Saturday, July 31, 2010

Baking Soda Is Your Friend...!


I may have posted this list before, but if I did I don't remember it!

At my age, I forget a lot of things, though. Anyway, it never hurts to revisit old post, especially about some helpful things.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Household Uses for Baking Soda

Did you know that baking soda can be used to remove stains, keep your sneakers smelling fresh, and even get rid of your sweet tooth? Check out these tips for home uses of baking soda.

Add baking soda to your bath water to relieve sunburned or itchy skin.

Make a paste of baking soda and water, and apply to a burn or an insect bite for relief.

Clean your refrigerator with a solution of one-teaspoon baking soda to one quart of warm water.

Pour a cup of baking soda into the opening of your clogged drain and then add a cup of hot vinegar. After a few minutes, flush the drain with a quart of boiling water.

To remove perspiration stains, make a thick paste of baking soda and water. Rub paste into the stain, let it sit for an hour, and then launder as usual.

If you crave sweets, rinse your mouth with one-teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a glass of warm water. Don’t swallow the mixture; spit it out. Your craving should disappear instantly.

Add a pinch of baking soda to boiled syrup to prevent it from crystallizing.

To remove pesticides, dirt, and wax from fresh fruits and vegetables, wash them in a large bowl of cool water to which you’ve added two to three tablespoons of baking soda.

Soak toothbrushes in baking soda and warm water overnight to clean bristles.

Gasoline and oil odors can be removed by putting clothes in a trash bag with baking soda for a few days before washing them.

Lay down barrier of baking soda under sink-pipe openings and along basement windows to keep carpenter ants, silverfish, and roaches from invading. Roaches eat the baking soda, dehydrate, and die.

A light baking soda paste on a damp cloth will remove bugs and tar from cars without damaging the paint. Let paste sit for a few minutes before wiping and rinsing clean.

To remove stains from your coffee and tea cups, wipe them with a damp sponge dipped in baking soda paste.

Keep your rubber gloves dry and smelling good by sprinkling baking soda inside them. They’ll slip on more easily too!

Sprinkling baking soda on your front steps will provide traction and melt the ice. Unlike rock salt, kitty litter, or sand, it won’t damage outdoor or indoor surfaces or shoes.

Boil two inches of water in a pan with a burned bottom, turn off the heat, then add half a cup of baking soda. Let it sit overnight. In the morning it will be easy to clean.

Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda on the bottom of your toaster oven to eliminate the burned smell from drippings and crumbs.

A paste of baking soda removes red sauce stains from plastic.

Of course, there are lots more uses than just these, as I've only listed a few! Heck, I've even heard that soda can be used in baking! Imagine that!

Coffee and iced tea on the patio this morning! Looks like the weather will give us a break for a bit!

14 comments:

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Lots of good advice there! Personally I´ll try the sweet tooth thing :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.

Momlady said...

Thank you, HJ, for the practical. I've used baking soda as a toothpaste so I guess you could add that to the list.

Unknown said...

Lots of good info, my Bubba. I have a slow drain that I have used soda in but did not know to follow with vinegar. Off to the kitchen to play plumber! Thanks.
Love ya and see ya soon!

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
I hear ya on the canceling out of the sweet tooth! If it works, it could save me a lot of money!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Momlady...
I think a lot of us have tried baking soda as toothpaste before! I know I have!

Hopefully, there is some useful info on this list! If nothing else, it's fun to read!

Thanks for coming by today!

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One
Great tips going to try that on the bathroom drain. It should also leave a nice clean smell.
Coffee on the patio sounds wonderful.Very cloudy today but you know that won't stop me. :)

HermitJim said...

Hey Sis...
Hope it works for you, and if it does...let me know!

Looking forward to your visit! Can't come soon enough!

Seems like it's been a long time coming, doesn't it?

Thanks for dropping in today!


Hey JoJo...
Might just do that for sure!

Being cloudy should keep the heat down, even if it doesn't rain!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

I use it on the cars to remove corrosion off the battery posts and baterry box. I also rinse my mouth with a teaspoon in a cup of water before deer hunting to help kill my human scent. Thanks for another great lesson.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
i didn't think about cleaning the battery post with it! That's a pretty good one, I think!

Seems like a lot of good uses for such a cheap product, don't you think?

I appreciate the visit today!

Ken said...

...from one extreme to the other huh Jim?(lammas day,almost useless,to bakin'soda uses,extremely useful...lmao)always keep'em guessing...

...BTW,thanx fer the tips Brother,much obliged...

HermitJim said...

Hey Ken...
You know how it is. Gotta keep them guessing and try and keep from falling into a rut.

Besides, moving around a lot makes me a smaller target! Just saying...!

Thanks for coming by today!

Ben in Texas said...

I have even seen some recopies that call for it :-) , but , don't get it confused with backing powder

HermitJim said...

Hey Ben...
Good point! works great when it's supposed to, but won't do the same as the baking powder!

Thanks for the visit, buddy!

Shadowmoss said...

My Grandmother took a teaspoon of baking soda with water every day of the world. Everyone shook their head, but she lived to be 92. Had dementia the last few, but was healthy enough to keep the coal stove going by herself until the last couple years.

HermitJim said...

Hey Shadowmoss...
Sometimes the old folks knew a lot more than we gave them credit for. That's why we should take the time to learn from them every chance we get!

They could pass on a lot of really good information, and most of them would be more than happy to share!

Thank you for coming in today!