Soothe Feet 

Cleaning

Surface Soft Scrub
Handwash Dishes and Pots & Pans
Freshen Sponges
Clean the Microwave
Polish Silver Flatware
Clean Coffee and Tea Pots
Clean the Oven
Clean Floors
Clean Furniture
Clean Shower Curtains 
Boost Liquid Laundry Detergent
Gently Clean Baby Clothes
Clean and Freshen Sports Gear 
Remove Oil and Grease Stains 
Clean Batteries
Clean Cars

Deodorizing 

Refrigerator 
Cutting Board 
Trashcans 
Recyclables
Drains
Deodorize and Clean Dishwashers
Deodorize Garbage Disposals
Remove Odor From Carpets 
Remove Odor From Vacuum Cleaners 
Freshen Closets 
Deodorizing Cars  
Deodorize the Cat Box 
Deodorize Pet Bedding
Deodorize Sneakers
Freshen Linens 
Deodorize Your Wash
Freshen Stuffed Animals 

Miscellaneous

Camping Cure-all
Extinguish Fires
Septic Care
Fruit and Vegetable Scrub

I don't know about you, but I want to give some of these a try! Actually, I've already tried a few and can report it's not a bad toothpaste substitute. I've used as a face masque (mix with lemon juice) and spot cleaned woodwork.

Now I just have to find a 10 pound bag of the stuff!

What about you? Do you think you might try some of these uses for baking soda, or have you done so already?

A note about Pinterest: I'm trying to "figure out" how to install the "Follow Me on Pinterest" widget on Blogger but haven't quite got it yet. I have set up quite a few "Boards" there, with much useful information. Once I am successful with the follow me button, I likely won't be doing so many products/things to try posts here; you can just pop over to Pinterest and read that type of information. You have to join first, though.

 I was, however, able to add the "Pin It" button, and it now appears below the comments section on each post. It should  be showing up above the comments, along with the other widget buttons, but who knows the ways of Blogger?