With uses for personal care, cleaning, laundry, and of course–cooking, baking soda is the ultimate DIY multi-tasker. It’s also incredibly inexpensive, and super earth-friendly (aside from the fact that it’s a non-toxic chemical compound, using versatile baking soda to do 10 jobs rather than buying 10 different products really cuts down on waste!). Here are 10 of my favorite ways to use baking soda, what about you?

1. Face mask. This works especially well for oily skin–form a paste with 2 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. honey and leave on face for 10 minutes to tighten pores and banish blackheads.
2. Fabric softener. Surprise, surprise! Conventional fabric softeners can contain a multitude of harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances. To keep clothes soft, just toss 1 cup of baking soda in with the wash. Bonus: It can remove heavy stains and odors, too!
3. Shampoo. OK, maybe not all the time. But in a pinch, it works! Add 1 tbsp. of baking soda to 8 oz. of water, then work through hair. Follow with a clarifying rinse made up of 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar and another 8 oz. of water.
4. Tarnish remover. Clean silver the natural way by making a paste of baking soda and warm water.
5. Toothpaste. Keep your pearly whites well–pearly white with 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. hydrogen peroxide, plus a drop of essential peppermint oil. Brush like normal!
6. Deodorant. The aluminum in conventional deodorant has been linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. Stay odor-free the natural way by putting a quarter-sized amount of baking soda in the palm of your hand, wetting your other hand, then rubbing both hands together to create a nearly invisible paste. Rub on your underarms and you’re set!
7. Egg replacer. Whether you try to avoid animal products or simply ran out of eggs, 1 tsp. of baking soda mixed with 1/4 cup of applesauce will do the trick for a batch of cookies, muffins, or quick bread.
8. Itch relief. Soothe the itch from poison ivy, mosquito bites, or even chicken pox by soaking in a warm tub with 1/2 cup of baking soda mixed in.
9. Drain cleaner. Conventional ones are full of some pretty nasty stuff, but this gentler option will still get the job done. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down a clogged drain followed by 1 cup of vinegar. After a few minutes of bubbling (hello, elementary school science experiment!) run the hot water and you’re good to go.
10. Digestion ease. Add 1 tsp. of baking soda to the water while your dried beans soak prior to cooking. The result? No uncomfortable bloating.

-Marygrace, KIWI Staffer

Tags: baking soda, DIY cleaner

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 2:30 pm and is filed under Healthy Home, Natural Style. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.