30 Uses For Baking Soda: The One Ingredient That Can Do Pretty Much Anything
Baking soda is basically a miracle ingredient. Yes you can use it for baking (as its name suggests) but it also has so many other fantastic uses. It's a cleaner, a deodorizer, it's pretty much a homeowner's best friend.
Keep reading to discover all of the ways you can use baking soda around your home. The tip about deodorizing cutting boards might even change your life. Keep calm and sodium bicarbonate on!
Relieve Skin Irritation
You can add a cup of baking soda to your bath water to help soften your skin and relieve irritation. It may not be all that glamorous, but it is way cheaper than a Lush bath bomb.
You can always throw in some essential oils if you want to make your skin smell as lovely as it will feel. Lavender is a good choice if you're bathing right before bedtime.
Produce Wash
Mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda in a sink full of water. Wash your fruits and vegetables in the solution, then rinse with clean water. This is a good way to make sure that you get all of those nasty pesticides off of your produce.
Also, it's an all natural solution, which is a nice bonus. I promise your apples will taste so much better and cleaner.
Remove Odors From Your Hands
You know that thing that happens when you're making a delicious stew or pasta sauce and you cut up some raw garlic, but then your hands smell like garlic no matter how hard you scrub them or how much soap you use?
Well, all you have to do is rub some baking soda on your hands and that should take the stink away. This trick also works with onion, fish, and other unpleasant smells.
Gently Exfoliate
Exfoliants from places like Sephora and Ulta (and even Lush) can be super pricey. You can make your own DIY body and skin exfoliant quickly and easily out of some baking soda and some water. Mix 3 parts of baking soda to 1 part water. Rub gently in a circular motion and then rinse clean.
Your dead skin cells will fall away (gross, I know) leaving your skin silky smooth.
De-Skunk Your Dog
My dog likes to chase skunks in the backyard at night. That means he's gotten sprayed multiple times, and each time, we have to bathe him before we can let him back in the house.
If your dog is anything like my dog, try out a de-skunking solution of 1quart hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon dish-washing liquid. Your dog won't like it, but that's what he gets for bothering skunks.
Easy DIY Soft Scrub
How easy? Sprinkle some baking soda on your tubs, sinks, or tile and then wipe with a clean damp washcloth. Rinse and dry. You can also make a paste by mixing water and baking soda beforehand.
I think I'm going to try this one as soon as I get home today. The tiles in my shower could really use a good scrub. Who knew that baking soda was so useful?
Pamper Your Feet
I didn't include a picture of sore and tired feet here for a reason. Sore and tired feet aren't that nice to look at. This jar of baking soda is though. If you suffer from blisters and calluses, mix up a solution of baking soda and warm water and get soaking.
Having nice, smooth feet is seriously underrated. If you haven't given your feet some attention in a while, you should definitely give this DIY a try.
Easy Microwave Cleanup
Sprinkle some baking soda on a damp cloth and gently scrub away any microwave mess. This hack cleans and deodorizes. It's a win-win.
Basically, if something needs cleaning, you can probably clean it with baking soda. I'm no chemist, so I'm not sure how this stuff works, all I know is that it does work. It works really, really well. And it's cheap, so you can't do much better than that.
Whiten Your Teeth
Many people will use baking soda as a natural toothpaste. There is some concern, however, that baking soda can be too abrasive for everyday use (although there are plenty of people who swear by it). You can use it from time to time to help polish and whiten teeth if you're nervous about chipping away at your enamel.
Or you can add a bit of baking soda to any natural toothpaste recipe.
Make Your Own Deodorant
I'm allergic to a lot of drugstore deodorants. I can pretty much only use the ones that come in gel form, which can make shopping a hassle.
If you also have sensitive skin or you just want to try something without aluminum or parabens, try making your own deodorant with 1/3 cup coconut oil, 2 Tbs baking soda, 1/3 cup arrowroot powder, and a few drops of any essential oil of your choosing.
Relieve Heartburn
Baking soda is a safe and reliable antacid. The recommended dosage for adults is a 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in a 4-ounce glass of water. It's best to sip this drink slowly to avoid side effects like gas and diarrhea. You can repeat every two hours.
This solution really works, and it's great for when heartburn strikes when you least expect it. Almost everyone has a box of baking soda at home.
Relieve Diaper Rash
It's hard to know which products are safe for your baby's delicate skin. That's why it's always best to stick to all natural products. You can put two tablespoons of baking soda in your baby's bathwater to help relieve rashes.
After the bath, their bum will be as smooth as... well, a baby's bottom. Sorry, I had to go for the obvious simile. There are few things smoother than a baby's bottom.
Cut Grease Naturally
Add a heaping scoop of baking soda to your normal dish soap and let it soak for a while. Baking soda helps cut through grease to make your dishes easier to clean.
Seriously, I'm starting to think that there's nothing that baking soda can't do. I love letting the dishes soak. It makes me feel like I'm actually cleaning and being productive while I'm really watching Netflix and doing nothing.
Simple Air Freshener
Ironically, most air fresheners on the market are full of toxic chemicals that you shouldn't breathe. Luckily, you can make a super easy DIY air freshener. You'll just need distilled water, 1 Tbs. baking soda, and 5-6 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Mix all of that together and pour it into a spray bottle. Now you've got yourself an air freshener that's cheaper and more environmentally friendly than Febreze.
Polish Silver Flatware
An easy way to make a simple silver shining paste out of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Just rub it onto silver flatware with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse and dry and bask in the shine!
A lot of silver polishes can be super toxic and unsafe to use around young children. This is a quick, easy, safe, and effective solution that will keep your silver shining bright.
Clean Crayon Off The Walls
Even though you've told your kids at least a hundred times not to color on the walls, you know it's going to happen at some point. That's just the way that kids work. They're always going to do exactly what you tell them not to do.
To remove the crayon, apply baking soda to a slightly wet cloth and rub lightly. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth to get your walls back to normal.
Absorb Refrigerator Odors
This is a hack that a lot of people know about (except for the guy who posted this photo on Twitter and was very confused about why there was a box of baking soda in the fridge in his hotel room).
Place an open box in the back of your refrigerator to help neutralize odors. Just be sure to change the box every couple of months, because it's going to be... well... smelly.
Deodorize Your Litterbox
Few things smell as bad as a litterbox. Cover the bottom of the pan with baking soda, then fill as usual with litter. To freshen between changes, sprinkle baking soda on top of the litter after a thorough cleaning.
There are few joys in life quite like a cat with baking powder on his face after kicking up a bunch of it in his litter box. It's somehow cute and gross all at the same time.
Keep Flowers Fresher Longer
Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water in the vase. I'm sure Martha Stewart already knows about this hack and that's why her flowers always last so long. Look at those gorgeous blooms!
Martha Stewart is seriously too good for us. She's even friends with Snoop Dogg. I know she's had a few scandals in her past, but she's still a DIY queen.
Neutralize Gassy Beans
Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda in the water when you soak beans to prevent gassy issues and improve digestion. Baking soda will also make your beans softer and more tender.
If you had problems eating chili before, you should give this hack a try. Maybe the baking soda will let you enjoy this gift of a bean dish again. If it doesn't work, don't blame me. Blame the baking soda.
Absorb Toilet Odors
If that hack with the beans doesn't go your way, you're really going to need this next tip. Add a cup of baking soda to your toilet water and leave it there for an hour before flushing. It will clean the toilet and absorb all kinds of nasty smells.
Baking soda is always going to help you out in one way or another. You just have to believe in the process.
No 'Poo
Many swear by the simplicity of baking soda as a shampoo that's finished off with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. You can make your own dry shampoo using baking soda, arrowroot powder, and lavender essential oil.
There's no better or easier way to soak up excess oils on your scalp. I mean, you could take a shower, but ain't nobody got time for that. You should probably shower though. That also helps with bad smells.
Keep Your Brushes And Combs Clean
Baking soda is great to help naturally remove oils, build up, and residue on your combs and brushes. Simply soak your hair tools in a solution of water and baking soda (about 1 tsp of baking soda to a cup of water). Rinse and dry thoroughly.
I bet you haven't spent much time thinking about how gross your brushes are. Well, I'm sorry if you're thinking about it now, but you're welcome.
Boost Your Laundry Detergent
Adding baking soda to your laundry helps soften the water, making clothes cleaner, fresher, and softer! All you have to do is add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry to make your detergent work even better.
This hack is especially great for washing your gym clothes. Nothing gets that sweat stench out of fabric quite like baking soda. Baking soda: it's good for cookies and for your undies.
Unclog Drains
Do you remember using baking soda and vinegar to make erupting volcanoes back in elementary school?
Well, you can use that same mixture to unclog the drains in your house. Products like Drano contain harmful chemicals that aren't great for the environment. Baking soda and vinegar is all natural, so it's totally safe to use. If you're feeling youthful, you could always use the leftover baking soda and vinegar to make a volcano.
Keep Ants Out
Mix baking soda with either salt or powdered sugar., then sprinkle that mixture wherever you see unwanted ants. You can also sprinkle a whole bunch of baking soda around the ant hill that's the source of your ant problems.
Ants can live outside all they want, but as soon as they enter my personal property, it's game on. Any ant that steps foot in my kitchen is basically declaring war.
Deodorize Cutting Boards
It's hard to get all of that onion and garlic smell out of your cutting boards. Sometimes dish soap just doesn't do the job thoroughly enough.
Sprinkle your cutting board with baking soda, let it sit for a few minutes, and then scrub it off with a sponge or half a lemon if you're feeling fancy. The acid in the lemon will react with the baking soda to amp up the scrubbing and deodorizing action.
Relieve Insect Bites
There are few things in life worse than a mosquito bit. Nothing ruins your camping trip faster than the incessant itching and scratching that comes with it. If you don't have any After-bite on hand, you can make your own by mixing baking soda with a little bit of water.
The basic nature of baking soda will neutralize the acid in the mosquito's saliva. Isn't it gross that mosquitoes have saliva?
Carpet Deodorizer
Sprinkle some baking soda on your carpet and let it sit overnight. Sweep up what you can and then use a vacuum to suck up the rest. This little trick will leave your whole house smelling fresher. Basically, if something's not smelling so fresh, you can almost always use baking soda to make it smell better.
It's just one of the small miracles in life. Thank goodness for baking soda.
Actually Bake Some Cookies
Why not use baking soda as God intended. Make some cookies! Or cake, or pastry, or whatever baked good suits your fancy. Yeah, cleaning and deodorizing stuff is great, but eating cookies is way better.
Baking soda is what keeps our cookies chewy and delicious. You basically can't make cookies without it. So, what are you waiting for? Get baking! Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia nut, the choice is yours.
