50 Fabulous Uses for Baking Soda

A few years ago I shared my post, “For the love of Baking Soda.” It was my salute to this all natural, penny pinching, miracle product that is one of the staples I use most often in my home, and I found out I wasn’t alone.

A few poor souls still assumed it was just for baking, and I understand. For years, I thought the same. I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. Then as a newlywed, I took a few baby steps, and put an open box in my fridge to ward off odors. I felt so domestic!

When I learned how it freshened, I began dumping the Baking Soda down my drain and running the garbage disposal to clean that nasty area, and by the time we had our first child, I was completed converted to the wonders of this frugal “Miracle product”. 

Diaper Pail or Garbage smells? No worries, pour a little baking soda in the bottom and just keep it there.

Mishaps on the sofa, and it doesn’t quite smell fresh and clean? Sprinkle just a tad in between the cushions and it will freshen with in a day or two. Then vacuum up the remnants.

Those were few things I learned early on, but as you can tell I’ve come a long way from our first child. Now we have five children, and I purchase Baking Soda in bulk because it’s one of the best, most natural all-purpose product on the market.

You will be convinced:

50 uses for Baking Soda.

75% of them I’ve tried personally, but then some were shared by my great readers. I know we haven’t covered them all, so feel free to help us round the list to 100. 🙂

Baking Powder Substitute: Since we all know to bake with it, did you know you can substitute it for baking powder by mixing it with cream of tartar or vinegar?

Produce Wash: More and more pesticides and wax are added to our produce. Fill your sink with water and wash fruits and vegetables with baking soda.

Clean and Freshen Drain: I’ve used a Baking Soda and vinegar rinse for cleaning my drains, as well as keeping the septic balanced for years.

Clogged Drains:  a FB reader takes it a step further to unclog her drains. “It does a great job cleaning out clogged drains. I pour baking soda to fill the drain hole, pour in a couple cups of vinegar and let it bubble. Leave sit for a time (30 minutes?) and let the fizzy reaction do it’s work then flush with hot water. Repeat if necessary.

Clean Shiny Sink and bathtub: I love the thought of a sparkling clean sink and one of my first blog posts, entitled Baby Steps of Organization shared my goal of going to bed with a shiny sink each day. It’s still a goal, and that goal is made easy with just a bit of elbow grease, water and my baking soda paste. The same goes for our bath tub. You have NO idea just how bad our three sons’ tub is – embarrassing really, but with a little dedication, the rings and gunk comes right off, and I’ve tried many cleaners.

“Degunk” Washing Machine: With five kids, I see a build up of various “unknowns” in our washer from time to time. I use one cup of baking soda and one cup of white vinegar in the washing machine to degunk it from detergent and such. Just run through the washing cycle once by itself.

Coffee Pot Cleaner: Similar to rinsing the washing machine , do the same for the coffee pot. Add 1/4 cup baking soda to one quart of warm water and scrub those nasty stains away. I always just let it soak over night and then wipe clean in morning.

Stove Top Cleaning: Two Jennifers, plus me, (makes three) shared Baking Soda’s wonders on cleaning stove tops. “I had liquid from cooking on the stove top that was blackened and IMPOSSIBLE to get out. Used baking soda with a little water on a paper towel and voila, it was gone!!!! So excited!!! “It is my favorite thing to clean my stove top! I ruined my last stove top by using abrasive cleaners to get the grime off. Not anymore! Baking soda is strong enough to make is sparkle without leaving a scratch!

Cleaning Outside Grill: Scrub baking soda paste mixture on the grate to cut through the grease, as well as on all the metal parts. The grease comes off fabulously.

Home Deodorizer: While I store my baking soda in quite little mason or glass jars, Cheryl took me one step further by sharing that you can add a few drops of essential oils to your baking soda and it makes a fabulous deodorizer.

Clean Burned Pans: If you don’t want to spend all day scrubbing, put baking soda with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil for about fifteen minutes. It will begin loosening the food until you can clean with greater ease.

If there’s just a bit of burned food, make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and use it to scrub. Works on both enameled cast iron and stainless steel pans.

Chrome: If you have some chrome that needs polishing, use dry baking soda on a dry clean soft cloth. It will make your chrome sparkle. A friend’s table has chrome legs and uses this method to keep the legs shining and looking like new.

Clean Silver: Use baking soda to clean silver jewelry. Make a paste of it and rub it in with either your fingers or a soft brush, then rinse and pat dry. You’ll be amazed how shiny silver gets!

Fresh Flower Help: Keep freshly cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the vase water.

Foot /Shoe Deodorizer: Every single one of our sons’ shoes have baking soda sprinkled in them. I wish I was joking about this, but it’s true.

Drawers: Sometimes when I buy secondhand furniture there might be odd odors. I regularly sprinkle baking soda in the drawers and it freshens tremendously. I now do this in my sons’ dresser drawers as well, just because… 😉

Toothpaste: I first started using baking soda to clean and whiten my teeth back in high school. I don’t use it daily, but whenever I see coffee stains pop up, it’s baking soda to the rescue. I wet my toothbrush and dip it into my little baggie of baking soda and scrub. It tastes horrible, but works wonders. Even my teens are hooked on this natural remedy as well. Many of my friends only use water and baking soda, but ask your dentist because it may be too abrasive for daily cleaning.

Sore Throat: When you have an irritated throat, just add baking soda to a cup of water, squeeze half a lemon to it, gargle and spit.

Mouth Wash: Put a teaspoon in a glass of water and rinse your mouth just like you would a traditional brand. It helps eradicate the odor and bacteria, not just cover it up.

Natural Deodorant: I know, it sounds quite radical, and I have not done this, but some of my natural friends love it. Some just use a baking soda paste or use a powder puff to apply it dry, while others have mixed it with Essential Oils and coconut oil to actually make a deodorant.

Clean Brushes and Combs: Our hair leaves a lot of oils on our brushes, but a simple soak in water and baking soda will freshen them back like new.

Facial and Body Scrub: Corrine shares, “My favorite thing to use baking soda for is as a facial scrub. Because the ph is different than our skin, it makes the skin refresh itself. My skin feels as smooth as a baby’s behind when I’m done. Then for a little coconut oil and my face is happy! ” Another shares, “I mix baking soda and lemon juice and keep it in a jar in my bathroom for washing my face. It keeps my face clean and removes blackheads.”

Bath Soak: Sprinkle a bit of baking soda with epson salts into your bath water. The salt will draw out toxins and the baking soda will ensure that your body won’t reabsorb the toxins and it will make your skin feel soft like a babies bottom.

Hand Odor – If you have strong stubborn smells on your hands, rub them with baking soda and water.

Dry Shampoo: Most salons now offer a “designer” version of dry shampoo to allow you to go a few days between washes. Why not try baking soda first? Pour a small amount in the palm of your hand and apply to scalp and roots of hair. It absorbs oil, freshens hair, and also boosts your shampoo the next time you wash in the shower! Shampoo: The “No-Poo” movement is out in full force. Many of my readers and friends echo this praise, “I use it instead of shampoo, then rinse with mild vinegar shampoo. I made the switch about 3 years ago, and my wavy hair has done SO much better…less frizz {and this in SC and TX!} and more definition. Plus, I can go longer between cuts because the ends don’t split and dry out nearly as quickly. And…it’s dirt cheap”

First Aid Kid: “I keep a small ziploc of baking soda in my glove box first aid kit. If anyone gets stung by a bee or steps into a pile of fire ants, I mix the baking soda with a little bit of water to form a paste. Spreading the paste onto the bite/sting seems to sooth the pain.”

Bug “Bath”: Over the years, a few of our children have stepped on yellow jacket nests. I immediately get them in a bath filled with baking soda to help sooth and calm the stings.

Jellyfish Stings: Shari shares, I keep a little container of white vinegar + a baggie of baking soda in my beach bag. A local EMT told me about it, and sure enough, it works. More than once, I’ve come to the aid of a stranger with a screaming child with just those two little things. It really works!

Heartburn: Jennifer shared, “A little dissolved in water, gulp it down (because it tastes terrible!) and heartburn is gone almost instantly, and won’t come back for days! Which is great, because I get a LOT of heartburn! Works MUCH better than any over-the-counter antacid meds!

Dentures: Diane shared, It’s hard to say my favorite baking soda use with so many. Most often used would be for my dentures. Ovenight Arm & Hammer makes them clean,white and odor free!

Last month, I had a “Tackle It Challenge” where I attacked some of my nastiest messes with Baking Soda. I conquered.

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: A paste made from water and Baking Soda allowed me to tackle my outdoor plastic furniture.

Clean Vinyl Outdoor Siding: Our home’s siding was horrible. This project took a bit longer, but it also worked like a charm, while working on my arm muscles at the same time.

Pet Accidents: LoriLynne shared, “I used ARM & HAMMER®baking soda and vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to clean up “pet puddles” from the carpet. Works great!

Erupting Volcano: This old stand by classic science fair project is created by a mixture of baking soda, vinegar and dish washing liquid. Always a fun one!
Extinguish small fires: Sprinkle and put out small fires on rugs, upholstery, clothing, and wood. Someone shared they even keep it in their car, just in case of emergencies.

Refresh mattresses We flip our mattress every few months. Sprinkling a little on the mattress top and then vacuuming helps deodorize and freshen.
Freshen Sheets and Linens: Get towels and linens clothesline fresh…right from the wash! Add 1/2 cup of ARM & HAMMER®Baking Soda to the rinse cycle and get ready for the great outdoors

Aquarium Cleaning: When you have to tear down the aquarium for a full cleaning, use baking soda to scrub the Aquarium inside and out. It works really well, and if you need a little more scrubbing power just add a little salt.It gets them sparkling clean

Cleaning the Dog: “Baking soda is better than tomato juice for removing skunk smell from doggie! Mix hydrogen peroxide with water, one to one. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet dog, and pour the water mixture over the fur, rubbing it into the hair. It will fizz and then freshen.

You can also use it to “dry clean” your stinky dog. Sprinkle baking soda liberally all over the dog, massage into the coat, then brush it out. It pulls out the dirt and grease in the coat and leaves the dog smelling fresh. Works great in the winter when you don’t want to get the dog all wet with a bath and it’s great since it’s non toxic. As an added bonus, do this to your dog on your wood floor and then sweep up the baking soda, it will leave your floors clean.”

Decorating Christmas Tree to give “fake snow look” Sift on the Christmas Tree to make it look like a light snow fell on the branches. It’s not harmful to people or pets, and helps with the worry of the tree catching on fire. Not only that, but it keeps the air fresh, as well as carpet. It’s easy to vacuum when taking down the tree. It can also can be used on artificial trees, and it’s much prettier than the sprayed on snow and safer. Go Green!

Cleaning the Pool: Baking Soda helps maintain the ph of the pool water, while keeping the water sparkling clear and helps prevent eyes from burning.

This list of possible uses for Baking Soda could just keep going and going, but I’ll let you finish it. I hope I’ve convinced you to go grab some for yourself. It’s inexpensive and can really tackle nearly all your cleaning and deodorizing challenges.

Have I missed any? 

(post first shared 5/12)