Frugal and Green Tip of the Day – Baking Soda is your Friend!

This is my ode to baking soda…

I use baking soda, in combination with other items, for many things – from cleaning to medicinal purposes.  So here are the OI top ten uses for baking soda…

1. Clean your drain! Forget Draino. A 1/4 cup of baking soda chased by 2 cups of white vinegar will clean your drain out quickly. After the soda and vinegar are done foaming, pour a kettle full of boiling water down the drain to make sure it all goes through. You might need to repeat the procedure if you have a very clogged drain (teenage-girls-with-long-hair-in-the-house clogged) – if this doesn’t work, check the trap, it’s probably a stray Lego!

2. Sting and Itch Relief! While I personally love “Afterbite” (which is just ammonia) for my mosquito and black fly bites, baking soda works wonders on the chicken pox, poison ivy, bee stings and other itchy spots. Just make a paste of baking soda and water – or soak in a tub with a cup.

3. It makes a great antacid…something I am very familiar with in my 39th week of pregnancy!  Just mix a teaspoon in a glass of cold water.

4. Dip a damp toothbrush in a small amount of baking soda and brush your teeth. It’s great in a pinch, if you’ve run out of toothpaste and can’t get to the store. Or, if you are looking for a natural, inexpensive toothpaste, you can use it all the time. If you miss the minty flavor, buy a little bottle of peppermint extract in the baking aisle at the store and add a drop or two!

5. Leave a book in the rain? Sprinkle the wet pages with baking soda and leave out in the sun.

6. Sprinkle on a stale or stinky carpet, leave for a bit and then vacuum up.

7. Make into a paste and remove rust, juice, wine or coffee stains from your countertops.

8. Use as an abrasive for scrubbing your tub and toilet – instead of bleach enhanced “cleaners.” A side benefit of this is that bleach cleaners destroy the bacteria in your septic tank while baking soda helps keep your tank flowing free!

9.  Deodorant. I’ve banned the use of anti-perspirants in my house, but it’s still hard to not put something under one’s arms. A little jar filled with baking soda and capped with a lid that has holes poked in it is a perfect solution. Just put a little soda in your hand like powder and dust under your arms.  Stink-free…I promise!

10. Clean almost anything! I add baking soda to particularly smelly piles of laundry (sports uniforms and dirty diapers immediately come to mind); I sprinkle a little in the bottom of the garbage and recycling cans; I keep a little in the fridge; I sprinkle a little on my sponge before I wipe down the stove, grill, counter, toilet, shower – you name it!

For more great ideas, check out www.armhammer.com