I am a fan of baking soda, never run out of stock at home, a very useful home remedies affirmed by Dr. Willie T. Ong in his newspaper column, just to share it with you. - RCB
Dr. Willie T. Ong, The Philippine STAR, February 28, 2012
Tired of using chemicals and drugs? The good news is that the ordinary baking soda is an effective and multipurpose aid for your health and beauty. Its health benefits have been known by the United State Pharmacopoeia (USP) more than a hundred years ago.
Baking soda is really sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline substance that has the ability to neutralize the effect of acids. It’s also safe for the environment. There are 101 ways to use baking soda, but we will focus only on its health applications:
1. As a toothpaste for dental hygiene.
Because baking soda has a naturally gritty texture, it has been used to clean the teeth. You can sprinkle some baking soda on top of your toothpaste to remove teeth stains and whiten teeth. For those with budget constraints or those with allergy to toothpaste, baking soda can be used as a natural toothpaste. Take note: it’s salty because of the sodium.
Here’s a way to create your own toothpaste. Mix 3 parts baking soda and 1 part salt. Then, add 3 teaspoons of glycerin. Next, add 10 to 20 drops of flavoring (peppermint or cinnamon) and enough water to make a paste. Place it in a squeeze tube and presto, it’s toothpaste.
2. As a refreshing mouthwash.
For fresher breath, dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water. Gargle then rinse thoroughly. Another popular use for baking soda is to clean dentures and dental appliances. Soak your dentures, retainers or mouth guards in 2 teaspoons of baking soda dissolved in warm water. It’s very effective.
3. To soothe skin irritations like prickly heat and insect bites.
The Mayo Clinic recommends baking soda as a natural treatment for skin irritations. To relieve itching from prickly heat and insect bites, apply a baking soda mixture. Create a paste with 3 teaspoons (15 ml) baking soda and a teaspoon (5 ml) of clean water. Apply this paste to the affected skin and allow it to dry. The drying process removes poison and neutralizes the itchiness from insect bites. For those with dry and itchy skin, you can soak in a baking soda bath. Add 1 cup of baking soda and 1 ¼ cup of baby oil to your bath.
4. For sunburn.
Baking soda can also provide relief for painful sunburns. Soak a washcloth in a mixture of 4 tablespoons baking soda and 4 glasses of water. Apply the washcloth to the burn area. Alternatively, you can prepare a warm bath with baking soda to wash away acid debris on your skin. Just add 1 cup of baking soda to a bath of warm water. Soak in the bath to soothe the pain.
5. For clean and shiny hair.
Sometimes, too much chemicals from shampoo and hair products can leave your hair dull-looking. To restore your hair’s shine, add a teaspoon of baking soda to a squeeze of shampoo on your hand. Wash your hair like the usual way, then rinse thoroughly. Hairdressers have another tip for those with oily hair. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to shampoo, sprinkle some baking soda on your hair and comb it. You can use a hair dryer to fluff up your hair.
6. As a face cleanser.
To exfoliate your skin and restore its shine, you can prepare a face mask using baking soda. Mix 2 teaspoons of fine oatmeal, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of honey and a little water to form a paste. Apply this to the face, and rinse off slowly after 20 minutes. You’ll have smooth soft skin afterwards.
If you just want a face scrub, mix 3 parts of baking soda to 1 part of water. Wash your face gently with this mixture to remove dead skin cells.
7. For pimples.
Make a paste by adding 1 teaspoon of water to 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Gently apply to the pimple areas, then rinse off after 1 minute.
8. For skin calluses in the feet and elbow area.
Soak your feet in 4 glasses of warm water with 4 tablespoons baking soda. Soak feet for 10 minutes. This will smoothen out rough and hardened skin. You can also treat hard calluses by massaging them with a paste of 3 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water.
9. For athlete’s foot and smelly shoes.
Sprinkle some baking soda into your rubber shoes or regular shoes. Baking soda will help absorb the moisture in the shoes and prevent fungus from growing. This will also reduce the awful smell. To treat athlete’s foot naturally, soak your feet in equal parts white vinegar and water for 15 minutes twice a day. Dry your feet thoroughly after each soak. You can sprinkle some baking soda between the toes to keep it dry.
10. As a deodorant.Combine 50% corn starch and 50% baking soda. Mix together and apply to your underarms like a regular deodorant. This will help neutralize the “acidic” sweat and reduce body odor. If you want to create a wet deodorant, you can mix 70% rubbing alcohol with some baking soda. Put this in a spray bottle and it’s your natural deodorant. Some people use a sprinkle of baking soda alone, although this may be less effective than the corn starch combination.
11. For heartburn.
The alkaline properties of baking soda make it an effective treatment for heartburn and acid indigestion. Foods in our diet, such as meat, diary products, coffee and alcohol, can produce too much acid in the body. As a home remedy, you can make an antacid solution by mixing ½ teaspoon of baking soda with ½ glass of water. Warning: Do not consume more than 3 teaspoons of baking soda a day or you might make your blood too alkaline. Consult your doctor first.
12. For chronic kidney disease. (This requires doctor supervision.)
According to a study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (July 16, 2009), a dose of baking soda a day can help patients with chronic kidney disease, The study found that patients taking sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) showed clinical improvement. The patients were less likely to develop kidney failure and require dialysis. “This cheap and simple strategy has the potential of translating into significant economic, quality of life and clinical outcome benefits,” researcher Dr. Magdi Yaqoob of Royal London Hospital in England said. Consult your kidney specialist first. There are many other uses of baking soda. In fact, baking soda is now being tested to fight certain cancers and arthritis. Stay tuned.
As added information, baking soda is a popular ingredient for cakes and baked foods. Japanese cooks use it to lighten tempura batters, which make their tempura light, crispy and thin. Finally, baking soda is very affordable. You can purchase it in supermarkets. A sizeable 8 ounce box costs only 45 pesos. It’s something all homes can have, a wonderful box of baking soda.
Here's more....51 Amazing Uses for “Baking Soda "
* Baking Soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, helps regulate PH—keeping a substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, it’s natural effect is to neutralize that pH. İt has the ability to retard further changes in the pH balance, known as buffering. ( You can drink 1 tea spoon Baking Soda with a cup of water for Your Body's Ph Balance )
** Besides showing kindness to aquatic life, we can also protect ourselves from the array of toxins in household cleaning products. Conventional cleansers can expose us to multiple chemicals linked to asthma, cancer, and other documented health problems.
*** Baking soda also makes a perfect stand-in for many personal care products, which are adding their own twist to the toxic tangle of pollutants and personal health (mainly in the form of synthetic fragrance (and it’s almost all synthetic), sodium laurel sulfate, and parabens).
Personal Care
1. Make Toothpaste
A paste made from baking soda and a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be used as an alternative to commercial non-fluoride toothpastes. (Or here’s a formula for a minty version.) You can also just dip your toothbrush with toothpaste into baking soda for an extra boost.
2. Freshen Your Mouth
Put one teaspoon in half a glass of water, swish, spit and rinse. Odors are neutralized, not just covered up.
3. Soak Oral Appliance
Soak oral appliances, like retainers, mouthpieces, and dentures, in a solution of 2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in a glass or small bowl of warm water. The baking soda loosens food particles and neutralizes odors to keep appliances fresh. You can also brush appliances clean using baking soda.
4. Use as a Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant
Give yourself an invigorating facial and body scrub. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. This is gentle enough for daily use. (For a stronger exfoliant, try one of these great 5 Homemade Sugar Scrubs.)
5. Skip Harsh Deodorant
Pat baking soda onto your underarms to neutralize body odor.
6. Use as an Antacid
Baking soda is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach and/or acid indigestion. Refer to baking soda package for instructions.
7. Treat Insect Bites & Itchy Skin
For insect bites, make a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply as a salve onto affected skin. To ease the itch, shake some baking soda into your hand and rub it into damp skin after bath or shower. For specific tips on bee stings, see Bee Stings: Prevention and Treatment.
8. Make a Hand Cleanser and Softener
Skip harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, or 3 parts baking soda to gentle liquid hand soap. Then rinse clean. You can try this honey and cornmeal scrub for hands too.
9. Help Your Hair
Vinegar is amazing for your hair, but baking soda has its place in the shower too. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly–baking soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.
10. Clean Brushes and Combs
For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean. Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small basin of warm water. Rinse and allow to dry.
11. Make a Bath Soak
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration, it also makes your skin feel very soft. Epsom salts are pretty miraculous for the bath too, read about the health benefits of epsom salt baths.
12. Soothe Your Feet
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a tub of warm water and soak feet. Gently scrub. You can also make a spa soak for your feet.
Cleaning
13. Make a Surface Soft Scrub
For safe, effective cleaning of bathroom tubs, tile and sinks–even fiberglass and glossy tiles–sprinkle baking soda lightly on a clean damp sponge and scrub as usual. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. For extra cleaning power, make a paste with baking soda, course salt and liquid dish soap—let it sit then scour off.
14. Handwash Dishes and Pots & Pans
Add 2 heaping tablespoons baking soda (along with your regular dish detergent) to the dish water to help cut grease and foods left on dishes, pots and pans. For cooked-on foods, let them soak in the baking soda and detergent with water first, then use dry baking soda on a clean damp sponge or cloth as a scratchless scouring powder. Using a dishwasher? Try these energy saving tips.
15. Freshen Sponges
Soak stale-smelling sponges in a strong baking soda solution to get rid of the mess (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water). For more thorough disinfecting, use the microwave.
16. Clean the Microwave
Baking soda on a clean damp sponge cleans gently inside and outside the microwave and never leaves a harsh chemical smell. Rinse well with water.
17. Polish Silver Flatware
Use a baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto the silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse thoroughly and dry for shining sterling and silver-plate serving pieces.
18. Clean Coffee and Tea Pots
Remove coffee and tea stains and eliminate bitter off-tastes by washing mugs and coffee makers in a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. For stubborn stains, try soaking overnight in the baking soda solution and detergent or scrubbing with baking soda on a clean damp sponge.
19. Clean the Oven
Sprinkle baking soda onto the bottom of the oven. Spray with water to dampen the baking soda. Let sit overnight. In the morning, scrub, scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge, or vacuum, and rinse.
20. Clean Floors
Remove dirt and grime (without unwanted scratch marks) from no wax and tile floors using 1/2 cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water–mop and rinse clean for a sparkling floor. For scuff marks, use baking soda on a clean damp sponge, then rinse. Read Natural Floor Cleaning for more tips on avoiding toxic floor cleaners.
21. Clean Furniture
You can make a homemade lemon furniture polish, or you can clean and remove marks (even crayon) from walls and painted furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth.
22. Clean Shower Curtains
Clean and deodorize your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda directly on a clean damp sponge or brush. Scrub the shower curtain and rinse clean. Hang it up to dry.
23. Boost Your Liquid Laundry Detergent
Give your laundry a boost by adding ½ cup of baking soda to your laundry to make liquid detergent work harder. A better balance of pH in the wash gets clothes cleaner, fresher, and brighter.
24. Gently Clean Baby Clothes
Baby skin requires the most gentle of cleansers, which are increasingly available, but odor and stain fighters are often harsh. For tough stains add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your liquid laundry detergent, or a 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle for deodorization.
25. Clean Cloth Diapers
Dissolve ½ cup of baking soda in 2 quarts of water and soak diapers thoroughly.
26. Clean and Freshen Sports Gear
Use a baking soda solution (4 tablespoons Baking soda in 1 quart warm water) to clean and deodorize smelly sports equipment. Sprinkle baking soda into golf bags and gym bags to deodorize, clean golf irons (without scratching them!) with a baking soda paste (3 parts Baking sodato 1 part water) and a brush. Rinse thoroughly.
27. Remove Oil and Grease Stains
Use Baking soda to clean up light-duty oil and grease spills on your garage floor or in your driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
28. Clean Batteries
Baking soda can be used to neutralize battery acid corrosion on cars, mowers, etc. because its a mild alkali. Be sure to disconnect the battery terminals before cleaning. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, apply with a damp cloth to scrub corrosion from the battery terminal. After cleaning and re-connecting the terminals, wipe them with petroleum jelly to prevent future corrosion. Please be careful when working around a battery–they contain a strong acid.
29. Clean Cars
Use baking soda to clean your car lights, chrome, windows, tires, vinyl seats and floor mats without worrying about unwanted scratch marks. Use a baking soda solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Apply with a sponge or soft cloth to remove road grime, tree sap, bugs, and tar. For stubborn stains use baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge or soft brush. Here’s how Sustainable Dave washes his car.
Deodorizing
30. Deodorize Your Refrigerator
Place an open box in the back of the fridge to neutralize odors.
31. Deodorize the Cutting Board
Sprinkle the cutting board with baking soda, scrub, rinse. For how to more thoroughly clean your cutting board, see How To Clean Your Cutting Boards.
32. Deodorize Trashcans
Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your trashcan to keep stinky trash smells at bay.
33. Deodorize Recyclables
Sprinkle baking soda on top as you add to the container. Also, clean your recyclable container periodically by sprinkling baking soda on a damp sponge. Wipe clean and rinse. Learn about how to recycle everything.
34. Deodorize Drains
To deodorize your sink and tub drains, and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water–it will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain. (This a good way to dispose of baking soda that is being retired from your refrigerator.) Do you know what you’re not supposed to put down your drains?
35. Deodorize and Clean Dishwashers
Use Baking soda to deodorize before you run the dishwasher and then as a gentle cleanser in the wash cycle.
36. Deodorize Garbage DisposalsTo deodorize your disposal, and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water. Baking Soda will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain.
37. Deodorize Lunch Boxes
Between uses, place a spill-proof box of baking soda in everyone’s lunch box to absorb lingering odors. Read bout safe lunch boxes here.
38. Remove Odor from Carpets
liberally sprinkle baking soda on the carpet. Let set overnight, or as long as possible (the longer it sets the better it works). Sweep up the larger amounts of baking soda, and vacuum up the rest. (Note that your vacuum cleaner bag will get full and heavy.)
39. Remove Odor from Vacuum Cleaners
By using the method above for carpets, you will also deodorize your vacuum cleaner.
40. Freshen Closets
Place a box on the shelf to keep the closet smelling fresh, then follow these tips to organize your closet in an eco-friendly way.
41. Deodorizing Cars
Odors settle into car upholstery and carpet, so each time you step in and sit down, they are released into the air all over again. Eliminate these odors by sprinkling baking soda directly on fabric car seats and carpets. Wait 15 minutes (or longer for strong odors) and vacuum up the baking soda.
42. Deodorize the Cat Box
Cover the bottom of the pan with baking soda, then fill as usual with litter. To freshen between changes, sprinkle baking soda on top of the litter after a thorough cleaning. You can also use green tea for this purpose!
43. Deodorize Pet Bedding
Eliminate odors from your pets bedding by sprinkling liberally with baking soda, wait 15 minutes (or longer for stronger odors), then vacuum up.
44. Deodorize Sneakers
Keep odors from spreading in smelly sneakers by shaking baking soda into them when not in use. Shake out before wearing. When they’re no longer wearable, make sure to donate your old sneakers.
45. Freshen Linens
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle for fresher sheets and towels. You can also make homemade lavender linen water with this formula.
46. Deodorize Your Wash
Gym clothes of other odoriferous clothing can be neutralized with a ½ cup of baking soda in the rinse cycle.
47. Freshen Stuffed Animals
Keep favorite cuddly toys fresh with a dry shower of baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on and let it sit for 15 minutes before brushing off.
Miscellaneous
48. Camping Cure-all
Baking soda is a must-have for your next camping trip. Its a dish washer, pot scrubber, hand cleanser, deodorant, toothpaste ire extinguisher and many other uses.
49. Extinguish Fires
Baking soda can help in the initial handling of minor grease or electrical kitchen fires, because when baking soda is heated, it gives off carbon dioxide, which helps to smother the flames. For small cooking fires (frying pans, broilers, ovens, grills), turn off the gas or electricity if you can safely do so. Stand back and throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the flame to help put out the fire–and call the Fire Department just to be safe. (And, you should have a fire extinguisher on hand anyway, here’s why.
50. Septic Care
Regular use of baking soda in your drains can help keep your septic system flowing freely. 1 cup of baking soda per week will help maintain a favorable pH in your septic tank.
51. Fruit and Vegetable Scrub
Baking soda is the food safe way to clean dirt and residue off fresh fruit and vegetables. Just sprinkle a little on a clean damp sponge, scrub and rinse. Here’s another way to clean your vegetables.
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