Everyday Cheapskate: Clever and Frugal Uses for Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is an alkaline compound that, when combined with acid, produces harmless but useful carbon dioxide gas. When used to bake biscuits or cake, the small bubbles of carbon dioxide gas become trapped in batter, causing it to inflate, or rise.
Baking soda is well known for its ability to absorb odors. This is the reason many people place a box of baking soda in refrigerators, freezers and other enclosed spaces to absorb random odors.
Baking soda is also an ideal cleaner because of its granular texture, which helps with scrubbing. Its alkaline pH can dissolve some deposits and buildup. It has many uses.
NO. 1: NATURAL DEODORANT
If you get an allergic reaction to commercial deodorants or prefer to stay away from aluminum and parabens found in many antiperspirants, you might want to consider making it yourself.
NO. 2: POISON IVY, INSECT BITES
Mix up a paste of baking soda and water, and apply it to the site of the bite or irritation. Watch as the pain slowly dissipates until it finally disappears completely. Baking soda is effective at relieving itching and irritation on your skin because it neutralizes toxins that may be sitting on the surface.
NO. 3: HEARTBURN, INDIGESTION
Most antacids available over the counter contain one type or another of bicarbonate. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is effective because it neutralizes the stomach acid instantly on contact to relieve ulcer pain, indigestion, heartburn and myriad issues that can be the result of an overly abundant amount of acid in your gut.
Typically, the recommended dosage when using baking soda to treat gastrointestinal issues is 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda that has been dissolved in 1/4 cup of water.
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