Baking soda is one of the absolute basics of natural house cleaning. Nearly every recipe for making your own cleaners seems to contain it in it somewhere - and those that don't have baking soda usually contain vinegar and are used for cleaning glass. Baking soda can be used for so many things that it would be easier to say what it doesn't do rather than what it does do.
* It can't be used as a substitute for baking powder. If you do, the cake (or whatever) won't rise and will have a horrible soapy taste as the heating process turns the baking soda to washing soda. However, if you have something acidic in the mixture such as yoghurt or vinegar, then the mixture will rise. Alternatively, you can make your own baking powder by combining 1 measure of baking soda with 2 measures of citric or tartaric acid. * Baking soda can't be used so well for wasp stings... at least not for first aid. As wasp stings are alkaline, the best first aid treatment for a wasp sting is vinegar. However, baking soda can be used to treat bee stings, and can relieve the itching left after insect stings and bites of all kinds.
* Baking soda can't be used as a substitute for detergent for washing your clothes. For washing clothes, you need soap in some form, whether you use powdered detergent, liquid detergent, grated soap flakes or melted down soap scraps. However, adding baking soda to your washing load can help to get rid of strong smells and can also help to brighten whites. For cloth nappies, however, don't use baking soda, as this will increase the rash-causing alkalinity. Add vinegar to a load of nappies instead to neutralise the alkalinity in the residual urine.
* You can't use baking soda as flea powder for cats and dogs. However, pet owners should make use of the smell-removing properties of baking soda. If your pet has had an accident after being shut in the house by mistake, baking soda will remove any lingering smells - even the ones you can't smell - from the crime scene so the offending animal doesn't get the idea that because that place smells like pee, it's acceptable to pee there. Baking soda can be used to deodorise kitty litter trays and to absorb smells in the refrigerator, which is where most of us keep cat food and dog food. For a natural flea repellent, get hold of some pennyroyal (either the plant or the oil) and rub it liberally over your pet's fur.
* You can't use baking soda as an intimate feminine douche. In fact, you probably shouldn't douche at all, as this flushes out the good bacteria and makes you more prone to yeast infections. If you really feel like you ought to douche, then make the douche mildly acidic by using dilute lemon juice or vinegar. If you get a yeast infection as a result - or from some other cause - apply live yoghurt internally in both directions (i.e. eat it and apply it within the vulva).
* Baking soda is not necessary for removing fresh blood stains. This isn't to say that baking soda won't help you sponge up bloodstains from the carpet or a shirt, but that it's not necessary. Plain cold water will do the trick alone without any extras - just make sure that it's cold, though!
Author Resource:-
Nick Vassilev is the founder of Anyclean, a successful cleaning company based in London, UK. His extensive knowledge about the cleaning industry helps him provide excellent cleaning services London and increased value for money to his clients.
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