6 Surprising Uses for Baking Soda

Did you know sprinkling baking soda on your mattress absorbs odors? Baking soda is a natural deodorant, so I like to sprinkle some of the good stuff over my mattress, let it hang out on there for about 15-20 minutes, then vacuum it up. It turns out there is more to baking soda than meets the eye. This sodium bicarbonate (if that is indeed its real name) has a plethora of uses.

1. DIY mini-facial

Forget those $100+ face brushes and hang up your wash cloth. Similar to microdermabrasion therapy, adding a little baking soda to your skincare regimen helps achieve a fresh, smoother complexion — and it’s gentle enough to use on sensitive skin.

Add a teaspoon of baking soda to your regular face wash for a glowing complexion. Baking soda is a natural abrasive, which sloughs off dead skin. At around $2 a box, you can’t afford NOT to use this.

2. Refrigerator Deodorizer

Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes odors. Sometimes, I come across a funky tasting batch of refrigerator ice. Nothing ruins my Diet Coke like garlic-flavored ice. The water used to make refrigerator ice comes from, well, your refrigerator. The ice will take on the flavor of whatever strong-smelling food (e.g., onion, garlic) you have in there. Pop open a box of baking soda and put it in the door of the fridge side to keep flavors fresh. Odors that originate in the fridge can sneak over to the freezer side. Tip: store stinky food in airtight containers to minimize flavor contamination.

3. Detergent

Put a scoop of baking soda into your washing machine for stark whites. This tried and true laundering method goes back to the 1940s when scientists were making atomic bombs. The uranium would stain their coats and would not wash out with soap or detergent. The only thing that worked on uranium stains was washing the clothes in a baking soda solution. Something about the pH levels, I’m not a science girl. Now that’s some serious stain-removing power!

4. Fire extinguisher

Ever start a small fire in your kitchen? Me neither! Fine, I have seen a flame or two coming from my toaster. Dump baking soda onto small electrical fires to extinguish the flame. Keep a box on your kitchen counter for any small fires.

5. Nasal rinse

Make your own sinus rinse at home. Combine 3 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda and store in an airtight container. Add 1 teaspoon of the mixture to one cup of lukewarm, distilled water. Flush the rinse into sinuses using an infant nasal bulb. You can find these at your local drugstore.

6. Antacid

To banish stomach acid and indigestion, dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda into ½ cup water. Drink this every two hours, or as instructed by your doctor. The baking soda will help neutralize acid in the gut caused by spicy or upsetting foods.