15 Great Tips for Baking Soda

Baking soda really is a multi use product. When I think of baking soda, I think of a box to shove in the back of my fridge to keep smells at bay, occasionally I will sprinkle some into my cat litter box or bottom of garbage pans, but all I thought was baking soda is good to help keep smells away and for a leavening agent in my baking endeavors! But since I have been on a quest to save money for my household I discovered the benefits of baking soda and to boot, it is a great product to have if you are "green" since it can be used instead of harsh cleaning chemicals, and cuts down on use of plastic containers. So here is my personal favorite uses for baking soda and a few descriptions!

1. Deodorant for yourself! Yes, this really works. As gross as it may seem, or as funny as it may seem, after I gave birth my hormones changed drastically, no deodorant would work to keep me smelling "fresh as a daisy". Even when I was not sweating, I tried prescription strength from he doctors, every deodorant under the sun, even mens deodorant..nothing..worked! Well, someone suggested baking soda, I laughed at first, but decided what the heck. So I took a pinch full and wiped it on my armpits, and lo and behold I had no body odor the first day I used it. Even on hot days when I am out running around ti keep me smelling fresh! Since my first try at using it though, my best tip, buy yourself a powder puff type thingy and use that rather than your fingers, saves from wasting the baking soda that sprinkles onto the floor.

2. Shampoo. Some people call this un-pooing. Basically just rinse your hair with water, use about a tablespoon of baking soda in your hair, rinse out and that is it! Once a week is good enough to help get the build up of conditioners and oil out of your hair and scalp. at first you may get some dryness of your hair, but once your body re-adjusts to not having the chemicals your hair will shine better than it did with the most expensive shampoos.

3. Cradle cap on babies. My son suffered from horrible dry skin on his head as a baby, also called Cradle Cap. Take about one teaspoon of water and 3 teaspoons of baking soda to make a paste, lathe it on your baby's head, leave it on overnight or for at least a few hours, do this regularly for a few days and the cradle cap will disappear.

4. Diaper rash. Another problem that infants suffer from, many of the diaper cremes out there contains lots of chemicals that do not help your child's rash. Try pouring a few tablespoons of baking soda into a lukewarm bath and let your baby soak in it for a while, of course, remember to stay with your child at all times to keep them propped up and safe and to make sure the water is lukewarm, not hot.

5. De-icer in the winter. Instead of slipping and sliding or just throwing down sand and/or cat litter on ice for traction, add in a good amount of baking soda, the soda will help melt the ice and unlike the salt that most people use which will eventually eat away and erode your concrete and driveways, the baking soda is natural and safe.

6. De-weeder. for sidewalk and driveway cracks This will not kill most of your already live weeds but will keep them from coming back. Just sprinkle a bunch of soda on your walkway and then sweep it into the cracks where you have weds, I do not know how it works but have heard it has something to do with the sodium in it that keeps weeds away!

7. BBQ Grill Cleaner: Baking soda is a very safe mild abrasive, so I will mix a paste up of baking soda and water, usually 1.4 cup of baking soda and water each, using a wire brush scrape it right onto the grill, let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes and then scrape it off, it takes off all the dirt with it, or you can use a hose, I then let the coals burn for a few minutes before putting food on it just to get rid of any of the residue, but even if it did get onto your food, it is a lot safer for you than the spray cleaners you would buy from the store

8. Doggies dry shampoo. Just rub some right into your dogs coat and then brush. It does not clean if he is covered in mud, but it will get rid of any smells on him and make his coat a lot shinier and healthy looking.

9. Keeps bugs away from pet dishes. I sprinkler a little border of baking soda around my pets food dish that we keep outside, the bugs do not seem to cross it, before the border we had ants constantly going in the dish.

10.Bee sting remedy: If you get stung by a bee, and are not allergic (in that case get to a doctor!!), make a paste of baking soda and cool water, smear it on and let it dry and it takes away the pain

11. Remove crayon marks on walls. Both of my children enjoy displaying their art on the walls, and not by using paper and some tape, by coloring directly onto the walls. Just soak some baking soda and water into a rag (I will sometimes actually pour some soda onto the wall in a weird sort of direction to get it on here) and with not even a little amount of elbow grease the crayon will rub right off.

12. Meat tenderizer. Some people I mentioned this to tried it and swore they could taste the soda, so your mileage may vary when trying this. I will take a tough piece of meat and rub it down with Little baking soda, then let it sit int he fridge for a few hours and the meat is always more tender. I will always rinse the soda off the meat before cooking or marinating though, then you would taste it!

13. Gas problems? My husband uses baking soda mixed with water as an antacid, you can find directions for how to use this as an antacid right on the box, so I figured I would give it a shot with some foods that give him gas, baked beans is a family favorite but always makes him gassy, now I add a pinch of soda and gas is gone! I also add some to tomato sauce also and the flavor is not affected at all as long as you remember only to use a small pinch.

14. Get burnt food off pans. When I accidentally burn food while cooking it sticks to the pan, rather than scrub away with a Brillo, I will pour in a good amount of baking soda and water and boil. Then I will let the water sit for a few hours to overnight, the next day the burnt food just rinses away

15. Fungicide for roses. I am yet to try this as a fungicide on my garden, but tried it on my roses and ti works. Mix together about a tablespoon of soda, dish washing detergent and a gallon or so of water, put in spray bottle and spray away once or twice a week.