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Baking soda is also known as bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate, or just plain bicarb. It's cheap to buy and can be found quite easily on your supermarket shelf. Although it's used in baking to aerate cakes and breads, it has many other household uses.

IN THE BATHROOM

Baking soda makes an effective underarm deodorant. Just dip a powder puff into the baking soda and apply. It works for hours.

It makes a gentle facial scrub. Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Apply in a circular motion and rinse clean.

Add a teaspoon of baking soda to your favourite shampoo. It removes build-up of gels, mousses, conditioners and sprays, to make your hair that extra bit cleaner.

Once a week use baking soda instead of toothpaste for cleaning your teeth. It removes stains and whitens the enamel.

For silky smooth skin, add half a cup of baking soda to your normal bathtub of water.

IN THE KITCHEN

Put a dab of baking soda on a damp cloth to give your cut glass a gentle clean. Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth.

Remove stains from your work surfaces by rubbing with a paste of baking soda and water.

Put an open box of baking soda in your fridge to eliminate odours.

To remove baked-on food from casserole dishes, add two tablespoons of baking soda to some boiling water and leave the dish in soak for a couple of hours. The baked-on food will come off quite easily when washed.

IN THE WASH

Because fresh perspiration is acid, rub some baking soda into the affected part of the garment before putting it in the washing machine.

Half a cup of baking soda per wash-load will brighten up your wash.

A cup of baking soda added to your usual detergent will reduce any allergy symptoms.

IN THE GARDEN

Clean your plastic garden furniture by adding a cup of baking soda to hot soapy water.

Clean your barbecue grill by using dry baking soda on a damp brush, scrubbing well and rinsing clean.

Get rid of ants, earwigs, and other creepy-crawlies round the exterior walls of the house by mixing baking soda with a little sugar. Place the mixture in a container that the insects will find difficult to crawl out of once they're too bloated to move.

Keep your birdbath clean by brushing with a paste of baking soda and water, then rinsing.

There are many, many more uses, but I think you get the picture. Every home needs its packet of baking soda!

Learn more about this author, Lesley Allen.
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