Top 10 Uses for Baking Soda

Baking soda has myriad uses, not only in cooking but also in cleaning and as a natural remedy for bug bites and skin irritations, among others.

Here are 10 top uses for baking soda.

1. As an antiseptic and natural remedy for bug bites, including spider bites. A paste made from baking soda, water, and sometimes vinegar, can aid with inflammation and itching, noted EarthClinic.com.

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2. As a baking agent in recipes. Baking soda works with acids such as lemon juice to aid in cooking, according to Modern Mom. It acts as a leavening agent, causing batter to expand.

3. As a stain remover on laundry. Rub it on the stains as a paste. Let it sit, then launder, noted Greenopedia.

4. As a shining agent for your floors. Add a cup to your mop water, according to The New Homemaker.

5. As a polishing agent for tough stains on dishware, tubs and sinks. Rub it in with a sponge, then clean with soap and water. It scours nicely, noted Wellness Mama.

6. As a natural toothpaste and mouth freshener. Dip a wet toothbrush into baking soda and brush your teeth with it, suggested Wellness Mama.

7. As an enhancer for bleach in your laundry. Mix baking soda directly with bleach in your wash, suggested Arm & Hammer.

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8. To sanitize your dishwasher and coffee pot. Run baking soda in the water cycle in each machine, noted The Kitchn.

9. To improve athletic stamina and performance. "Baking soda can induce alkalosis, which is the opposite of acidosis, or increased acidity in your body. If the pH of your blood and cellular fluids changes much beyond normal, your performance will suffer,"
noted the fitness website Breaking Muscle.

10. To improve kidney health. According to medical publishing company BMJ Group, when the kidneys do not adequately remove acid from the body, a condition called metabolic acidosis occurs, often without recognizable symptoms. High levels of acid in the blood stream "can cause serious problems such as abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, and coma," BMJ Group said. "If tests show your blood is becoming overly acidic, you'll be treated with an antacid called sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)."

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