15 Unusual Uses For Baking Soda

Baking soda isn't just for deodorizing your fridge or for cooking: We explore he many joys of using baking soda around the house.

How can baking soda be good for cleaning, baking, deodorizing -- and even weeding -- all at the same time? Vicki Lansky's book, Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of, explains it all. The book was a runaway hit in 2003, and it still is today, because frugal times call for frugal ingredients that get the job done as well as store-bought formulas. We scoured our sources and found a few more unusual ways to put inexpensive baking soda to work at home. (For more on this miraculous green ingredient, refer to Lansky's book.)

1. Washing food
Make a paste of baking soda on a clean sponge, and then wash toxins off the skin of fruits and vegetables. Rinse well before eating.

2. Drain cleaner
Okay, baking soda it isn't as powerful as commercial de-cloggers, but it costs virtually pennies to make and is a great first line of defense. Take a half cup of baking soda, pour down drain followed by half cup of white vinegar. Place a glass bowl over the top of the drain for two hours, then rinse with hot water. This should remove grease and dirt build-up through the pipes.

3. Vacuum odors
Sprinkle baking soda on the floor, then vacuum it up to kill odors in your vacuum.

4. Welcome mats
Speaking of floors, according to Lansky's book, you can ditch and deodorize the dirt at your front door by sprinkling baking soda on welcome mats, then vacuuming up the powder.

5. Soft hands
Make baking soda into a paste and use on hands while washing dishes. It'll help remove tough baked-on food while softening your hands at the same time.

6. Musty books
Do you have some old and musty books that you can't bear to throw out? Sprinkle some baking soda between the pages, and brush it out a few days later for a fresh scent

7. Mothball smell
According to the blog, Green Eco Services, the smell of mothballs on clothing can be removed by adding ½ cup of baking soda to your washing machine's rinse cycle to eliminate the odor.

8. Oil and grease
Sprinkle soda on the garage or basement floor to soak up oil and grease.

9. Weathered look
If you want a quick way to eliminate mold and mildew while achieving a weathered look for your deck, Green Eco Services recommends you use baking soda. Wash your deck with a solution of two cups baking soda in one gallon water, and use a stiff straw brush to work the solution into the wood, then rinse with cool water for a clean, yet aged patina.

10. Weed killer
Sweeping large amounts of sodium-rich baking soda into the cracks of your paved walks and driveways will eliminate weeds and dandelions.

11. Canvas cleaner
To clean anything canvas, rub on a paste of baking soda, then rub off.

12. Burnt pots
To eliminate seriously burnt-on food, pour in a thick cushion of baking soda, add an inch or so of water, and put the pot on the stove to boil. After boiling for a minute, try scrubbing again (don't burn yourself). The burned-on mess should come right off.

13. Plastic shower curtains
One of the best tips in Lansky's book alleviates this stubborn problem and cuts down on the amount of money spent on shower curtains: Wash mildewed or dirty plastic shower curtains in the washing machine on the gentle cycle with a couple of bath towels, and add in a half cup of baking soda and detergent during the wash cycle. Add in one cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle, then let drip dry.

14. Automatic dishwasher detergent
Make an automatic dish washing detergent using baking soda (and it works): Simply mix two tablespoons baking soda and two tablespoons borax, as a alternative to commercial detergent.. If you prefer to use your dish washing detergent, but want a cleaning boost, then just sprinkle a good amount of baking soda over dirty dishes, then wash as usual.

15. Stinky clothes
We know that baking soda deodorizes just about anything, but here's another way to use it for clothing with a deep smoke or gasoline odor. Place the clothing in a plastic bag with baking soda for two days, then wash as usual.

What about you, dear readers? How do you use baking soda around the house? If you have a tip on cleaning with baking soda that isn't listed here, and possibly not in Lansky's book, please share the wisdom here with our readers.