Baking Soda - Sent From the Gods to Save you Money!

Baking soda or Sodium bicarbonate as it is commonly known is a chemical compound salt composed of sodium and bicarbonate. It appears as a fine white powder and has been widely used for many different purposes. We’ve decided to bring you numerous ways that you can use this 'wonder powder; in every day life to save you money over buying expensive alternatives!

Before you read our tips we thought we would mention the different ways to prepare baking soda which will help you when reading on;

To achieve a paste consistency, stir three parts soda to one part water.
For a liquid solution, stir four tablespoons of soda into 1 litre of water and mix until dissolved.  You can also put this solution into a spray bottle to control the amount you use and keep it in your cupboard for ease of use.

Cleaning

• Stainless steel - use a damp sponge and some baking soda to clean and shine stainless steel appliances and cookware.
• Silver - to refresh tarnished silver, rub some baking soda paste onto the silver, rinse well then dry with a dish cloth.
• Brass - as above you can use baking soda to brighten your brass objects. Sprinkle baking soda onto a wedge of lemon to clean your brass to a high shine.
• Wood - to remove water stains from wood, gently rub baking soda paste onto the surface and then wipe clean.
• Mugs - if you’ve got a tea or coffee stain that you just can’t remove from your mug, use a wet cloth dipped into baking soda to scrub off the stains with ease. If the stains are really baked on, fill the mug with a baking soda solution and leave overnight. The same method can be used for stained tupperware.
• Oil and grease - clean oil and grease stains on your garage floor or driveway by sprinkling the area with baking soda and scrubbing with a wet brush.
• Bathroom - clean your tiles, grout and all bathroom surfaces by scrubbing with a baking soda paste. This solution can remove grime and soap scum and can even be used to clean shower curtains.

Health and First Aid

• Bites and stings - baking soda paste can be applied to bee and wasp stings to soothe the discomfort. It is also great for mosquito bites and itchy skin from insect bites.
• Mouth ulcers - to ease the pain of mouth ulcers either dab dry baking soda onto your sore or rinse your mouth with a small amount of soda solution to clean the area.
• Sunburn - if you are suffering from sunburn, save money on expensive after sun solutions by adding baking soda to a warm bath. Ensure you moisturise afterwards as the soda can dry out your skin.
• Heartburn - baking soda is a safe and effective product used to relieve heartburn or acid indigestion. Refer to the packaging for instructions.

Beauty

• Hair utensils - over time your curling irons and hair straighteners will pick up hair products and oil. Whilst they are turned off, scrub them with a baking soda paste to keep them clean. You can also soak your hairbrushes and combs in a baking soda solution to remove and residue. Rinse well afterwards.
• Exfoliator - add a smidgen of baking soda to your usual facial cleanser to create the exfoliating effect.  
• Face masks - if you want more of a deeper clean then why not make a face mask? Create a paste with the baking soda and add a touch of lemon juice and honey and massage into your skin. Leave for 10 minutes then rinse off and moisturise for soft smooth skin.
• Dry patches - speaking of soft skin, add some lemon juice to your baking soda paste and rub onto dry knees, feet and elbows. After 10 minutes, rinse well and moisturise.
• Oral hygiene- baking soda solution can be used to soak dentures, retainers, tooth brushes and mouth pieces. You can also rinse your mouth with the solution to neutralise odours and loosen any food particles in the mouth.

Deodorizing

• Pet beds - to remove nasty odours from pet beds sprinkle the surface with baking soda and then vacuum to freshen the scent.
• Pets - you can also sprinkle your pet’s fur with baking soda, then brush out the excess to remove any oils and combat bad smells.
• Deodorant - not only can you deodorize products you can also mix baking soda with corn starch to make a natural deodorant, we suggest a 1:6 ratio. Apply with a powder puff in areas prone to sweating.
• Shoes - sprinkle baking soda into smelly shoes and it will do wonders for the scent of your footwear. Great for those gym shoes we keep in the bottom of the shoe closet.
• Refrigerator - to deodorize and neutralise odours within the fridge, place an open box of baking soda in the back of the fridge to soak up any unwanted scents.

General Household

• Crayons - if you have children then no doubt you have crayon or pencil scuffs somewhere in your home. Rub gently with soda paste to remove from any surfaces.
• Omelettes - to make a fluffy and delicious omelette, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda for every 3 eggs when cooking.
• Cars - long journeys can mean your windscreen ends up splattered with bugs, tar and tree sap. Wash the glass with baking soda paste and rinse well to remove any residue. You can also use baking soda on lights, chrome areas and tyres without worrying about scratch marks. You can also clean upholstered areas by sprinkling them with baking soda and vacuuming off the residue.
• Cuddly toys - no child wants their toys taken away for too long so instead of putting the teddies through the wash keep them fresh by sprinkling baking soda onto the surface of the toy. Leave for 15 minutes then brush off.
• Cat litter trays - you can reduce the smells omitted by a litterbox by covering the bottom with baking soda before adding the litter. Add a sprinkle on top of the litter as well to help combat bad smells before they appear. 

What is the Verdict?

We hope these tips will help you to save money on expensive products where baking soda will do the trick instead. Do you have any further tips to add? We love feedback so please use the comment section below. 

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