Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3), commonly known as Baking Soda, has an amazingly wide range of uses everywhere. You must have seen your mom using it while she is baking. From household use to medical use, baking soda really comes in handy. In nature, it is found in white powder form and it is slightly alkaline and odourless. Let’s have some common uses of baking soda in our daily life:
As a Mouthwash
Baking Soda possesses antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which is why it is ideal to use for oral hygiene. People have started replacing their mouthwash with baking soda. Of course, you should not directly use it, you must dissolve it in warm water first and then proceed.
As a Teeth-Whitener
All whitening toothpaste contains baking soda. It is good at keeping your teeth clean and free from plaque. Baking soda’s abrasive properties help it prevent teeth from getting stained. Moreover, its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties keep the teeth and mouth free from germs.
As an Antacid
Baking Soda is a neutralizing agent. It treats acid reflux very efficiently. Whenever you have a burning sensation, anywhere between your throat and abdomen, it is because of acid reflux. A dose of Baking Soda mixed with water easily relieves from excessive pain and irritation.
Treating Heartburns
Heartburn is a painful and burning sensation that you may feel in your stomach if you have had acidic or spicy food. A heartburn can be really painful and hard to deal with and can even spread to your throat. Since baking soda is slightly basic in nature, it gently treats your heartburn by neutralizing the acid. All you have to do is to mix one teaspoon of baking soda in cold water and drink it and you will feel instant relief.
Fire Extinguisher
Baking Soda also goes by term dry chemical fire extinguisher. It can be used to put out grease, oil or electrical fires. It reacts with heat to form carbon dioxide, which in turn, extinguishes the fire.
As a Deodorant
You might be surprised to find out that human sweat is in fact odourless. Sweat only gains its odour by reacting with bacteria present in your armpit. Since baking soda has antibacterial properties, it eliminates the smell of sweat by converting bacteria into acidic waste products. That is why it is a key ingredient in deodorants.
Treats Itchy Skin
In case of bug bites and bee stings, a baking soda bath is generally recommended. Even in case of rashes and itches or sunburns, baking soda is used for relief. Baking soda is mixed with water usually and then applied to the skin.
Air Freshener
Most commercial air fresheners do not eliminate bad odour, they simply mask the smell. Baking Soda reacts with the odour particles and neutralizes them; eliminating the bad smell completely.
To Whiten Laundry
Using baking soda to whiten your clothes is the best and most inexpensive way. As baking soda is alkaline in nature, when dissolved in water, it becomes a soluble salt which reacts with dirt particles and stains to remove them completely and effectively. Simply adding half a cup of baking soda to the detergent while doing laundry can do wonders for you.
A Cleaning Agent
Baking soda is highly versatile as a cleaning agent. It both removes stains and bad odours which is why it has great usage as a kitchen cleaner. It can remove stubborn stains from anywhere, from greased kitchen/bathroom tiles and ovens to stained marbles and tarnished silver.
To Eliminate Garbage Odour
Garbage can have a really pungent smell in the house and it can spread fast. Baking soda not only helps in controlling the odour but eliminates it completely. Most people keep baking soda at the bottom of waste bins for the same reason.
To Remove Stubborn Carpet Stains
Carpet stains can be really hard to get out. However, combining baking soda and vinegar can do the trick. When baking soda and vinegar are mixed together, they create carbonic acid, which is a common ingredient found in cleaning products. The reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates a lot of fizzing, which in turn helps to break down stubborn stains.
To Clean Fruits and Vegetables
Because of intensive use of pesticides on food, it may be harmful to eat them unwashed. Even washing them in water is not enough sometimes. If fruits and vegetables are soaked in the baking soda solution, chemicals get dissolved very effectively and the food is safe to eat.
Beware of using baking soda for stomach troubles. If you take too much or too fast it expand rapidly, which can cause injury. Some boxes even warn how to avoid this. But what they still do not warn of: it is a lot of sodium. Too much for some of us.