Better known as baking soda, sodium bicarbonate has more uses than you probably know. Most of us already know that some good, old-fashioned Arm & Hammer works wonders as a leavening agent in our favorite baked goods, and there are a number of classic household applications, too. For instance, keeping an open container of baking soda in the fridge helps eliminate odors – as does keeping baking soda in confined spaces or sprinkling it over litter boxes.
But this versatile household staple has a number of surprising uses that range in functionality from beauty to household maintenance. Here are some surprising uses:
To De-Gunk Your Tresses: Styling products, hair spray and other products build up on our hair over time, leaving it feeling sticky and looking limp and dull. A pinch of baking soda mixed into your daily shampoo can leave your hair feeling light and bright. Simply wash and rinse your hair as usual, and you’ll be left with shinier, more manageable locks. You can also soak your hairbrushes and styling tools in a baking soda solution overnight to remove buildup that would otherwise have them headed for the trash.
As a Dry Shampoo: Daily hair washing can strip hair of its natural oils and leave it brittle. But for those of us with limp or oily hair or those who have overslept or need a touch-up after a workout, a few pinches of baking soda worked into the roots of your hair and brushed out will soak up unsightly oil and work just as well as any salon-quality dry shampoo.
To Whiten and Brighten Teeth: Because baking soda is mildly abrasive, it cleans and polishes teeth well and can help eliminate bad breath. It also has an antibacterial quality to it that helps kill the bacteria that lead to tooth decay. You can use it as a safe and natural tooth whitener. Simply crush a ripe strawberry and create a paste with that and half a teaspoon of baking soda, leaving the mixture on your teeth for several minutes before brushing and rinsing.
DIY Facial and Body Scrubs: Exfoliating facial and body scrubs often contain diatomaceous earth – the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms. While this substance has been touted as a natural facial scrub alternative, there’s a reason that it’s also an effective ant killer: these razor-sharp skeletons kill bugs by inflicting microscopic cuts on their exoskeletons, causing them to dry out. They do the same to your skin. Alternatives that use tiny plastic beads may be easier on your skin, but they slip through filtration systems and are making their way into our streams and oceans, where they create a risk for wildlife.
Save your skin AND the environment by creating your own DIY exfoliating scrubs with baking soda. Three parts baking soda to one part water, with your own creative additives – think anything from astringent and antibacterial honey to moisturizing coconut oil – will leave your face feeling clean and fresh. You can also add ground oatmeal for extra exfoliation or as a scrub that’s great for managing dry, itchy winter skin or as a treatment for sunburns during the summer months.
As a Natural Acne Buster: Put the toothpaste away and toss the chemical-rich acne spot treatments. A paste of baking soda and water with a drop of honey will help quickly clear up trouble pimples just as effectively as the most expensive store brands.
To Soothe Upset Stomachs: Whether you’re suffering from heartburn or an upset stomach, the slight alkalinity of baking soda will soothe your gastrointestinal woes by neutralizing the stomach acid that’s causing the upset in your system. This is a great solution when you’ve run out of Tums or if you’re staying with family for the holidays and they don’t have an antacid on hand. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it down for quick relief.
To Unclog Drains: Plastic facial beads aren’t the only things that are making their way from our households into the environment. Instead of dousing drains with harsh chemicals found in commercial drain un-clogging solutions, try pouring a cup of baking soda down the opening of a clogged drain, followed by a cup of hot vinegar. Let the solution sit for several minutes, and then flush the drain with a quart of boiling water for an all-natural draining solution.
As a Stain Remover: We all know that adding a scoop of baking soda to your laundry will leave your loads looking brighter, cleaner and smelling fresher. But baking soda can clean much more than clothing. To remove stains from coffee or tea cups, wipe them with a sponge or rag that’s covered in a baking soda paste. This same paste will also work wonders for removing tomato sauce stains from plastic and wooden utensils.
To De-Ice Slick Walkways: Sprinkling baking soda liberally on your front steps will melt ice and give you traction on icy winter days. This natural alternative to rock salts and kitty litter won’t leave a mess behind, and it won’t cause damage to surfaces or shoes. You can also keep a large container of baking soda in your trunk – it will both neutralize odors and give you something to sprinkle under your tires in case you get stuck in bad winter weather.
To Eliminate Pests: Sprinkling baking soda, like diatomaceous earth, around your home, on window sills, along pipe openings and in bathroom cabinets is a kid- and pet-friendly solution for managing all kinds of bugs – from ants to roaches. If you have troublesome ant mounds in your yard, try wetting the mounds, then covering them with baking soda. Wait up to an hour, then follow with a dose of vinegar to wipe out your ant hill. Mixing baking soda and sugar is also a natural ant and roach bait that causes the bugs to dehydrate and die but won’t hurt small pets or young children in the house.
This is merely a short list of what baking soda can do. Keep a box handy in the event of these common household woes.