Unexpected uses of baking soda around the home
BAKING soda is one of the most versatile products people can find at home, with uses covering food and cleaning. Express.co.uk has compiled a list of six baking soda uses that may take some people by surprise.
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Baking soda is a cook's best friend, given it serves as a primary building block for most cakes and types of bread. But one of the product's most enduring uses is as a natural cleaner. The chemical compound NaHCO₃ is a valuable dissolving agent for dirt and grease, allowing people to extract most messes. These qualities mean it has a wealth of potential applications, but surprisingly, most are in the cleaning realm.
As a laundry enhancer
People often encounter tough-to-solve issues when washing their clothes, such as damp odours or hardening fabrics.
Half a cup of baking soda with the rinse cycle can solve many of those issues.
The powder will help clothes smell fresher and can soften them up in one.
READ MORE: Three easy ingredients to banish 'tough' mould from shower
For cats
Most cats will clean themselves and only need the odd bath from an owner after emptying their litter.
But the litter box has a habit of holding on to smells it shouldn't, and baking soda can help.
After changing, a sprinkling of powder can help eliminate any persistent odours.
For soaking up oil
Cleaning the kitchen, specifically oil spillages, is easier with a pinch of baking soda.
The powder soaks up any drops that may sputter out from the stove and quickly.
Oil can also help with oil spillages outside as well but will require a brush for application.
For testing soil
Dedicated gardeners can also take baking soda outside to their plant beds.
Many will want to test the acidity of their soil, and baking soda can help.
Acidic soil will fizz in a container when mixed with water, and no reaction indicates the ideal pH level.
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For bites and stings
Gardeners may also spend most of their time outside, where they risk getting bitten or stung by creepy crawlies.
People can take the baking soda they could otherwise use for acid testing and mix it with water until it forms a paste.
That paste can help deal with swelling caused by aggressive insects.
For cleaning produce
Stepping back inside the house for a second, people can also use their soda for cleaning produce.
With Covid still rampant and a new variant in the mix, the powder can help disinfect organic groceries such as fruit and vegetables.
Two cups of water to one teaspoon of baking soda creates a disinfectant that also cleans pesticides.