Soda use in the household: what the white powder can do!

Soda can be described as a real miracle cure. It has been known since ancient times for its surprising uses in household, personal care, hygiene and beauty. It can be bought in any supermarket for change, but do you really know what the white powder actually is and what it can do? We explain what baking soda is and also present 20 helpful household tips.

What is baking soda?

Soda is a mixture of baking soda, soda and salt that occurs naturally as a mineral. It is preserved in many mineral waters and medicinal springs. Soda has been known since ancient times and was considered sacred. Most often it was used for ritual cleansing of the body and for mummification. Today, baking soda is known by several names. Colloquially it is still called baking soda. On the market it is also known as “Bullrich Salt”, “Kaiser Natron” or “Food Atron”. In chemistry it is known as sodium bicarbonate and is obtained from natural table salt by replacing chlorine with carbonate.

Soda application today

Nowadays baking soda is known as an inexpensive yet very effective home remedy that has more or less been forgotten. That is wrong, because baking soda is extremely versatile. Unlike many store-bought cleaning products that are commonly used around the home, the white powder is environmentally friendly and non-toxic to children and pets. It is an all-rounder and has many areas of application such as a baking agent in the kitchen, an all-purpose cleaner in the household or to vitalize the skin in cosmetics and even medicinally against heartburn.

Soda application: Be careful not to confuse it with soda!

Often, baking soda is confused with “soda”. However, there are two absolutely indispensable products and the second has no place in the ecological household. Also, soda should not be confused with caustic soda and caustic soda.

The versatility of baking soda: 17 household tips

1. Soda application for dental care: Simply take some of the white powder with a damp toothbrush and distribute it on your teeth, brush briefly and rinse off. It also helps against bad breath.

2. Soda use for better digestion: A pinch of baking soda with cabbage or cheese fondue makes the food more digestible and it causes less gas.

3. Soda use for heartburn: What grandma once called “Bullrich Salt” is nothing different than baking soda. If you get heartburn after eating hard-to-digest food, a teaspoon of baking soda can reduce the acidity of the stomach. It can be dissolved in a little water and taken that way.

4. Soda use for baking and cooking: Especially with heavy doughs, such as for gingerbread or with rye flour, a little baking soda lets it rise loosely and with fine pores.

5. Cooking legumes such as beans, peas or lentils can often take many hours on the stove. To make them soft and cooked faster, add a little baking soda to the cooking water.

6th. When cooking jams, for example from rhubarb or lemon, you can add a little baking soda. The white powder neutralizes the fruit acid and therefore less sugar is used for the jam.

7th. If a meal is acidified by the sauce, you can also add a pinch of baking soda and thus save the food.

8. Soda use as washing-up liquid: The white powder is a great help in removing the particularly heavily encrusted residues on the bottom of the pot. First you need to soak the crust, sprinkle with baking soda and leave for 1-2 hours. Then you let the water in the pot boil and the annoying crust is gone!

9. Soda as an odor neutralizer: If the refrigerator or a kitchen cupboard smells bad, you can neutralize the bad smells with a bowl of baking soda. For best results, it is recommended that you regularly replace the powder with fresh one.

10. The baking soda has a similar effect as a dishwasher deodorant. Simply sprinkle a tablespoon of the white powder on the bottom of the dishwasher and repeat after each wash before loading the dirty dishes.

11. A soda solution can also be used to neutralize odors in textiles. Simply spray on with the help of a pump sprayer and allow to dry.

12th. Soda use for stubborn stains on textiles: Mix a little baking soda and water into a paste and use it to rub the stain. Leave to act and then wash the garment in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry as usual.

13. Soda use against ants: If you have ants in the household, you can get rid of them quickly with a little baking soda. Sprinkle some powder on the unpleasant ant trail and the small insects will disappear immediately.

14th. Soda application for plants: If the plants are attacked by powdery mildew, there is a more environmentally friendly and much cheaper solution than the chemical club – a soda solution. Simply spray the plants with it several times a day.

15. Soda use for personal care: Soda can be used as a gentle and inexpensive skin peeling that can be used on the whole body and face. Simply apply to damp skin, rub and then rinse off.

16. Soda is also very effective against foot odor. For this you have to powder your toes well, especially the areas in between. It inhibits the odor-causing bacteria in sweat and thereby also softens the odor.

17th. The white powder is also a great substitute for chemical deodorants. You can easily prepare a deodorant without aluminum yourself with baking soda at home. For this you need a suitable spray bottle, 100 ml of boiled lukewarm water, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and about 10 drops of essential oil of your choice, for example lime oil. Dissolve baking soda in warm but not hot water, stirring frequently, and then drip in the essential oil. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and you’re done.

18. Soda application for cleaning: To clean the oven, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of salt and a little water. The result is a creamy paste that is spread over the crusty areas in the oven. You can rub off after about 20 minutes of exposure.

19th. The calcified sink in the bathroom or kitchen can also be cleaned again by mixing a paste made of a little baking soda and water and rubbing the sink with it. With baking soda and a breast you can also get moldy tile joints clean again.

20th. If the drain is clogged and you don’t have a special drain cleaner on hand, you can pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in it and then pour 1/2 cup of vinegar. After about 30 minutes, rinse with a liter of boiling water and you’re done!