Bicarbonate of soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate or baking soda) is cheap and readily available. Perhaps its best known use is as an ingredient in cakes and biscuits; however it has many other applications too, and can be extremely useful around the home.

Sodium bicarbonate, chemically NaHCO₃, is a naturally occurring substance – the mineral nahcolite found in salt deposits [1]. Synthesised baking soda was first produced in 1846 [2] and it is now manufactured on a commercial scale for sale around the world. It is considered safe, with no adverse effects on humans or the environment [3]. As such, it can be used alongside or to replace many products around the home, reducing not only the amount of potentially harmful chemicals released into the environment, but also the use of resources needed for producing, packaging and transporting various products. Even if it is not used to replace these products regularly, it can be a useful standby.

There are many uses of baking soda (baking powder, which does contain bicarbonate of soda, but along with other ingredients, is not the same thing), and there are various websites and books listing them and explaining how to use it for different applications. Below are a few ways to use bicarbonate of soda that could be beneficial in the majority of households:

As an odour eliminator

• An open container of baking soda in a fridge will neutralise odours from strong foods. It should be replaced every three months, or more often if it has a lot of odours to absorb [4]
• Bicarbonate of soda can be used to deodorise dishwashers, by sprinkling some in the base of the machine [5]
• Dissolve a few teaspoons of baking soda in warm water and leave in vacuum flasks or plastic food containers to remove the smell of food or drink that has been stored in them. Leave overnight if possible, then wash as normal
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on carpets to freshen them before vacuuming. Leave for half an hour, or overnight if there are strong odours to remove. Similarly, it can be used to freshen upholstery and car interiors

As a cleaning agent

• Old bicarbonate of soda that can’t be used in the fridge anymore can be put down the toilet or sink, followed by vinegar (don’t put the plug in the sink, and flush with water afterwards) if blocked [6], to help keep them clear and fresh
• Remove marks from furniture using baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge [7]
• Adding half a cup to each washing load will soften the water (so is particularly useful in hard water areas), reducing the amount of detergent and fabric softener you need, and enhances the brightness of colours and whites too [8]
• If your dog is hard to bath, or hates getting wet, you can increase the time between washes by giving them a bicarbonate of soda dry shampoo
• A baking soda and water paste can be used to clean stainless steel pans (not aluminium pans, and never non-stick pans as the paste is abrasive). Leave the paste on as long as possible without letting it dry, then wipe it off. For badly burnt on food, add more water to make the paste thinner, bring the mixture to the boil, then remove it from the heat and clean when cooled [9]

In personal care [10]

• A paste with water can be used as toothpaste
• An exfoliator can also be made with a water paste
• Added to shampoo bicarbonate of soda will remove product build-up on hair
• Dissolved in water, it is used as a drink to counteract heartburn

Health and safety

• Bicarbonate of soda can be used to extinguish small electrical fires [11], as it releases carbon dioxide when heated

The lists above are only a selection of the ways in which bicarbonate of soda can be helpful around the home. Next time a specific cleaning problem arises, it could be worth investigating if baking soda could be the way to solve it, and there are lots of resources giving hints and tips on how to use it. The website of Arm and Hammer [12], the original manufacturer of baking soda, is a good place to start. In small quantities it can be found in the baking aisle of supermarkets, while larger packs (which should be cheaper by weight, and use less packaging overall) are likely to be stocked by Chinese supermarkets, chemists and eco-cleaning and soap-making suppliers.

[1] http://webmineral.com/data/Nahcolite.shtml

[2] http://www.churchdwight.com/company/who-we-are/history.aspx

[3] http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_073508.htm

[4] http://housekeeping.about.com/od/kitchen/qt/bksd_fridge.htm

[5] http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions/solution-56/Dishwashers.aspx

[6] http://www.makeitandmendit.com/2010/01/04/unblocking-drains/

[7] http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions/solution-2/Clean-Furniture.aspx

[8] http://www.rd.com/slideshows/5-best-baking-soda-and-vinegar-cleaning-solutions/4/

[9] http://www.stain-removal-101.com/cleaning-burned-pots-with-baking-soda.html

[10] http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-personal-care-uses-for-baking-soda.htm

[11] http://www.electriciansnetworks.com/info/electrical-fires/

[12] http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions.aspx