Baking soda is not only a kitchen ingredient but also a powerful ally for natural health. Discover its benefits and how to integrate it into your daily life.

Other Benefits and Uses of Baking Soda

Use of Baking Soda

1. Soothe Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are small, painful sores that can form inside the mouth. Unlike cold sores, canker sores do not form on the lips and are not contagious. Research has found that a baking soda mouth rinse is ideal for soothing the pain caused by canker sores. Rinse your mouth with a mixture of water and a dessert spoon of baking soda once a day until the ulcer heals. If you also frequently have canker sores, you can use natural propolis tincture to get rid of these bothersome ulcers. It is a natural antibiotic, which will solve many of your cold, pharyngitis, etc., problems.  

2. Can Treat Calluses

Calluses are hard and tough patches of skin caused by long-term friction or pressure. Activities that commonly cause calluses are frequent walking, gardening, or sports. While calluses are not necessarily serious, they can cause pain and discomfort when pressure is applied. Interestingly, studies have found that soaking calluses in a baking soda bath can help soften them, remove scales, and reduce discomfort.

3. Can Slow the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) slowly lose their kidney function. Kidneys are incredibly important because they help remove excess waste and water from the blood. At the same time, they help balance important minerals like potassium, sodium, and calcium. Research shows that baking soda can help slow the progression of CKD. In a study involving 134 adults with CKD, it was found that those who took baking soda supplements (sodium bicarbonate) were 36% less likely to rapidly develop kidney failure than people who did not take the supplements.

4. Can Enhance Certain Cancer Treatments

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. It is often treated with chemotherapy, which works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. Normally, cancer cells grow and divide at a rapid rate. Some research shows that baking soda could help chemotherapy drugs work more effectively. Baking soda can make the environment for tumors less acidic, which benefits chemotherapy treatments. However, the evidence is limited to preliminary indications from animal and cell studies, so more human-based research is needed. How to Use Baking Soda as a Natural Cleaner in Our Home If you find it hard to believe that something as simple and economical as baking soda could really clean your house, consider this: baking soda was used to clean and restore the copper walls of the Statue of Liberty during its restoration in 1986. It effectively removes dirt without harming the copper.  

5. Neutralize Refrigerator Odors

Have you ever opened your refrigerator and been met with a surprisingly dirty smell? Most likely, some foods in your refrigerator have stayed longer than expected and started to spoil. This fetid smell can linger long after you empty the refrigerator and clean it completely. Fortunately, baking soda can help refresh a smelly refrigerator by neutralizing bad odors. It interacts with odor particles to eliminate them, rather than masking their smell. Fill a cup with baking soda and place it in the back of your refrigerator to neutralize bad odors.

6. Air Freshener

Not all commercial air fresheners eliminate bad odors. Instead, some simply release fragrance molecules that mask bad smells. Moreover, less than 10% of air fresheners tell you what they contain. This can be problematic if you are sensitive to chemicals that can be found in air fresheners. Baking soda is an excellent and safe alternative to commercial air fresheners. It interacts with odor particles and neutralizes them, rather than masking them. To create a baking soda air freshener, you will need:

• A small jar
• 1/3 cup of baking soda
• 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils
• A piece of cloth or paper
• String or ribbon

Add the baking soda and essential oils to the jar. Cover it with the cloth or paper, and then secure it with the string. When the scent begins to fade, shake the container.

7. Can Whiten Your Laundry

Baking soda is an economical way to whiten and clean your clothes. Baking soda is an alkali, a soluble salt that can help remove dirt and stains. When dissolved in water, an alkali like baking soda can interact with the acids in stains and help remove them. Add half a cup of baking soda to your regular amount of laundry detergent. It also helps soften the water, which means you may need less detergent than usual.

8. Cleaner