Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda, is a versatile household staple with numerous uses beyond baking.
This alkaline white powder can clean, deodorize, heal, and more when used properly.
As a Cleaner
Baking soda is an effective and environmentally-friendly cleaner for many household surfaces and appliances. Its abrasive texture scrubs away grease, dirt, and stains without scratching delicate materials. Plus, baking soda neutralizes odors rather than simply masking them.
In the Kitchen
A paste of baking soda lifts burned or stuck-on food from pots, pans, baking sheets, and casserole dishes. Apply a generous amount of soda and a little water directly to the affected area. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing with a sponge or brush. The baking soda will gently scour the surface without damaging the cookware.
The same paste cleans tea and coffee mugs to remove lingering stains and flavors. Carefully scrub the insides of cups, then rinse thoroughly afterwards. Baking soda also eliminates foul odors from your refrigerator by absorbing smells. Place an open box or cup of the powder on a shelf and replace it monthly.
Key Takeaway: Baking soda tackles burned-on food, drink stains, and fridge odors in your kitchen.
In the Bathroom
Sprinkle baking soda directly onto a damp sponge or cloth to wipe away soap scum and hard water deposits from tile, porcelain, fiberglass, chrome, and other bathroom surfaces. Its gritty texture cuts through gunk without scratching fixtures.
For tougher buildup, mix a spoonful of baking soda with just enough water to form a spreadable paste. Apply this mixture and let it dwell for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. Repeat if needed for stubborn areas. The paste cleans sink and tub drains by dissolving hair, toothpaste, and other gunk.
Monthly baking soda soaks refresh toothbrushes by eliminating bacteria and residual toothpaste flavors. Dissolve a spoonful of the powder in a cup of warm water and soak brushes overnight. Rinse well in the morning before use.
Baking soda breaks down grime in bathrooms without damaging surfaces or plumbing.
Throughout the House
A baking soda solution wipes down no-wax vinyl floors to remove dirt, restore shine, and neutralize odors. Mix 1⁄2 cup (110 g) soda with a bucket of warm water and mop as usual. This mixture also cleans sealed hardwood by dissolving dull, dirty buildup.
Use the same solution to scrub sticky spills or mystery stains from walls, baseboards, cabinets, and painted trimwork. Apply with a sponge, let sit briefly, then wipe clean. Baking soda alone can scour crayon, marker, or pencil marks from finished surfaces. Just sprinkle it on liberally and gently rub with a damp rag.
For walls, floors, and other household surfaces, a baking soda solution tackles dirt, spills, and stubborn marks.
As a Deodorizer
Baking soda soaks up moist smells that linger in enclosed spaces like gym bags, shoes, the car, and trash cans. Its odor-eliminating rather than masking properties keep areas fresher longer.
For Fabrics
Sprinkle liberally over stinky upholstery, then let sit for a few hours or overnight before vacuuming. The baking soda will draw out sweat, smoke, pet, food, and other difficult smells from fabric fibers Without leaving a scent behind.
If clothes reek of cigarette smoke, motor oil, or gas fumes, seal them in a bag with an open box of baking soda for 1-2 days. The powder will absorb the majority of ambient odors so items smell clean after laundering as usual.
Baking soda removes funky odors from fabric instead of covering them up.
For Spaces
Place open containers of baking soda inside smelly lockers, basements, bathrooms, window wells, storage rooms, litter boxes, cars, and other enclosed areas. Shut the space for 8-12 hours so the powder can neutralize ambient odors. For frequently used spaces, change the soda monthly.
Small bowls of baking soda eliminate odors inside refrigerators, trash cans, gym lockers, and closets. Use secured mini sachets to keep the powder from spilling out.
Strategically placing baking soda in smelly spaces clears the air by absorbing moisture and smells.
For Personal Care
Baking soda offers soothing relief when applied topically to minor skin irritations. It may also promote better oral health with regular use.
Soothing Skin
Mix a spoonful of baking soda with enough water to form a spreadable paste. Apply this mixture to sunburns, windburns, bug bites and stings, flaky skin, mild rashes, and itchy spots for cooling relief. Allow it to dry before rinsing. The sodium bicarbonate reduces inflammation and irritation on contact.
For an allover body soother, add 1-2 cups (220-440 g) baking soda to a warm bath then soak for 15-20 minutes. This temporarily balances your skin’s pH level to ease discomfort from eczema, psoriasis, yeast infections, urticaria (hives), chickenpox, poison ivy/oak, and other inflammatory conditions according to anecdotal evidence.
A baking soda bath or targeted paste comforts burnt, itchy, sore skin from various causes.
For Oral Health
Although more research is needed, current studies indicate baking soda toothpaste strengthens enamel, removes plaque, whitens teeth, and kills bacteria in your mouth better than regular pastes. Its mildly abrasive texture scrubs away stains without eroding enamel over time with gentle brushing.
You can make DIY baking soda toothpaste by mixing 1 teaspoon (5 g) powder with just enough water to form a paste. Brush gently for 2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Limit homemade paste to 1-2 times per week since frequent use may damage enamel over time.
Sprinkling baking soda over your toothbrush also helps eliminate lingering toothpaste flavors. Rinse the bristles well before next use.
With occasional use, baking soda may boost your oral health by clearing bacteria and surface stains without stripping enamel.
Key Takeaway: Targeted applications of baking soda provide topical relief from skin irritations and shows promise for improving oral hygiene.
In Recipes
While baking soda works wonders around your home, its most popular use remains in cooking and baking. It acts as a leavening agent that makes batters rise higher with a tender crumb.
How It Works
When baking soda combines with moisture and an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk or brown sugar, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles. This causes the batter or dough to inflate, resulting in fluffier textures in quick breads, cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and more.
You will find baking soda in recipes for:
- Biscuits
- Scones
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Cookies
- Bars
- Muffins
- Coffee cakes
- Quick breads
It also lightens the texture of fried foods like onion rings or tempura. Just dip the items in a mixture thinned with 1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking soda before frying.
Furthermore, adding a pinch of baking soda to scrambled eggs makes them extra fluffy. It reacts with the natural acids already present in the eggs, releasing air bubbles.
A small amount of baking soda gives a lift to all kinds of baked goods and select fried items.
Substitution Notes
Baking soda only works when activated by an acid and moisture in a batter. It does not work the same as baking powder, which already contains acidic compounds and requires no external acids.
Always use recipes specifically formulated for baking soda. Self-rising flour has baking powder added already, so it does not require soda. The packaging specifies if a commercial flour mix contains leaveners.
As a guideline, use 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda for every 1 cup (125 grams) of flour in a recipe. For quick breads with sugar and sour ingredients, use 1 teaspoon (5 grams) soda per cup of flour.
Do not substitute soda for powder in recipes or vice versa. Always use the leavener(s) stated in the directions.
Miscellaneous Uses
Baking soda offers a few additional handy household helpers beyond cleaning, deodorizing, self care, and cooking. Discover more unexpected ways to put this pantry staple to work.
Pest Control
Ants despise crossing baking soda. Line door frames, window sills, pipe openings, appliance bases, and the backsplash perimeter with a thin coating to barricade these pests out of your kitchen. The powder desiccates their exoskeletons on contact so they cannot traverse treated areas.
Garden Care
Mix 1 part baking soda with 3 parts water to create an effective fungicide spray for roses, fruits, and vegetables prone to blights, mildew, scab, and other fungal diseases. Test spray a few leaves first before treating the entire plant.
The same mixture works as a homemade insecticide that dissolves the waxy cuticle on soft-bodied pests like aphids, mites, thrips, and whiteflies to dehydrate and kill them. Always check for leaf burn 24 hours later and adjust the dilution if necessary.
Sprinkling dry baking soda directly onto the leaves and soil surface repels rabbits, groundhogs, deer, and other garden nibblers thanks to its salty flavor and alkaline pH. Reapply after each rainfall before watering for the best results. Consider protective netting for prized vegetation.
Diluted baking soda spray treats fungal issues while dry soda sprinkled around plants deters certain wildlife pests in gardens.
Miscellaneous
A spoonful of baking soda mixed with shampoo clarifies hair by removing dulling product buildup. Rinse well after use and limit clarifying to monthly since frequent application could dry your scalp and hair over time.
Adding a pinch of baking soda cuts the acidity of boiled syrups and cider, preventing it from seizing up into a crystallized mass. It also prevents discoloration over time.
Painting baking soda onto windshields, headlights, and windows prevents snow and ice accumulation according to some weather enthusiasts. No conclusive scientific data has determined the effectiveness of this claim.
Baking soda dissolved in bathwater softens the skin. Add 1 cup (220 grams) to a standard tub filled 4-6 inches (10–15 cm) deep, then soak for 15–20 minutes. This soothes sunburn as a bonus.
From hair to snowblowing and more, baking soda provides a surprisingly versatile array of helpers.
FAQs
Can baking soda damage any surfaces?
Yes, frequent direct contact with baking soda can etch marble, terrazzo, travertine, colored grout, and painted automotive finishes over time. Check counters, tiles, sinks, tubs, and backsplashes beforehand and test in inconspicuous areas before widespread use.
Does baking soda remove stains from fabric?
It can lift dried sweat, oil, and food stains from washable fabrics. Rub powder directly into marks before machine washing. Avoid using baking soda solutions on delicates, wool, leather, suede, silk, or any "dry clean only" items as it could damage fibers.
What’s the best way to use baking soda on teeth?
To protects your enamel, limit homemade baking soda toothpaste to one or two uses per week. Brush gently with a soft-bristled brush for two minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Always check with your dentist before changing up oral care practices.
Why put baking soda in the fridge?
An open box placed on a fridge shelf absorbs ambient smells that could transfer to food. The powder adsorbs moisture, gases, and odor molecules without masking them. Replace every 30-60 days.
Can baking soda really extinguish cooking fires?
It can snuff out small grease and oil-based cooking fires occurring in pans or pots on the stovetop. Simply toss handfuls of baking soda directly onto the flames. However, baking soda should not be used for oven, electrical, or larger kitchen fires. Keep an appropriate fire extinguisher handy instead.
Conclusion
Baking soda offers an astounding array of helpful applications extending far beyond the kitchen.
Its versatility comes from its abrasive yet gentle cleaning power, neutralizing pH level, moisture and odor absorption, and simple chemical makeup.