My 10 Favorite Uses for Baking Soda

About 5 years ago, when I first became interested in removing toxic chemicals from my home & replacing them with natural alternatives, I bought this little book about baking soda that I'd read about in a magazine.It was called "Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, & Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of."I found it intriguing that baking soda could be useful for so many things... and wondered if it would really be effective.After reading the book, though, and trying out several of the tips with great success, I quickly became hooked-and now baking soda is one of the most popular go-to products in my household when it comes to health & beauty, cooking AND cleaning.Not only is it a safer alternative to commercial cleaning products, it's incredibly versatile, unbelievably cheap and better for our environment.Here are my 10 favorite uses for baking soda:1. SKIN EXFOLIATOR. I use baking soda for exfoliating my skin (both face and body) and it works *incredibly* well. Not to mention at less than $2/lb, it's much cheaper than any store-bought exfoliator. Just pour a little of your cleanser into the palm of your hand and sprinkle in some baking soda. Rub your palms together to combine the two, then once you've achieved the right consistency, gently massage into your skin. After 20-30 seconds of massaging, rinse clean.2. DIAPER RASH & INSECT BITES. Although my twin toddlers have yet to have a serious bout of diaper rash (knock on wood), I sometimes add a few teaspoons to their bathwater if I notice any irritation on their buttocks or around their legs from diapers that were fastened a little too tightly. I also do this often for insect bites. Baking soda takes the sting out of insect bites and is thought to also stimulate the healing process.3. TOOTHPASTE. I always sprinkle a little baking soda on top of my toothpaste. (Just make sure that you brush GENTLY.) Although I'm a huge coffee-enthusiast, I have very, very white teeth-which I attribute in part to baking soda. I've been adding it to my toothpaste for almost 5 years now and haven't experienced any damage; however, I *highly* encourage you to do your own research before trying this for yourself. Some people definitely have softer enamel than others, so this might not be an option.4. NATURAL MOUTHWASH. It even works as a great mouthwash. When my twins were born, they had to stay in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) for 6 weeks. It was a very stressful and tiring time and I drank a ton of coffee just to stay awake and (somewhat) alert. To combat the resulting bad breath, I rinsed my mouth with a baking soda/water solution (1 teaspoon per 2 ounces) several times a day. It works!5. POTS. When I have trouble removing stuck-on foods from pots, I boil some water in the pot and add about two tablespoons of baking soda. It loosens up the food and makes cleaning much, much easier. (This can also be used on pans.)6. BATHROOM. I used to use cleaners like Comet and Soft Scrub. Not only is baking soda MUCH cheaper, it does the same jobs just as well. Just mix a little dish soap with some baking soda and water and you have a fantastic cleaner for tubs, toilets and sinks.7. DIAPER CAN. I sprinkle it into my twin toddlers' diaper can to neutralize some of the odors dirty diapers can leave. You can also sprinkle baking soda in stinky shoes... or any other place that harbors bad odors.8. CARPET. I have two toddlers and two dogs, so my carpets are very familiar with baking soda. To neutralize odors, simply sprinkle baking soda on your carpets at least 30 minutes prior to vacuuming.9. SOUR STOMACH. I add a pinch or two to about 4 ounces of water if I get a sour stomach. It works almost instantly. HIGHLY recommended.10. FOODS & BEVERAGES. I sprinkle it in soak water to make our beans more digestible. I also sometimes add it to tomato sauces and coffee to neutralize some of the acidity.These are just 10 great uses of many-and there are a lot of other uses that I plan to use in the near future. For instance, sprinkling baking soda on the soil around tomato plants is supposed to make your homegrown tomatoes taste sweeter.Hmm... Definitely worth a try.