There are dozens of household uses for baking soda. It is an ingredient I order in bulk (from here) and use often in cleaning, beauty recipes, detox baths and more.
What is It?
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a highly alkaline salt with dozens of uses. It has a slightly bitter, salty taste and is often used in baking for its ability to react with an acid to create carbon dioxide gas, which creates “fluffiness” in the finished recipe.
Baking Soda vs Baking Powder
As anyone who has ever tried to substitute in a cookie recipe knows, sodium bicarbonate is not the same as baking powder (also often used in baking) as baking powder contains cream of tartar, the acid or leavening agent that makes creates the chemical reaction when mixed with water.
To help avoid baking confusion, just remember that baking powder can be used on its own and baking soda should only be used in recipes with an acid or leavening agent that it can interact with.
Is it the same as Washing Soda?
In short… NO!
While baking soda can be used interchangeably with baking powder in recipes with only a flat cake as a result, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is chemically much different and should be used in washing, cleaning and household uses but not in food or baking.
To oversimplify a bit, the difference between baking and washing sodas is water and carbon dioxide, but then again, the difference between water and hydrogen peroxide is just an oxygen group and it certainly isn’t recommended to drink one of those!
Chemically, sodium bicarbonate is NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules) while washing soda’s chemical makeup is Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). Both are alkalais, meaning the react with acids, and both are commonly used to absorb odors.
The reason that washing soda is not used in baking and cooking is that because it is stronger, it often reacts too strongly with the acid in the recipe, changing the taste or texture dramatically.
This chemical difference means that washing soda is stronger, making it excellent for things like stain treating, homemade laundry detergent and all purpose cleaner.
Uses for Baking Soda:
There are literally hundreds of uses for this naturally occurring alkaline salt, but these are my favorites:
1. Natural Oven Cleaning
For a highly effective inexpensive oven cleaner, simply sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the oven, spray or sprinkle with water until it forms a paste and leave for several hours. Stuck on grease and burnt on food wipes right off. Full instructions here.
2. Homemade Deodorant
Baking soda and a few other natural ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter make an easy natural deodorant that works better than most commercial ones. Here is the recipe.
3. Scouring Powder
Baking soda, borax and salt make an effective and natural scouring powder that takes even the toughest stains our of tubs and floors. Here is the recipe.
4. Detox Baths
When combined with a couple of other ingredients, baking soda is a great addition to a detox bath that helps pull toxins from the body. This also helps relieve sunburn! Just add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a warm bath or combine with other ingredients for a detox bath. Here is the recipe.
5. Homemade Toothpaste
Baking soda is one of the ingredients in a simple homemade toothpaste that keeps teeth clean and smooth without being too abrasive. Here is the recipe for homemade toothpaste or homemade tooth powder.
6. Facial Scrub
A paste of baking soda and water makes a natural and gentle exfoliator for the face. Just make a paste by adding a little water to a tablespoon of baking soda and massage in to the face for 10-20 seconds (gently) before rinsing with warm water. Because this mixture is so alkaline, this isn’t recommended daily and is better as an occasional exfoliator.
7. Natural Antacid
I have a relative who swears by 1/4 tsp of baking soda in a glass of water to neutralize heartburn or indigestion.
Other Household Uses + Tips:
- Here are 19 other cleaning tips using natural ingredients.
- Scrub or soak hair brushes in a mixture of baking soda and warm water to degrease and clean.
- Use the same oven cleaning method above to get pans with stuck on grease clean.
- I’ve thankfully never had to use it, but my grandmother swore by keeping it by the stove in case of grease fires.
- Dab a little mixed with water on a bug bite or itch to ease the itch.
- Drop some in the garbage disposal with the rind of a fresh lemon and run to freshen.
- Soak toothbrushes in 1 Tablespoon dissolved in water for 2-4 hours and “rinse” with hydrogen peroxide to kill germs. I especially like to do this after someone has been ill.
- Use in place of salt for icy sidewalks
How do you use baking soda? Share your tips below!
Steps to Help Avoid Hip Dysplasia in Babies
My neighbor, while cleaning my pool upset a nest of bees, that came after him in a swarm and stung him with a ferocity, I remembered my mother putting baking soda on bee stings, so I ran to my cupboard after hosing him down and plastered the powder all over him. He was covered with stings and baking soda as he motored home in his golf cart. He was in his 80’s and when I went to check on him. He was smiling, in his pool enjoying a glass of wine. I was told later that the venom had been heading to his heart and the quick remedy of soda had saved his life.
Yes, with baking soda we can do more for our health (body care), for the environment (cleaning with baking soda) and even save the world from the pollution. Thanks for your contribution.
I just recently found your website and absolutely love it! Could you tell us which baking soda you use? I thought that I read somewhere that Arm and Hammer has aluminum in it?!?! Thanks so much for all of the great info!
I order a non-aluminum one in bulk from a local co-op
I’m really surprised that you’re promoting baking soda for skin use.
I use baking soda on my face in order to help reduce acne scarring. I have definitely noticed a difference since I started using it.
Can you recommend a brand for baking soda? Some have a fishy smell when they get wet…
It has been a blessing for deodorant! Works better than any store-bought one I’ve tried (and I’ve tried ’em all) and doesn’t stain clothes! Most importantly, there are no excess chemicals.
Great post. I used to brush my teeth with baking soda and the results are amazing-white teeth. Now I use it as a foot soak. It’s great to get rid of dry skin.
Do you have a preference on brand of baking soda? Is Arm & Hammer acceptable?
I use a naturally sourced one
From where?
Arm & Hammer is actually the best and Original
I add to the laundry to remove urine smell from clothes
A local hairdresser recommended not to use shampoo, but to use baking soda instead! He explained it could be used as a paste or just to put your wet hand into the dry baking soda and rub on scalp and to use conditioner after. He said it lowered the amount of grease in your hair too and that this should allow you to [eventually] only have to wash your hair once a week. I’d recommend only doing this every other time you wash your hair as it feels a little funny at first. I decided to give it a shot as I’ve had the hardest time keeping my hair looking clean – it used to look greasy after 24 hours. But with the baking soda, so far, I can go two days with confident, silky hair without it looking oily.
I use it to clean the blue ring around my tub, and I don’t even need to add borax or anything! It works so well.
I don’t like the gooey-ness of homemade deodorant (although I may attempt it again), however Miessence makes a really effective baking soda deodorant with aloe vera, which I recommend.