The Many Uses of Baking Soda

[Ablang]

The Many Uses of Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the most versatile cleaning agents on earth. It
is highly absorbent making it an excellent deodorizer. Best of all,
it's non-toxic. As a matter of fact, if the thought of your next
cleaning project gives you indigestion, half a teaspoon of baking soda
stirred into a glass of water works as well as some over-the-counter
drugs sold strictly for that purpose. Check with your doctor before
using this remedy.

With all of the cleaners that are available on the market today it's
hard to tell which one is best for a particular cleaning project. Some
general purpose cleaners contain detergents and-or bleach, others use
sodium carbonate and bleach, while others have an oxalic acid or
phosphoric acid base. The wide range of chemicals used in general
purpose cleaners makes reading the label a must, not only to prevent
damage to what's being cleaned, but for safety as well. Some cleaners
are poisonous and/or not biodegradable.

We suggest common household food products for cleaning because they
are inexpensive, readily available, safe, and work as well or better
than many off-the-shelf cleaners. In addition to baking soda, vinegar,
salt, food-grade citric acid, juice from a fresh lemon, ice cubes, and
mayonnaise, are food products that you can use for cleaning.

Vinegar and water is great for cleaning glazed tile and dark tile
grout as well. Food-grade citric acid is super for dissolving mineral
salt that builds up in water heater tanks. Lemon juice works well in
cleaning oil and grease from plastic laminated counters; a 50-50
solution of salt and vinegar makes a terrific copper cleaner; ice
cubes are the best first-step in getting wax crayon stains off kids
clothing; mayonnaise and a nylon scrubbing pad work wonders on white-
rings on wood furniture; and baking soda, which this week's column
concentrates on, should be renamed "baking, deodorizing, fire-
extinguishing and washing soda."

Baking soda will put out a grease fire, clean scorched food from
cookware, absorb odors from the refrigerator, clean and deodorize
drains, soften and deodorize laundry, and will also remove stains from
porcelain, enamelware, glass, plastic, carpets and rugs.

For burned-on food, mix up a paste of baking soda and water. Actually,
dry baking soda can be used in lieu of scouring cleanser and best of
all, it's non-abrasive.

Coffee pot stained? Tomato sauce remnants left in a plastic storage
container? A paste of baking soda and water will do the trick. Keep a
box of baking soda in the refrigerator to reduce odors. Once a week
pour a handful down the drain and rinse with hot water. Your drain
will stay clean and smell fresh.

Price of fabric softeners got you down? Use half a cup of baking soda
in the rinse cycle.

To remove stains from carpets and rugs follow this procedure: While
the stain is wet, use baking soda to absorb the excess. Then, cover
the stain that's left with another application of baking soda, let it
sit overnight and vacuum it the next day.

http://www.onthehouse.com/wp/20081203

[Marsha]

I mix 1 c. baking soda, 2 c. white vinegar, and 2 c. water for fabric
softener. A paste works great for getting coffee or tea stains.

Marsha/Ohio

[meow...@care2.com]

Ablang wrote:

> The Many Uses of Baking Soda
>
> Baking soda is one of the most versatile cleaning agents on earth. It
> is highly absorbent making it an excellent deodorizer. Best of all,
> it's non-toxic. As a matter of fact, if the thought of your next
> cleaning project gives you indigestion, half a teaspoon of baking soda
> stirred into a glass of water works as well as some over-the-counter
> drugs sold strictly for that purpose. Check with your doctor before
> using this remedy.

Whatever for? Cant people do anything for thmselves now?

Yes, you can do lots of things with soda, most of which it does badly.
Incuding acting as an indigestion remedy, other products are more
effective and not packed with sodium.

NT

[E Z Peaces]

Some modern diets have enormous amounts of sodium and some Americans
don't tolerate it well, perhaps due to insufficient magnesium or
potassium. Nevertheless, it's vital to get enough sodium. Americans
have dropped dead for the lack of it after the Pharisees proclaimed it
evil.

The body produces bicarbonate, in part to regulate stomach pH.
Ingesting it can be good for stamina and the kidneys.

I find that baking soda works better than anything else for some things
such as soap scum and ceramic sharpeners. It's a great buffer for
dilute household bleach.

[MSfo...@mcpmail.com]

He has not had an original thought in years. When he comes across
something he thinks is interesting, the world will know about it by
way of his pasting. Usually, the world already knows as he was the
last human being to figure it out.

[Zar]

> last human being to figure it out.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

This should be titled the many misconceptions about baking soda.