baking soda

Best Money Tips: 60+ Money-Saving Ways to Use Baking Soda

Amy Lu — Thu, 26 May 2016 10:00:05 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found over 60 uses for baking soda that can help you save money, career tips that every aspiring entrepreneur needs to hear, and inexpensive ideas for your Memorial Day party.

The Awesomeness of Sodium Bicarbonate: 27 Uses for Baking Soda

Mikey Rox — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:36:42 +0000

The use of baking soda — or sodium bicarbonate as its known in the science world — dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it as cleansing agent. Today, however, we use baking soda in lots of ways, from making delicious chocolate chip cookies to whitening our teeth and myriad more applications. So before you open that box of Arm & Hammer and stuff it in the back of the fridge, take a few minutes to consider how else you can put baking soda to use around the house with these 27 ideas. (See also: How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom From "Yuck" to "Yes!")

1. Use as a Natural Deodorant

Instead of handing over several dollars for an expensive name-brand deodorant, pat your pits with baking soda to eliminate body odor.

2. Use as an Antacid

If you suffer from heartburn or indigestion, drink a solution of baking soda (1 to 2 teaspoons) and water (8 oz.) after dinner.

3. Soothe Insect Bites

Apply baking soda directly to affected areas to soothe the stinging or itching sensation associated with insect bites.

4. Soak Oral Appliances

Dissolve 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a glass of warm water to soak oral appliances like dentures or retainers. The baking soda will help loosen food particles and reduce odor. After soaking overnight, brush the appliance with baking soda.

5. Foot Soak

Substitute baking soda for Epsom salt when your little piggies have had a hard day. Let your feet soak, and then gently scrub them.

6. Freshen Sponges

Stinky sponges smelling up your kitchen? Soak them in a solution of baking soda (4 tablespoons) and water (1 quart) to breath new life into them.

7. Polish Silver

Make a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water and rub onto tarnished silver with a clean cloth. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

8. Clean the Oven

Forget about the harsh chemicals the next time you need to clean the oven. Instead, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your oven and spray it with water until it’s damp. Let the baking soda sit overnight, then clean it out with ease using a sponge or towel.

9. Deodorize Trash Cans

A sprinkle of baking soda in the bottom of your cans will help quell offensive odors.

10. Put Out Fires

Use baking soda on small household fires — especially in the kitchen — to extinguish them quickly and efficiently.

11. Use as a Face Wash

Mix baking soda with honey to create an all-natural, healthy face scrub that’s gentler on your skin that store-bought exfoliants.

12. Treat Acne

Make a paste using baking soda and water and spot-apply it to unwanted blemishes.

13. Settle Your Stomach

The natural alkaline in baking soda helps neutralize acid that causes stomachaches. When your tummy hurts, drink a glass of water mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda.

14. Relieve Diaper Rash

If you baby suffers from diaper rash, soak him or her in a small tub mixed with two tablespoons of baking soda to help soothe and heal the irritated skin.

15. Soothe a Jellyfish Sting

Rub baking soda to the area of skin that was stung by a jellyfish to help draw out the poison.

16. Add to a Vaporizer

Adding 2 teaspoons of baking soda to a vaporizer will help freshen the air, so you can breathe cleaner and better.

17. Keep Flowers Fresh

Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a vase of water to help keep flowers fresh longer.

18. Reduce Foot Odor

Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your stinky gym shoes to chase the odor away.

19. Repel Rain on Windshields

Rub your windshield with baking soda, then rinse it off to create a surface that repels rain, so you can see better.

20. Restore Stiff Brushes

If you have brushes whose bristles have hardened, save them by placing them in a pot of boiling water mixed with a tablespoon or so of baking soda. The bristles will loosen and the brush will return to working order in about five minutes.

21. Kill Roaches

Mix baking soda and powder sugar to kill roaches. Place the mixture on small lids where the vermin congregate. The sugar will attract the pests, while the baking soda will poison them.

22. Freshen Kitty Litter

If the scent of kitty business permeates your home, try mixing the litter with baking soda to draw out some of the stench.

23. Defeather Chicken

Add a tablespoon of baking soda to a pot of water intended for boiling a chicken to help remove any lingering feathers.

24. Remove Marks From Vinyl

If you have a kid who likes to color on your vinyl surfaces, calm your nerves knowing that a solution of baking soda and water will wipe away the unsightly marks.

25. Clean a Coffee Maker

Fill your coffee carafe with a quarter-cup of baking soda and one cup of warm water. Swirl the solution around so the baking soda dissolves a bit, then pour the solution into the reserve tank of the coffee pot. Place the carafe back under the dripper and run the coffee pot. When the dirty baking soda-water solution has run its course, clean the carafe, fill it with clean water, add it to the reserve tank, and run the coffee pot once more. Clean the carafe and replace.

26. Boost Your Laundry Detergent

Pour a half-cup of baking soda into the wash if you use liquid detergent to give the stain-fighting power a boost.

27. Make a Sports Drink

If you like sports drinks but hate paying the high prices, consider making your own using baking soda. This recipe for a homemade sports drink includes, water, baking soda, table salt, salt substitute, and sugar. You also can add your own flavors to help make the medicine go down.

What other uses do you have for baking soda? Let me know in the comments below.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Schedule Regular Fridge Cleanings to Prevent Food Waste

Tisha Tolar — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:48:11 +0000

It is a job no one likes to do — especially in my house — but with the price of groceries steadily rising, cleaning your refrigerator needs to be a weekly task to prevent food from going to waste. (See also: Household Cleaning Hacks That Save You Money)

When refrigerators are messy and remain unclean for a long period of time, two things are going to happen:

Leftovers get pushed further to the back each day and are forgotten about quickly.
Smells and food gases can ruin otherwise good food by making it taste funny or outright causing spoilage.

Here are some tips for keeping your fridge a priority in your weekly cleaning schedule.

Start Heavy

It likely will take one good cleaning to get you back on track for an effective maintenance schedule. Take a few hours of a weekend, and then commit to one weekend every month to ensure the refrigerator is in good condition. Remember that regular cleaning will help extend the life of your appliance and keep repair and replacement costs down.

Get Everything Out

Remove every object residing in the refrigerator. If you don’t have enough counter space, use cardboard boxes to house your foods until the cleaning job is done. Next, remove all racks and drawers. You can place them outside near the hose, or in a bathtub or utility tub. Spray shelving with a bleach solution, or a natural cleaner if you prefer, that will disinfect and sanitize the components of the refrigerator.

Sanitize

Use a bucket containing half bleach and half hot water, and a clean sponge. Start at the top of the refrigerator and scrub all of the walls, ceiling, and remaining shelving. You can use an old toothbrush to get into the hard-to-reach areas. You will need to pick up debris with a paper towel, then repeat the washing process to ensure the interior space is clean. You can then wipe down the entire inside with a clean cloth and warm water, especially any components that are rubber or soft plastic (bleach can cause the disintegration of these materials). The bleach is necessary because the dampness of the refrigerator’s interior can cause the growth of mold and mildew. After the interior of the refrigerator is cleaned, tackle the shelves and racks in the same way. Once they have been cleaned, rinsed, and dried, place them back into the refrigerator.

Sort and Organize

Clean out your bucket, add fresh hot water, and get a new sponge or cloth. Start sorting the items you took out of your refrigerator. Select the jars and other objects that go back on the door shelves. Clean each bottle and jar off with a damp cloth before putting it back in the refrigerator, checking dates of expiration as you go. Toss all expired foods and group similar items together. This will help you know exactly what you have on hand and what you need to purchase from the store. Many times consumers overspend at the grocery store on supplies they already have.

Add Baking Soda

Baking soda is cheap and very effective at eliminating odors in the refrigerator and freezer. Put a baking soda box in the back of the refrigerator in a place less likely to be disturbed daily to prevent spillage. Replace the box every 30 days, and write the date you added it to the fridge on the box to help you remember. Add a note on the calendar too.

Develop a System

In order to keep up with refrigerator maintenance, arm your pantry with some necessary items including freezer bags, permanent markers, and more baking soda. As you add food back to the refrigerator, mark the date you made it and what it is, if necessary. Select one day each week when the refrigerator should be cleaned. It may be ideal to select the day before garbage is collected so the expired food doesn’t sit around the house for long. When that day comes, reorganize food items and throw out spoiled leftovers. Use a pre-moistened cleaning wipe to tackle spills and wipe down exposed areas weekly.

Buy Only What You Need

At the grocery store, buy only what your family can eat within the week, unless you can freeze it. The less you buy, the less chance the food will go to waste. You should get a basic idea of how much your family eats and what is left over after a typical seven-day time period. Use the information to shop accordingly. You’ll save not only money, but also the frustration of seeing wasted food being dumped into the trash week after week.

This article is from Tisha Tolar of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

DIY Shampoo: The Baking Soda Experiment

Clair Boone — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:04 +0000

Pop, fizz went the sound as the baking soda and vinegar mixed together to create a volcano-like effect. Most times this experiment is conducted in science classrooms across the country, but today the experiment was in the shower. More specifically: in my hair.

Baking soda and vinegar have long been touted to have great cleaning properties, but never did I think that they could clean hair. That was until my girlfriend attended a Mom's group where the speaker who'd had breast cancer at 30 years old clued the group to the cosmetic safety database.

Stunned by all the shampoos and conditioners with high toxicity, I decided to research the options. The problem was that the ones that scored low on the toxic index were high on the price index, and as a seasoned frugalite I had to believe there was an alternative.

Someone mentioned that they had used baking soda before, and so I decided to try it. All you need is 1/8 cup of baking soda mixed with warm water each time you wash your hair, and at $1 or less a box, the amount needed per time is in the pennies. Still, could it really remove all the dirt?

For a week I used it solely in place of my shampoo and conditioner. While I know that sometimes even something that doesn't feel clean is helping my hair, could rubbing something like sand into my hair really help? After more research I learned that you've got to give it at least a week to see results, so I kept plodding on, all the while unsure it was working and putting up with a weird dry feel. I've got to say that at the end of week two, I wasn't convinced. My hair felt like straw and didn't smell much better. I was tired of the no-sudsy feeling I was getting while washing that makes me feel like something is working, so I gave it up as a failed experiment. Until...

I was tempted to try it again for a blog experiment with lots of other people watching. This time I'd use 1/2 cup of vinegar, as well as the baking soda, as recommended by another reader. This is supposed to prevent dryness and was worth a shot for sure.

Well, gag me now if vinegar in the shower isn't the last thing I want to smell while relaxing, but it did help. I stunk at science, and I guess I just didn't realize the effects of the baking soda and vinegar, but I liked it a lot. Somehow all that fizzing and popping made me feel like it was working. Although it didn't smell sweet like shampoo, nor did it smell like vinegar once rinsed — and it certainly wasn't dry.

All in all, I much preferred washing with the vinegar, even though the stench was a little much. It's non-toxic, incredibly cheap, and my hair looks and feels the same as when using a regular shampoo. I can honestly say I liked the experiment and have a new love for one of the world's oldest cleaning ingredients. According to Wikipedia, even the ancient Egyptians loved it and used it as soap.

If you'd like to try it, here are the directions I used (there are two options):

Wash with baking soda regularly. Those who do this say they experience a short period of their hair feeling really dry and straw-like. You should give it at least 2 weeks.
Wash with baking soda a few times a month to get rid of shampoos, conditioners and stylers that build up. Honestly, this is probably what I'll be doing from now on. I do love the smell of my shampoo and am not sure I'm ready to give that up yet.

The Recipe

1. Mix this in small plastic container:

1/2 cup baking soda
3 cups of warm water

These two ingredients will make a lot of "shampoo" so just use a little each time and then after you've washed with the baking soda mix, rinse with 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar.

2. However often you wash your hair, wash it with the mixture.

3. It won't suds up and will feel a little weird to begin with — it will also fizz and pop.

4. Rinse and dry as normal.

Tell us what your experience with baking soda and/or vinegar shampoo was like.

Like this article? Pin it!

Guest Post Blurb:

This is a guest post by Clair Boone. She bought diapers for 20 cents a pack and earned the applause of the cashier checking her out. Over the past year, Clair's money-saving tips has helped thousands of people all over the U.S. save hundreds of dollars. Read more articles by Clair at her blog, Mummy Deals:

This article is from Clair Boone of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom from “Yuck” to Yes!

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:47:10 +0000

I’ll admit it. I don’t always practice what I preach. I love the idea of greener, simpler cleaning products. I’m also addicted to those chemical-laden cleaning products that instantly transform a foul bathroom into something more shiny and apple-scented. I know that what I’m paying for isn’t as safe or as economical as those natural and cheap remedies that often contain vinegar or baking soda. I just needed to try it.

Frustrated by the dark black residue that was taking over my tile grout, I resolved to do something about it - today. With 3 little boys in the house, it was impossible to keep my bathroom clean for very long, and the years of mud, sand, and you-know-what had left permanent reminders of their rambunctiousness. Simply put, I had white tile and black grout. It was really bringing me down.

I took a quick inventory of my bathroom cleaning supply. Toxic, toxic, and even more toxic was the order of the day, but I had a headache, and didn’t feel like putting on my rubber gloves and handkerchief. I grabbed a box of baking soda from the cabinet. It had been successfully keeping my husband’s teeth whiter than usual, so it had to work on grout, right?

I dumped a bunch in a bowl, added just enough water to make a “paste” and went to work, carefully placing an even amount of paste down each line of grout. Then I took the most frayed-looking toothbrush from the toothbrush holder (sorry, Kylin) and began brushing where I applied the paste. Three words entered my mind: “What the _____ ?”

I couldn’t believe the results. Less than a minute after I put the stuff on, I had sparkling (no kidding) white grout in the areas I cleaned. A bit of water rinsed it right off, and when my toddler came busting through the door to use the can, I didn’t have to scream at him to avoid the toxic run-off from my cleaning project. (It was, after all, just baking soda.)

(Small area of bathroom tile after baking soda treatment See how dark the "before" areas are?)

Just for fun, I used some actual high-powered bathroom tile and grout cleaner, designed for such a task. It burned my eyes as it came out, and after 5 minutes of setting on a reserved area of grout, took some of the black stuff off – kind of – with a lot of scrubbing. Afterwards, I felt dirty, and considered hiring a HAZMAT team to rinse off my bathroom floors.

(Bathroom floor after chemical cleaner. The cleaner didn't get into every bit of the grout, leaving it looking cracked.)

The choice for me was clear. All-natural, really effective grout cleaner for under a buck at my local grocery store (and the cost of a trashed toothbrush)? Or that $4 specialty poison that works almost as well and leaves me coughing and frightened for the little toes that walk over it days later?

Is it really even a choice?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Secret Homemade Stain Removers That Kick Butt

Paul Michael — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:09:54 +0000

Stains. Since having kids I've noticed that my house is full of them. In the carpet, on clothes, on furniture, even on my teeth (yes, I had to drink a lot of coffee to keep me awake during those night feeds). But what I hate more than stains is paying $5 for a stain remover that never seems to do what it says on the box. "Surely there are better products I can make at home, using things I already have" I thought. And boy was I right.

I spent hours trawling the various expert sites and video libraries trying to find the perfect homemade remedy for each and every stain I wanted to zap into oblivion. My list was a long one but I knew with a little perseverance and a lot of time I could find the solutions. I did, and now I'm sharing them with you. (See also: 14 Effective Grease and Oil Stain Removal Tips)

I can testify that these have all worked in my household (except #6, you'll see why), but your level of success will depend on your stain and the length of time you've had it. Best of all, most of the simple ingredients needed are almost certainly in your home already, so you won't need to spend an extra dime.

1. Mayo + Cigarette Ash = No More Water Stains

Amazing. This really did work so well. Now, I'm not suggesting you all become smokers, if you need the ash you can collect it from the smoker's room at work or simply buy a small pack and let a few burn down.

2. The Alka Seltzer Rust Remover

OK, that's probably not a stain if you want to split hairs, but I had some items that were rusted solid. I found out that a simple plop, plop, fizz, fizz was all it took to turn rusty bolts into lightening bolts.

3. Carpet Steam-Cleaner

Why spend your hard-earned cash on a SpotBot or even a carpet cleaning product like Tuff Stuff? Just a towel, an iron and a few household items will do the job for you.

4. White Wine for Red Wine Stains

I always wondered if that urban legend about white wine zapping red wine was true. Now you can see for yourself.

5. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitener

How much does it cost to whiten your teeth? Anywhere from $5 for those toothpastes that don't work, to several hundred dollars for dental work. This one costs almost nothing and works well, but please, don't leave it on for longer than 20 minutes and do rinse thoroughly. Don't swallow.

6. Killing Face Stains (Acne) With Baking Soda

Is that a stretch? Yeah, you got me, but I thought it was worth including. Especially as professional acne products can cost hundreds of dollars. This one, I confess, was not tried by myself or my family but a friend. He was very, very happy with the results.

Now you can enjoy a stain-free house and keep your wallet nice and fat. Enjoy.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

baking soda

Best Money Tips: 60+ Money-Saving Ways to Use Baking Soda

Top 5 Articles

Other Essential Reading

The Awesomeness of Sodium Bicarbonate: 27 Uses for Baking Soda

1. Use as a Natural Deodorant

2. Use as an Antacid

3. Soothe Insect Bites

4. Soak Oral Appliances

5. Foot Soak

6. Freshen Sponges

7. Polish Silver

8. Clean the Oven

9. Deodorize Trash Cans

10. Put Out Fires

11. Use as a Face Wash

12. Treat Acne

13. Settle Your Stomach

14. Relieve Diaper Rash

15. Soothe a Jellyfish Sting

16. Add to a Vaporizer

17. Keep Flowers Fresh

18. Reduce Foot Odor

19. Repel Rain on Windshields

20. Restore Stiff Brushes

21. Kill Roaches

22. Freshen Kitty Litter

23. Defeather Chicken

24. Remove Marks From Vinyl

25. Clean a Coffee Maker

26. Boost Your Laundry Detergent

27. Make a Sports Drink

Like this article? Pin it!

Schedule Regular Fridge Cleanings to Prevent Food Waste

Start Heavy

Get Everything Out

Sanitize

Sort and Organize

Add Baking Soda

Develop a System

Buy Only What You Need

DIY Shampoo: The Baking Soda Experiment

The Recipe

Like this article? Pin it!

How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom from “Yuck” to Yes!

Like this article? Pin it!

6 Secret Homemade Stain Removers That Kick Butt

1. Mayo + Cigarette Ash = No More Water Stains

2. The Alka Seltzer Rust Remover

3. Carpet Steam-Cleaner

4. White Wine for Red Wine Stains

5. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitener

6. Killing Face Stains (Acne) With Baking Soda

Like this article? Pin it!