General and Health Benefits of Baking Soda

Baking soda also known as sodium bicarbonate is a popular and household product majorly used for cooking and baking. 

It use is not limited to baking alone, but also as health, skincare and kitchen use. I personally have heard alot about other use for baking soda, and I will be sharing them with you. If you know of other benefits not listed below, you can add yours to the list.

1. Baking: it's a leavening or rising agent use in making dough. 
2. Skincare: baking soda is used to treat acne and dark spot, calm itchy skin and sunburn. Adding a little water to baking soda to form a paste, apply on the face for few minutes has proven to smoothen and treat acne. However, due to its alkaline pH, baking soda is said to compromise the skin barrier (the skin pH is mostly acidic between 4.5 -6.5) using alkaline product can trigger other reactions and speed up aging effect. If you must use baking soda on the skin, you are advised to use a toner to adjust the skin back to its normal pH.
3. Infection: taking baking soda dissolved in water can help soothe pains, and reduce the symptoms of infection such as UTI or other inflammatory disease. 
4. Oral hygiene: using baking soda as mouth rinse can help inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth cavity; and clean areas toothpaste and brush could not access. Also, using baking soda as toothpaste can whiten the teeth.
5. Deodorizer: formulating with baking soda or applying the power on the armpits can get rid of bad smell due to sweat. Adding some teaspoons of the powder to your shoes can also give them a nice and fresh smell instead of the typical awful smell released after putting off your shoes. 
6. Heart Burn: adding a teaspoon of the powder in water and consumed slowly can counter the acid in your stomach and soothe the burn.
7. kitchen Hacks/Cleanser: using it to wash your pots and other kitchen utensils gives your  kitchen tiles, cabinet, fridge, utensils, clogged oils on cooker, microwave, fryer, etc a sparkling look.  Placing the powder at the back of your fridge is believed to get rid of unwanted odour. 
8. Bathroom: adding some amount in water to wash the bathroom tiles, walls, wash basin, etc give them a refreshing and bright look. 
9. Fruit and veggies wash: Most fruits are grown with unregulated pesticides or in excess amount, to avoid ingesting the chemicals, add 2 teaspoon of the powder in water and soak your fruit or veggies in the solution for 10-15 minutes before eating or cooking them. Baking soda effectively get rid of pesticides present in fruit and veggies. 
10. Fire Extinguisher: baking soda is an active ingredient in most chemical-free fire extinguisher.  Perhaps you are cooking and there is a minimal fire spread, you can quickly improvise by using it to claim the fire. Do note that it does not replace your need for fire extinguisher, nor can it be used for household fire outbreak. 

Did you learn something from this? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Do you know other use of baking soda?