Kitchen Tip: The Many Uses for Baking Soda
Baking Soda is such an amazing thing.
There are so many uses for it beyond it’s most common use as a chemical leavener in baked goods.
So I thought I’d that for this week’s kitchen tip I would share share some of my favorite uses for baking soda.
Take my advice and don’t fuss with buying a small box of baking soda next time you’re out.
If available in your area, a 13 lb. bag of baking soda (purchased at my Costco) is much more cost effective.
Thinking “what could I possibly need 13 lbs. of baking soda for?”
Think again!
Baking Soda is a great household product for all sorts of reasons.
My Favorite Uses for Baking Soda (besides in baking)
Deodorizing
Baking soda is great to help get ride of bad smells.
A few of my favorite ways to deodorize with baking soda are:
- For a stinky refrigerator, place a bowl of baking soda on one of the shelves.
- For Trash cans, liberally sprinkle baking soda on top of the smelly trash.
Personal Hygiene
Baking Soda works well as a substitute for several other personal hygiene products.
- For a gentle facial exfoliant, keep a small tupperware of it in your shower for radiant skin.
- Swish and gargle 1 teaspoon with a glass of water to freshen your breath and relieve canker sores.
- Use as a toothpaste substitute. It also helps remove stains and whitens your teeth naturally.
- Relax and enjoy a detox bath using baking soda. Learn How to Take a Detox Bath and try this recipe for Lavender Eucalyptus Green Tea Detox Bath Salts
Laundry Additive
For brighter, fresher clothes, I always add 1/2 cup of baking soda to my laundry.
Adding baking soda to laundry really helps keeps whites looking whiter and brights looking clean and fresh.
It also helps remove grease stains and bad odors from clothing, plus it is a natural fabric softener!
Dirty Dishes
Baking soda helps get the job done when you’re faced with really dirty dishes.
- Sprinkle the broiler pan with heavily with baking soda, then top with a wet paper towel. Let soak for 30 minutes, then clean as usual. This also works well on BBQ grills.
- Sprinkle the bottom of your dishwasher with baking soda and then run as usual to reduce odor build up.
Homemade Baking Powder
Out of baking powder?
Make your own using 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch
From My Friends
I asked a few of my friends what their favorite uses for baking soda were because I knew they’d think of some good ones that weren’t on my list.
Here’s what they had to say:
Shaina: Making volcanoes and soda bottle rockets with the kids. Put it on insect bites. Underarm Deodorant.
Cheryl: Scouring my sink. I also make a paste with vinegar and put it on insect bites.
Kristan: I only like baking soda to bake…I’m so boring. (you are NOT)
Jamie: To absorb carpet spills…for example, if someone spills soda we blot up the area, spray with water, and shake on baking soda. It will lift the stain, once it dries, you simply vacuum it up and rub the area a bit.
What are some of your favorite uses for baking soda?
Amanda @ bakingwithoutabox says
My favorite laundry additive! Great tips. I’ll have to try a couple new ones from the list.
MrsSmith327 says
I read the part about getting whites whiter…is this safe to use in colored clothing as well? I am a firm believer of adding white vinegar to my white’s load for a quick run, then adding the detergent…but I didn’t know anythign about adding baking soda!
Katie says
I don’t ever use it on darks, but I do for whites and lights and haven’t had any problems.
Jena says
Yes, it’s safe for colors. I use baking soda in my cloth diaper soak/pre-wash cycle to help get rid of lingering ammonia/urine smells and then again in the wash cycle. (I also use vinegar instead of softener–it clears out any lingering detergent and my flannel sheets have never been so soft!)
april says
i make my own washing detergent and it calls for baking soda and it works just as well with coloreds as whites doesn’t harm them a bit
Talia says
I always use baking soda on colors and I have never had a problem, especially my husbands stinky gym clothes. Works like a charm!
Karyn L. says
I use baking soda to clean the inside of porcelain cups. Just wet the inside, pour some in the bottom, and scrub away! Takes the coffee and tea stains right out!
dorine says
i like to wash my hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. it has restored the ph of my hair, so now i need only wash it 1-2 times a week. plus it’s crazy cheap! my husband, for the first time in years does not have dandruff- and he tried every dandruff shampoo out there!
ShandiKakes says
What is the ratio of soda to vinegar? 🙂 would love to try it!
Stephanie says
The baking soda is for your shampoo (I make a paste in my hand and apply it root to tip in my hair, then rinse it out); its abrasiveness pulls out any grime without stripping your hair of needed oils. You can use the vinegar as your conditioner (half water, half vinegar); not technically conditioner–just makes your hair shiny and allows you to de-tangle.
*Just Fran* says
I grew up with clearing clogged or slow drains by adding baking soda and following it with heated vinegar. Like the volcanoes of science project it bubbles and foams. That foam eats away at grease and food deposits in old house plumbing.
Kate says
wow, fantastic idea!
Gudrun says
This one really works. Besides, the stuff used to unclog drains is very hostile to the environment and I´d much rather use something ecological like baking soda followed with vinegar.
Cheryl says
I had always used harsh chemicals until I was diagnoised with a chronic illness, now I always you baking soda and vinegar for clogged pipes or cleaning. I do not use harsh chemicals anymore.
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
Wow this is a great post! I never would have thought to use baking powder for all of these things. Thanks!
Tracy says
Great tips! I knew some of them, but I definitely have some new ones to try!
Kylee says
I use my big bag of baking soda to make carpet freshener. I sometimes add cinnamon to it and shake it on my carpet, the vacuum it right up.
We have 2 cats and a dog, and my house never smells of “pets”
Dawn says
oh, I love your cinnamon carpet freshener idea. Thanks Kylee
TidyMom says
Fabulous post Katie!!
Laurel says
Similar to cleaning the sink, I use baking soda to clean up any stains that might happen on the counter top or table… The other day something had left a pink ring on our white counter top. Nothing was getting it off until I remembered the baking soda trick. After sprinkling some baking soda on it, it wiped off in about two seconds!
Alicia M says
I don’t have any great tips, but I love, love, love this post! Thanks!!!!
darcy says
i recently used it to cure a UTI. Just by mixing half a tsp. with 8 oz. of water (plus drinking real, unsweetened cranberry juice), i was left with no issue whatsoever!!!
The Texas Peach says
I use it on my stainless steel pots & pans instead of Brillo pads. Gets rid of any discoloration they might have on them, and makes them shine. Also, I use it when I need a little extra scrubbing power on my non-stick pans. Scrubbing my stainless steel sink with baking soda & vinegar makes it shine like new too.
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
wow great tips! I knew some of these, but certainly not all of them. I always keep an open box of baking soda in my refrigerator. No idea why, just because my mom did. I guess it’s to keep bad smells out? Also I do use it to clean my sink.
Andrea - The Greenbacks Gal says
Make sachets and stick in stinky gym shoes!
Lisa {Smart Food & Fit} says
I use baking soda for everything, I like to use it to brush my teeth and I always get compliments on how white my teeth are.
I like to use it in my kids bath tub, instead of using harsh bathroom cleaning products. Think about it our skin is the largest organ in our body not to mention the largest organ of absorption, you don’t want those harsh chemical residue to absorb into your littles body. I sprinkle baking soda in the tub with a bit of white vinegar and an old tooth brush to get rid of soap scum.