Baking soda can be described as a true miracle cure. It has been known since ancient times for its surprising uses in household, personal care, hygiene and beauty. You can buy it in every supermarket for small change, but do you really know what the white powder actually is and what it can do? We explain what baking soda is and also present 20 helpful household tips.
Baking soda powder is a mixture of baking soda, soda and salt, which also occurs naturally as a mineral. It is preserved in many mineral waters and medicinal springs and has been known since early antiquity and was considered sacred. Most often it was used for ritual cleansing of the body and mummification. Today the powder is known by several names. It is colloquially called baking soda. On the market it is also known as “Bullrich salt”, “Kaiser Natron” or “sodium bicarbonate”. In chemistry it is called sodium bicarbonate and is obtained from natural table salt by replacing chlorine with carbonate.
Application today
Nowadays baking soda is considered to be an inexpensive yetvery effective home remedyknown, which has been more or less forgotten. That is wrong, because the use is extremely versatile. Unlike many store-bought cleaning products commonly used around the home, the white powder is environmentally friendly and non-toxic to children and pets. It is an all-rounder and has many uses such as a baking agent in the kitchen, an all-purpose cleaner in the household or to vitalize the skin in cosmetics and even medicinally against heartburn.
Baking soda Application: Be careful not to confuse it with soda!
Baking soda is often confused with “soda”. However, these are two absolutely indispensable products and the second has no placein an ecological household. Baking soda should also not be confused with caustic soda and caustic soda.
The versatility of home remedies: 17 household tips
1. Baking soda application for dental care:Simply take some of the white powder with a damp toothbrush and spread it on your teeth, brush briefly and rinse. It also helps againstunpleasant bad breath.
2. For better digestion:A pinch of it with cabbage or in cheese fondue makes the food more digestible and causes less flatulence.
3. Against heartburn:What grandma once called “Bullrich salt” is nothing other than baking soda. If you get heartburn after a difficult-to-digest meal, a teaspoon of baking soda will alleviate the acidity in your stomach. You can dissolve it in a little water and take it that way.
4. For baking and cooking:Especially with heavy doughs, such as for gingerbread or with rye flour, a little baking soda allows it to rise loosely and with fine porosity.
5. The cooking oflegumessuch as beans, peas or lentils can often take many hours on the stove. To help them soften and cook more quickly, add a little baking soda to the cooking water.
6. When cooking jams, for example from rhubarb or lemon, you can add a little baking soda. The white powder neutralizes the fruit acid and therefore less sugar is needed for the jam.
7.If a meal from theSauce souredyou can also add a pinch of baking soda and save the dish.
8. Baking soda as dishwashing liquid:The white powder is great for removing the particularly encrusted residue on the bottom of the pot. First you have to soak the crust, sprinkle it with the powder and leave it for 1-2 hours. Then you let the water in the pot boil and the annoying crust is gone!
9. Odor Neutralizer:If the refrigerator or a kitchen cupboard smells bad, you can neutralize the bad smells with a bowl of baking soda. For best results, it is recommended to regularly replace the powder with fresh ones.
10.The baking soda acts in a similar wayDishwasher deodorant. Simply sprinkle a tablespoon of the white powder on the bottom of the dishwasher and repeat after each wash cycle before putting away the dirty dishes.
11.A baking soda solution can also be used forOdor neutralization in textilesuse. Simply spray on using a pump sprayer and allow to dry.
12.For stubborn stains on textiles:Mix some baking soda and water into a paste and rub it into the stain. Leave to soak and then put the garment in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry as usual.
13. Use against ants:If you have ants in your household, you can quickly get rid of them with a little baking soda. Sprinkle some powder on the unpleasant ant trail and the little insects will disappear immediately.
14.The remedy for plants:If the plants are affected by powdery mildew, there is a more environmentally friendly and much cheaper solution than the chemical solution - a baking soda solution. Simply spray the plants with it several times a day.
15. Baking soda use for body care:Baking soda can be used as a gentle and inexpensive skin peeling that can be used on the entire body and face. Simply apply to damp skin, rub and then rinse.
16.Alsoagainst foot odorthe remedy is very effective. To do this, you have to powder your toes well, especially the areas in between. It inhibits the odor-causing bacteria in sweat and thereby also reduces the smell.
17.In addition, the white powder is amore awesomeReplacement for chemical deodorants. You can easily prepare a deodorant without aluminum at home using baking soda powder. To do this you need a suitable spray bottle, 100 ml of boiled, lukewarm water, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and about 10 drops of essential oil of your choice, for example lime oil. Dissolve the powder in warm, but not hot, water, stirring frequently and then drip in the essential oil. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and you're done.
18. Baking soda application for cleaning:To clean the oven, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of salt and a little water. A creamy paste is created that is spread over the crusted areas in the oven. After about 20 minutes it can be rubbed off.
19.That toocalcified sinksYou can get the bathroom or kitchen clean again by mixing a paste made from a little baking soda and water and wiping the sink with it. You can also use the powder and a brush to clean moldy tile joints.
20.If theDrain cloggedIf you don't have a special drain cleaner on hand, you can pour in 1/2 cup of the powder and then pour in 1/2 cup of vinegar. After about 30 minutes, rinse with a liter of boiling water and you're done!
