How do you use baking soda? To bake bread and cakes? To make cookies? To get that fluffy feel to your pancakes? Maybe, if you are daring enough, you also leave an open box in the refrigerator to fight odors? Is that about all? Oh, you poor, un-informed, un-initiated girl! There are about a hundred uses for baking soda that I can think of. But today, I am going to go over only nine unique ways to use baking soda. For the rest, you could always turn to your grandmother. Or perhaps, the internet?
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1. Freshen Your Breath
Receiving subtle hints from your friends about bad breath? Here’s what you do. Make a paste of baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and use it to brush your teeth. Alternatively, you could also just sprinkle some baking soda onto your toothpaste and brush as usual. One more thing, baking soda makes for an excellent mouthwash. Add a tsp of this white powder to half a glass of water and rinse your mouth. No more bad breath!
2. Get Rid of Carpet Odor
There’s yet another kind of odor baking powder can work its power on – those that are embedded deep in the fibers of your carpet. So, sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda on to your carpet and let it sit the whole night. The next morning, sweep up as much baking soda as you can from the surface and vacuum the remaining.
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3. Exfoliate Your Skin
One of the more unique ways to use baking soda is to give your skin a rejuvenating exfoliating scrub. Add three parts baking soda to one part water and rub this mixture onto your face and the rest of the body gently, moving your fingers in a circular motion. This scrub is mild enough to be used every day without affecting the pH balance of your skin.
4. Wash and Soften Your Hands
The same mixture can also be used to wash your hands. You won’t have to worry about harsh chemicals stripping your skin of essential moisture and it will also get rid of ground-in dirt effectively.
5. Clean Teapots and Coffee Mugs
Coffee and tea makers tend to have a residual smell or bitter off-taste to them. To remove that mix a quarter cup of baking soda to a quart of warm water and use this to clean the cups, mugs, and coffee maker. For stains that are irritatingly stubborn, soak the dishes overnight in a solution of detergent and baking soda and wash the next morning.
6. Do the Laundry
Yes, another unique way to use baking soda is laundry based! Just half a cup of baking soda added to your regular laundry detergent can give your clothes a fresher look, not to mention a nicer smell and a softer feel as well.
7. Bust the Odor from Sports Gear
Tired of the stink your teenage son brings in with him each time he comes back from soccer practice? Make a strong solution using 4 tbsp of baking soda and I quart warm water and clean his sports equipment and gear with it. How do you keep hubby’s golf bag smelling nice? By sprinkling baking soda into it. Simple, isn’t it? I told you there were plenty of unique ways to use baking soda!
8. Test Your Garden Soil
This is a great tip for gardening enthusiasts. Why run to professionals to have your soil tested when you can do it yourself? Mix together two cups of water and a quarter cup of baking soda. To this add a cup of your garden soil. If the whole mixture begins to foam up, you have acidic soil in your garden.
9. Wash Fruits and Veggies
Worried about what kind of residue is making its way to your baby’s meal along with the fruit and vegetables you served him. Not anymore! Wash the fresh veggies and fruits in baking soda and get rid of dirt, grime, and anything else there might be on them.
And those my dear ladies are the 9 unique ways to use baking soda. The next time your son is headed off to school camp, pack in adequate amounts of baking soda with his gear. He can use it to wash dishes, to bathe any minor wounds, keep his stuff smelling good, and even to extinguish fire. He’ll be the wonder kid of the camp and you will be his new best friend, while the other moms look on in envy wondering what you did. Are you planning on sharing your little secret with them?
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