The Many Uses of Baking Soda

Some people have long forgot that Baking Soda, something you keep around the house for various baking needs, can be used in many more ways.

Here are some of the top uses for Baking Soda that you may find useful:

• As a cheap environmental friendly cleaner for drains; pour 1 cup of baking soda in the kitchen or bathroom drain, add 1 cup of white vinegar, add stopper, let bubble for 30 seconds, then add 1 cup of warm water, let stand for 10-15 minutes, then run hot water for 30 seconds. For general maintenance repeat this method every 2 weeks especially in the kitchen. (Take note - this will not touch hair clogged in bathroom drains.)
• As a stain remover, make a paste of baking soda andscrub with a plastic scrubber the tea or coffee stains in cups, mugs or dishes; for tough baked on or burned food stains in pots and pans, soak in a mixture of baking soda & hot water.
• As a deodorizer, keep an open box in your fridge & freezer and replace every 3 months; sprinkle into dishwashers (between loads), garbage pails, laundry hampers & lightly on the bottom and lightly on the top of litter boxes.
• As a silver cleaner for sterling or silver plated serving pieces, make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, rub paste onto silverware with a clean soft cloth, then thoroughly rinse and dry well.
• To improve the cleaning power of detergent and/or bleach when doing laundry, add ½ cup of baking soda for fresher smelling & cleaner clothes.
• To keep skin feeling smooth, add ½ cup of baking soda to a full tub of water.
• To soothe and relieve pain, make a paste of baking soda and a small amount of water and dot on insect bites and canker sores. For canker sores rinse your mouth with a 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in ½ cup of water and repeat 3-4 times per day to help reduce the acidity in your mouth, (also for canker sores, don’t eat acidic type foods eg. tomatoes, oranges, etc. for awhile).