Guest writer Lou-Ann Jordan – New Uses For Baking Soda

Check Out These Five New Uses for Baking Soda by Lou-Ann Jordan

It goes without saying that sodium bicarbonate or baking soda is one of the most popular household products around. Presumably it can be found in most homes also. We can also take a quick guess at where you have it stored. Why, on your fridge’s door, of course.

Sodium bicarbonate combines an acid (carbonic) and a base (sodium hydroxide). However, it reacts as an alkaline substance when in contact with other chemicals. For example, when it mixes with an acid, it changes its potential hydrogen (pH) level, masking odours.

Still, it is well known that sodium bicarbonate can be used to cloak unpleasant smells, namely those emitted when a fridge is opened. This knowledge and use have been passed from generation to generation, as has the practice of using it for dental hygiene.

What of other uses? Well, there are a few more of which you may not be aware. Here are five:

Reduces Acidity – Baking soda’s alkaline properties help reduce severe acidity, relieve heartburn and indigestion, and diminish acidity in urine and the blood.

Soothes Itchiness – Though not recommended for daily use, sodium bicarbonate has anti-itch properties that can help with itching, redness, and stings resulting from insect bites. It’s also been known to work on rashes. Create a paste and zap that bite or rash.

Reduces Swelling- If you have mild swelling resulting from insect bites, wasp stings, or bee stings, make a paste comprising water and baking soda to help reduce the swelling.

Treat kidney stones – Baking soda’s anti-acid properties have made it useful in treating kidney stones. Kidney stones form from acid in the urine. Sodium bicarbonate helps decrease the acid in urine and dissolve existing stones.

Aids chemotherapy – Some chemotherapy drugs need alkaline conditions to work effectively. Others become more toxic if in an acidic environment. As such, some doctors have suggested sodium bicarbonate. Also, rinsing your mouth with a combination of baking soda, salt, and water can aid in mouth and throat changes caused by chemotherapy.

There you have it: five new ways to utilise this diverse and, best of all, relatively cheap product.

Sources: Organic Facts and WebMD.

Lou-Ann A. Jordan is a professional content writer with a lifelong love affair with the English Language. She enjoys the challenge of structuring ‘unsexy’ grammatical features into fun and engaging content. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her baking cakes, walking on the beach, or engrossed in Korean dramas, all of which provide her with inspiration.

DISCLAIMER – The content shared by guest writers is the opinion of the author, provided for general informational purposes, and not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.