I have at least three boxes of baking soda here because it is so useful. Like every home, one of them is in my fridge, so that tip doesn’t count for this list. In fact, using it to deodorize small areas is probably the biggest use (after cooking), so none of those will appear here. I figured I could take the time to find some of the less common uses, here are my 13 favorite uses.

Food Related

• Add ¼ teaspoon to a gallon of sun tea as you are brewing it. It will keep it clear and prevent bitterness.
• Put a dash in the water when you cook green vegetables to keep them bright green.
• To wash produce, put 2-3 tablespoons in a sink or large bowl of cold water and submerge the produce. Let it sit about 10 minutes, then rinse and dry. This removes the wax and dirt.

Around the House

• Put 2 cups baking soda, 1 cup cornstarch, and 1 ¼ cups of water in a saucepan and boil gently till it thickens. Add some food coloring and a few drops of essential oil to create modeling clay that smells good. It lasts about a day, then it dries out. But what a great way to entertain the kids on a rainy afternoon!
• Freshen up old books that smell musty. Sprinkle baking soda liberally in the pages and put the book and a bit more baking soda in a paper bag for a few days. The smell might not completely disappear, but it will make a big difference.
• Remove the coffee or tea stains from mugs and glasses. Use a damp microfiber cloth and rub gently with baking soda. It’s a gentle abrasive, and shouldn’t harm anything, but to be safe, try it first on a piece you don’t love to make sure.
• Polish your silver with it. There are two ways, either make a thick paste with baking soda and water and gently buff the item with it or use the aluminum foil method. Lay a sheet of foil in the bottom of a non-reactive dish (glass or ceramic) and put your silver on the foil. Bring a quart of water to a boil, dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in it, and pour it in the dish to cover the silver items. Take it out after 10 seconds or so and rinse (use tongs or gloves, it’s hot). I use this method for jewelry, it’s so much easier than using a cloth and polish!
• Keep it near the stove to put out grease fires. Sodium bicarbonate creates water and carbon dioxide when heated by fire and smothers the flames safely.
• Use it to remove oil stains on your driveway or in the garage. Sprinkle a liberal layer on the spot, let it sit a few minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush. Rinse with fresh water and enjoy your clean driveway.

Personal Care

• Add a heaping teaspoon (more if your hair is long) to the dollop of shampoo in your hand and mix it up a bit. Then wash as usual to remove hard water and product buildup. It will be foamier than normal, don’t worry. Do it every month or so if you have really hard water, otherwise less often.
• To remove nail polish stains from your nails, make a thick paste with water and scrub gently. As a bonus, it will soften your skin, help remove your cuticles, and remove odors from your hands and feet.
• Do you take bubble baths? Add a few tablespoons of baking soda with the bubble bath and you will get extra bubbles. It will also soften your skin while you soak.
• Last but not least, you can soothe a sunburn by soaking in a tepid bath with a cup of baking soda dissolved in it.

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Baking soda is super inexpensive, I bet you will be able to afford enough for all these tips with the amount BillCutterz can save you on your bills! Take a few minutes to sign up and submit your bills, then go back to cleaning and enjoy a glass of that beautiful sun tea you just made!