by Davina Lennon

Created on: August 03, 2009

Baking soda is well known as a leavening agent in cooking but because of its amazing underlying qualities there are numerous uses for this wonderful product. Baking soda has a few fundamental merits which overlap:

It has the ability to neutralize acidity

It has a soft crystalline molecular structure

It is able to absorb many odors

KITCHEN

Seeing that we use it for cooking, starting in the kitchen is the perfect place to find alternative uses for baking soda.

Formica or laminate counter-tops can get stained by anything from tea bags, juice spills, and beetroot. The best method to easily remove these stains is by using the bleaching characteristics of a freshly squeezed lemon. Leave to soak for about half an hour then sprinkle with baking soda, scrub with a cloth, rinse and dry and you are left with a hygienically clean work surface.

To keep your cutting boards free from contamination a regular, deep cleaning with baking soda sprinkled liberally with vinegar works wonderfully. Once the vinegar has stopped bubbling and has done its thing rinse with hot water.

Sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth or sponge and rub into wood and other porous surfaces to remove onion, garlic and other food odors then simply rinse with clear water.

Clean and shine your toaster by polishing the chrome with a paste made up of equal parts of baking soda and peanut butter, you'll be amazed at just how shiny it will be.

After washing dishes soak your dishcloth in baking soda and water. Swish the sink with the soda solution and then wring out the cloth and everything will be fresh and odor free

Just keep a bowl of dry baking soda near your sink and whenever you need it just dip the edge of a damp cloth or sponge into it to clean up stains.

BATHROOM

Keep a bottle of homemade cleanser in a spray bottle in your bathroom where it will be always handy to use. Just blend a mixture of:

3 tablespoons baking soda - cup ammonia - 2 cups warm water

If ammonia is something you don't want to use try a mixture of:

1 lb box baking soda 4 tablespoons dish-washing liquid 1 cup warm water

Sinks and baths will lose their dull and soapy look and will shine and look extremely clean.

Clean any tiled areas by sprinkling baking soda on the surfaces and scrubbing with a nylon netting sponge and some cheap shampoo, the simply rinse.

If your shower curtain looks mildewed put it into your washing machine on a gentle cycle with two bath towels. Just add box of

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