Although I wouldn’t consider myself a “hoarder” by any means, I like to save little knickknacks and find new uses by reusing them in creative ways. I once saved a cylindrical Victoria’s Secret perfume box and top and transformed it into a pen/pencil case to store in my school bag. Instead of clearing out your cabinet and throwing away an old box of baking soda you may not have used in a while, try these innovative ways of using it to revamp your health and beauty.
Add a teaspoon to your regular shampoo bottle. This will help to break down buildup from products like mousses and hairsprays.
Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of bleach to a sink of hot water. By soaking your brushes and combs that may be sticky from gels and hairsprays, the warm mixture with remove the chemicals and cleanse your styling tools.
Add 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water or liquid soap and massage onto hands to eliminate funky odors like cigarettes, garlic or fish.
Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda (and some flower petals for extra pampering!) to a warm foot bath to soothe tired feet. The tingling sensation will relax your muscles.
Add 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 quart water together to create a solution that you can soak a washcloth in. Use the saturated cloth to blot sunburn, windburn or poison ivy, but never on open skin.
Add baking soda to a nailbrush to clean and soften cuticles on your fingers and toes.
I definitely need to experiment with all of these home remedies and tricks involving simple baking soda. You can’t beat a product that can be used on your entire body and also used to cook with!
Do you use baking soda in your household for purposes other than cooking?
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orchid / 115 posts
baking soda and water as exfoliator for your face.
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I use baking soda for my armpits, instead of deodorant.
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I use baking soda on my face from time to time, not to mention sprinkling some on my toothbrush for a deeper cleaning and whiter smile.
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I haven’t tried any of these uses of baking soda for health and beauty purposes but have used it to brush my teeth. I might try using it to remove pungent food odors from my hands…currently I wash them after chopped onion/garlic by putting my hands under running water and rubbing my hands with a stainless steel spoon.
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Thank you for sharing!
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baking soda is also fantastic for cleaning jewelry! Especially diamonds and precious stones. And those store bought jewelry cleaners are actually pretty bad for your jewelry and it can erode your diamonds/stones. (I dated a jeweler, he told me to never use the cleaner).
Just get a little container with a tablespoon of baking soda and 1/4 cup of warm water, put your jewelry in, shake it, use and old tooth brush to clean it good, and rinse well under warm water. Your diamonds will glow!
It also can take the black of sterling silver.
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@upon_thehour@xanga - Careful with the teeth cleaning. It makes your teeth whiter, but it’s horrible for your enamel.
daisy / 522 posts
cool! i like these tips!
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Be careful using baking soda in hair. The pH of baking soda is very basic and your hair is supposed to be slightly acidic. You should have a way to bring your hair back to a preferred pH level (like a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse or adding some aloe vera juice to a leave-in). Also, if you’re having a hard time getting product out of your hair, you can look for a good clarifying shampoo or buy styling products with water soluble ingredients. I don’t like harsh cleansers so I go for a very simple styling routine with natural or water soluble products.
I use baking soda to exfoliate feet, hands, and face.
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I have yet to meet a household problem that baking soda, vinegar, or WD-40 could not handle. Awesome!!!