6 Ways Baking Soda Is The Miracle Worker You Didn’t Know About

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Okay, honesty time: how many of y’all have a bag of baking soda that’s been taking up space in your fridge for years now? If you’re my mom and you’re reading this, that thing weighs 10 pounds and has been there since I was in high school. Take it out.

But I’m not telling anyone to throw out their baking soda ever again because apparently, it’s a miracle-worker! From whitening teeth to making your room smell nice, baking soda is the one ingredient you should always have around.

This Week

This week I did a deep dive into baking soda and tried all the hacks and DIYs possible to make my life better. I didn’t have baking soda in my kitchen before this week. I used it constantly for baking when I was on a vegan/gluten-free diet, but I no longer need it. But I did think baking soda could only be used for baking…boy, was I wrong.

Disclaimer

As I was researching for this week, I did hear a few warnings about baking soda. 

You can ‘eat’ baking soda considering it’s pretty natural. I have read on a few websites not to drink or eat it often, specifically when it’s not used as a baking ingredient and it’s just baking soda and water. There are some benefits, but I wouldn’t suggest adding baking soda water into your everyday diet.

I also have heard that you shouldn’t use baking soda as facial skin care as well. You can rub it on your body, especially if you have a rash or an infection, but I would steer clear from washing your face with it.

What To Do With Baking Soda

Oral Health

Do you ever get a cut in your mouth and it doesn’t go away? Shockingly, baking soda can help with that! And it can also become a mouthwash!

Just mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda and a glass of warm water and you’ve created a mouthwash and a canker sore healer! 

The baking soda can help freshen your breath and provide antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that make it the perfect mouthwash. You can also add 5 drops of tea tree oil and 7 drops of spearmint to make it taste good as well! 

We wouldn’t suggest this mixture as your only teeth-cleaning method because one study found that it didn’t lower the bacteria levels in the mouth, but it is a fun DIY! 

It is also said to whiten your teeth, as baking soda is a recurring ingredient in the best whitening toothpaste.

My Review

I had just had my third cup of coffee and I needed to brush my teeth, so I mixed some baking soda in my mouthwash. I didn’t have the spearmint essential oil, so I just opted for my peppermint one. I will say, it was a bit of a shock and it tasted ‘softer’ than normal toothpaste, but I did like it. I think I’ll be sticking with my normal mouthwash, though.

Kick the Smell in Your Fridge

Baking soda can also mitigate your fridge smells. I don’t know why my fridge always smells a little off. It’s just what happens when there is a ton of food in the fridge — spills happen and scraps get left behind. Just fill a cup with baking soda and put it at the back of your fridge and the smell should go away!

You can also create an air freshener with baking soda! Making homemade air fresheners will let you know exactly what’s in your ingredients, and you can customize them. Just put ⅓ cup of baking soda and 10-15 drops of essential oils in a small jar, cover it with a cloth, and secure the cloth with a string. When the smell starts to fade, just shake the jar up and it’ll come back! Take that, overpriced air fresheners!

My Review

YES! The baking soda air freshener smells amazing! I made the air freshener and got distracted before I could put the cloth on it. When I came back, my entire kitchen smelled great. Now it’s in my laundry/trash room and the place smells so fresh and clean.

Clean Coffee Stains

Does anyone else have that favorite mug that they needed to get rid of five years ago? You know, the one that will never stop spotting coffee stains? Just pour some baking soda onto a sponge and wipe the stains off!

My Review

I think this was my favorite hack. I adore my mugs, but after a few years (and a few hundred coffees) they get really dirty and stained. I had just done a load in the dishwasher, pulled them out, and washed them with baking soda. These mugs looked brand new. They were shiny, completely white, and beautiful. For sure my favorite thing today.

Clean Burnt Pans

We all have that pan that says ‘no stick’, but things have absolutely stuck to. Thankfully, baking soda can fix the days (months, years) of burnt buildup! Just shake a generous amount of baking soda on the pan and add a little water. After 15 minutes of soaking, wash as usual!

My Review

I take it back, this was my favorite hack. Okay, they’re all my favorite hacks, but this was a great one. I have a pan that just looks disgusting. Someone (me) is not a great cook and I often burn things. It’s really hard to get burnt stuff out of a pan, especially if it’s been like that for some time. HOWEVER. I used this paste and it worked magic. 

I did it twice — the second time, I scrubbed the pan with the baking soda, and that helped a lot more than the first time (when I just rinsed the baking soda off and washed normally). But this is the magic bullet.

Drain Cleaner

My drains are disgusting. I never fully clean them and usually just stick to pouring Drain-O down them when I can. For this hack, just pour ½ cup baking soda down the drain, then mix 1 cup of vinegar and the juice from a ½ lemon together and pour it down the drain. Wait 5 minutes, then pour a gallon of hot water down the drain.

My Review

I enjoyed this because it took me back to middle school science. Everything bubbled and fizzed and then the drain was clean! I used apple cider vinegar rather than white vinegar, but it worked fine. I’d suggest airing out the room for a second because my bathroom does smell like cleaning products a bit now. I saw that you can add essential oils such as orange to the mixture as well, so I’ll try that next cleaning day!

Add it to Your Bath

Just add 2 cups of baking soda, ½ cup of Epsom salts, and 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to your next bath to feel the improvement! Baking soda soothes common skin conditions like eczema, dry skin, hives, or rashes. It can also detoxify your body if you’re feeling sluggish and your toxins have built up. If you worked out a little too hard, baking soda will act akin to Epsom salt and help your muscles soak!

If you don’t have Epsom salts, you can skip them and just add ¼ to 2 cups of baking soda to the warm (or hot) bathwater. Let the baking soda dissolve before you soak for about 40 minutes!

My Review 

Any excuse for a bath is great for me. I read that baking soda can help sore muscles, and it really did. This was a great relaxation time for me and it just felt amazing. Make sure to add your essential oils and whatever else you want to make your bath a great experience!

In The End

I loved this week. I always love finding a new life hack and being productive (the only way I’ll clean my bathroom is if I have to for an article). I know there are so many more uses for baking soda and I haven’t even scratched the surface, but these were all amazing. I for sure will be cleaning with baking soda from now on!

Have you tried baking soda for cleaning, DIYing, and everything else? What’s your favorite baking soda hack? Comment below!

For More Tips And Tricks, Read These Articles:

Sick of Chemical Cleaners? DIY Them Instead With Ingredients You Already Have

My Secret Bath Time Hack Will Make You Run To The Tub