Baking Soda - Who knew!

Okay as you all know I try to be as green as possible... In my late night googling I came across some great things you can do with baking soda... I have boxes of that stuff handy to put in my fridge for the smells, but after a month a threw them out with not a second of hesitation... not knowing that I could still use them... The strength of course has diminished a tad, but it still works well enough for me. If you want the full strength you can always use a new box. Not only is baking soda a natural cleaning agent and deodorizer but it also has so many other great uses!


Here's a few great things you can do with plain old baking soda:




1.Clear a clogged drain: Mix ½ cup of baking soda with ½ cup of white vinegar (careful as when you add the vinegar, it may bubble over). Pour down drain followed by 2 cups of boiling water.


2.Deodorize your dishwasher: Simply sprinkle ½ cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher before running a cycle.


3.Freshen up your sponge: If your kitchen sponge or towel starts to get a bit stinky, soak it overnight in 2 cups of warm water, 2 tbsp of baking soda and 5 drops of tea tree oil.


4.Deodorize your carpet or rug: Lightly sprinkle baking soda over your carpet. Let it settle for ½ an hour and then vacuum.


5.Dandruff remedy: Wet your hair and then rub a handful of baking soda vigorously into your scalp. Shampoo and condition with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-free products and repeat for the next 5 or 6 times that you wash your hair.


6.Mouthwash: If you have bad breath or it's the night after a heavy dose of garlicky pasta, dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda in an 8-ounce glass of water and use as a mouthwash or gargle.


7.Clean combs, brushes: freshen up your bristles by whirling them around in a bowl of 3 cups of warm water and 2tsp of baking soda.


8.Moldy shower curtains: Throw a mildew/mold stained shower curtain into the washing machine with a couple of bath towels. Add 1 cup of baking soda to the detergent and add 1 cup of vinegar to rinse cycle.


9.Paving stones: Keep the weeds from growing in between paving stones by sprinkling baking soda onto the paving stones and sweep it into the cracks.


10.Clean your grill: scour yucky grill racks with a paste made from 2tbsp baking soda and 2tbsp of water. Apply paste with a brush, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse.


11. Add it to the water when doing laundry, baking soda stabilizes the pH level, enhancing the detergent’s effectiveness.


12. Baking soda may also be added to swimming pool water to balance the pH level and keep the water clear.




13. A pinch added to tomato sauce while cooking, or coffee while brewing, will reduce acidity.


14. A small amount added to the soaking water of beans will make the softening and cooking process faster and reduces the after effects for the people eating them! ( NO GAS) :)


15. Baking soda’s fine gritty texture makes it an excellent, gentle abrasive cleaner. It is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, fragrance-free, and safe for nearly all surfaces, making it perfect for household use. Just mix it with a little water or vinegar. (careful with the vinegar, we all remember our volcano science projects)


16. And lastly, you can sprinkle baking soda around the exterior entrances and foundation of your house, it may stop ants and other insects from crawling in, as it is irritating to their "exoskeletons" and they avoid it.