76 Uses for Baking Soda

This is my Frugal Friday Post for the carnival over at Biblical Womanhood. Head on over there and find all sorts of great money saving ideas.

Recently, when plagued by what seemed to be a hoplessly stinky bathroom sink drain, I discovered the wonders of baking soda: my bathroom is now as sweet smelling as ever. It seems baking soda will clean ANYTHING. I haven't tried many of these tips yet, but i intend to. By cleaning with baking soda, I can save a small fortune on cleaning supplies as well as reduce the number of harmful chemicals I use in our home.

And because there's no point learning about how to make your home sparkeling clean for cheap if your not actually doing it, I challenge you to go try any 3 of these tips and then come back and let me know how well it worked. Just leave a comment on this post... i would love to hear about you adventures in frugal housework.

In the Bathroom
1. Deodorize your sink: sprinkle 1/4 cup of baking soda down drain, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Leave 20 minutes and then pour a kettle full of boiling water down the drain
2. Use as a tub and tile cleaner.
3. Clean combs and brushes: soak in a sink full of water and 2 tsp baking soda
4. Clean toothbrushes: soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup water. Rinse clean.
5. Clean your toilet tank: Sprinkle baking soda into the toilet tank. Let it stand overnight before flushing.

In the Kitchen
6. Unclog your sink. See tip #1
7. Put out small grease fires
8. Wash and deoderize garbage can
9. Keep an open box of baking soda in fridge to absorb odors
10. Use baking soda mixed with water on a damp sponge to clean refrigerator surfaces
11. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
12. Periodically run your empty dishwasher through its cycle with baking soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
13. Clean your coffee maker: Brew a pot of water with 1/4 cup baking soda. Brew again with plain water.
14. Make fluffy omelettes: add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for every 3 eggs used
15. Reduce acidity in spaghetti sauce: add a pinch of baking soda while cooking
16. Reduce acidity in coffee: add a pinch of soda to coffee grinds before brewing.
17. Remove burnt on food from pans and dishes. sprinkle with baking soda and add just enough water to moisen, leave over night.
18. Clean your microwave: put a solution of 2 tablespoons baking soda in 1 cup water in a microwave-safe container and cook on High for 2-3 minutes. Remove the container, then wipe down the microwave's moist interior with a damp cloth.
19. Tenderize meat: rub tough meat with baking soda. Let it sit in the refrigerator for three to five hours, then rinse it off well before cooking.
20. Clean your sink: use baking soda as you would any scouring powder
21. Remove fishy smells: soak the raw fish for about an hour in a liter of water with 2 tablespoons baking soda. Rinse well and pat dry before cooking.
22. Tame the Magical Fruit: adding a pinch of baking soda to baked beans as they're cooking will apparently reduce their gas producing properties.
23. Soak freshly cut fruit in a baking soda solution for a short while to prevent yellowing
24. Make baking powder: mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.
25. Clean and deodorize cutting boards: Sprinkle with Baking Soda, rub with a damp sponge, and wipe clean.
26. Make your own dishwasher detergent: mix 2 tablespoons baking soda with 2 tablespoons borax.
27. Remove coffee and tea stains from china: dip a moist cloth in baking soda to form a stiff paste and gently rubbing your cups and saucers. Rinse clean, dry.
28. Clean kitchen sponges: soak them overnight in 2 tablespoons baking soda and a couple of drops of antibacterial dish soap dissolved in warm water. In the morning, squeeze out the remaining solution and rinse with cold water.
29. Remove stains from nonstick cookware: boil 1 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar for 10 minutes. Wash in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and let dry.

Laundry
30. Pretreat clothes: make a paste with 4 tablespoons baking soda and 1/4 cup warm water. Rub it into clothes to remove stains. For really persistent stains, let the paste sit on clothing for two hours before washing or add a bit of vinegar as you're putting the shirt in the wash.
31. Remove mothball smell from clothes: Add 1/2 cup baking soda during your washer's rinse cycle
32. Keep laundry hamper smelling fresh: If the laundry stinks before laundry day arrives, sprinkle with a small amount of baking soda

Vehicle and Garage
33. Put out small fires: throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the fire.
34. Remove cigarette smells: sprinke upholstery with baking soda, leave 15 minutes and then vacuum.
35. Clean up oil and grease stains on your driveway: Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.

Babies and children
36. Soak diapers in a solution of baking soda and water
37. Launder diapers with baking soda
38. Put 2 tbsp in baby's bath water to relieve diaper rash.
39. Relieve baby constipation: Add a small amount of soda to baby's bath water. This apparently helps their bowels "let go."
40. Deodorize diaper pails: sprinkle with baking soda
41. Wash baby toys in a solution of water and baking soda
42. Clean crayon from walls: sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
43. Clean stuffed animals: Sprinkle Baking Soda on the stuffed animal, let sit for fifteen minutes, then brush off.
44. Clean high chairs, car seats, strollers, and plastic mattress protectors: Apply Baking Soda with a damp sponge, wipe clean, and dry.
45. Clean baby bottles, nipples, and bottle brushes: Soak in a solution of warm water and Soda. Sterilize as usual. This is helpful to remove that spoiled milk smell.

Pets
46. Absorb kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda, top with a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
47. Deoderize pet beds: sprinkle liberally with baking soda, leave 15 minutes, then vacuum
48. Give dogs a dry bath: rub baking powder into their fur and then give them a good brushing.

Personal Hygiene and Home Remedies

(Note: Like i said, I haven't tried all of these. Attempt these home remedies at your own risk)

49. Relieve itching and irritation: Add a half cup of baking soda to a bath tub full of warm water to relieve itching due to poison ivy, chicken pox, measles, etc.
50. Whiten teeth: Brush your teeth with baking soda periodically to brighten your smile
51. Another way to whiten teeth: Mix a small amount of baking soda with a crushed strawberry to make a paste. Apply to teeth and leave on 5 minutes. Brush thoroughly. Don't do this more than once a week... the acid can be hazerdous to your tooth enamel.
52. Use as a facial scrub: Make a paste of 3 parts Baking Soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean.
53. Remove chemical build up from hair: Add a small amount of baking soda when you shampoo your hair. Wash as usual.
54. Use as a mouthwash: Add one teaspoon of soda to one-half glass warm water. Swish and spit.
55. Use as an underarm deodorant: Dust baking soda under your arms to absorb unpleasant body odors.
56. Have a foot bath: mix 4 tablespoons baking soda in one litre of warm water. Soak feet to reduce aces and pains as well as foul odors.
57. soothe and heal bug bites: make a paste of water and soda and apply to bite.
58. Use as an antacid: Stir 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1/2 cup of water and drink. This is for occasional use only.

Other
59. Sprinkle in your running shoes to absorb odors
60. When scalding a chicken for defeathering, add 1 tsp of baking soda to the boiling water.
61. Sprinkle on your camping gear before storing it away to keep it from getting a musty smell.
62. Deodorize your linen closet: leave an open container on a closet shelf to keep odors at bay
63. Mop with it: mix 1/2 cup baking soda with a bucket of water.
64. According to ARM & HAMMER, Baking Soda in your drains can help keep your Septic System flowing freely. They recommend adding 1 cup of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda per week to help maintain a favorable pH in your Septic Tank.
65. remove strong odors (such as garlic) from your hands: Wet hands, and rub vigorously with 2 tsp baking soda, then rinse.
66. Remove scents from carpet: sprinkle with baking soda, let stand for fifteen minutes, then vacuum.
67. Clean and deodorize upholstered furniture: sprinkle with baking soda, let stand for 15 minutes, then vacuum.
68. Clean grout: dampen grout and sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes and then use an old toothbrush to scrub it clean.
69. Clean barbecue grills: make a soft paste of 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup water. Apply the paste with a wire brush and let dry for 15 minutes. Wipe down with a dry cloth.
70. Keep weeds out of cement cracks: Sprinkle baking soda onto the concrete and sweep it into the cracks.
71. Remove musty smell from old books: place in a brown paper bag with 2 tablespoons baking soda, close tightly and let sit in a dry place for about one week.
72. Make deodorizing sachets for drawers and closets: Fill the toe of a sock or stocking with a few tablespoons of soda and knot it closed.
73. Raise pH in a swimming pool.

Strange and unusual:
74. Soaking insects in baking soda for three to five hours prior to cooking produces a sweeter, more mushroom-like taste in the finished cuisine. Yumm.
75. Baking soda was the primary cleaning agent in the restoration of the Statue of Liberty.

And of course...
76. Go bake some cookies!