You probably know by now how incredibly baking soda works as a household cleaner especially if you read the (article). But did you know, this wonder powder also makes a perfect stand in for personal care products as well?
Read on for neat tricks our environment friendly household swears by.
1. Freshen Your Breath
For an all natural, alcohol-free mouthwash, mix half tsp of baking soda in a half glass of warm water. Swish, spit, and rinse. It can help freshen your breath by neutralizing odors caused by built-up acids stuck to your teeth and tongue.
2. Polish Your Teeth
Baking soda is a popular home remedy to polish, clean, and whiten teeth. In fact, some commercial toothpastes contain this ingredient to help improve their action. However, it is also said that baking soda can be too abrasive for everyday use.
"If not used in correct proportion baking soda can even end up damaging your tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay." Brushing Your Teeth with Baking Soda: Is it Safe or Not?
Experts advise adding a little amount of the powder to our regular toothpaste every few weeks when we want a little boost.
3. Make Your Own Deodorant
Whether you are concern about the health or environmental effects of using chemical laden deodorants, switching to a natural alternative is one of the best things you can do for both.
Baking soda is a good alternative to combat body odor without subjecting your body to dreadful chemicals. For a step by step procedure on How To Use Baking Soda As a Personal Deodorant, follow the link.
Just a gentle reminder, baking soda might not work for everyone. To avoid a negative reaction, test out a patch of skin on your arm first
4. Gently Exfoliate
#BantheBeads -- for a safer and healthier way to gently get rid of dead skin, just mix 3 parts of baking soda to 1 part water. Rub gently in a circular motion and then rinse.
5. Facial Scrub
Baking soda scrub is an enemy for all the microbes and dirt that make our skin rough, irritated, dark, etc.' A Powerful Baking Soda Scrub For Your Every Skin Flaws
But while it’s deemed good as a skin care alternative, baking soda can irritate the skin. It's important to do a patch test first to see any reaction, and if on the clear, give skin plenty of time in between exfoliation to prevent irritation.
6. Pamper your feet
Rejuvenate and soothe a sore, aching, and tired feet while at the same time remove dull skin by Soaking it in a baking soda solution. Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda into a small tub of warm water and soak.
7. Dry Shampoo Alternative
Baking soda is an inexpensive alternative to commercial dry shampoos. It not only works as a dry cleanser for your hair and scalp but also eliminates dirty hair odor. However, do not go overboard with the baking soda, as it can make your hair excessively dry and prone to breakage. How to Make DIY Dry Shampoo: 4 Easy Recipes for Bad Hair Days
8. Help Your Hair
Chemical-based shampoos strip away our hair’s natural oils, which means that frequent washing makes hair dry, frizzy and lifeless. To clean hair naturally, baking soda can be a great alternative. It removes product residue, removes chlorine for frequent swimmers, and promotes hair growth, If you're a little skeptic about it, check out what David Avocado Wolfe had to say about this product.
9. Keep Your Brushes and Combs Clean
Along with our personal hygiene, things we use for our personal care need to be maintained too. For brushes and combs, simply soak in a solution of 1 tsp baking soda to a cup of water, rinse and dry thoroughly. Baking soda makes it easier to remove oils, build up, and residue.
10. Relieve Itchy skin from Insect Bites
(I swear by this)
I now know why a lot of articles sprawling on the net talk about baking soda and insect bites. They work like magic! I make a baking soda bath for my little one whenever pesky insects leave his skin irritated.
Add 1–2 cups of baking soda to a lukewarm bath and thoroughly soak the affected area. Boy does it soothe itchy skin. For spot treatments, create a baking soda paste and apply a thick layer to the affected area. No anti-histamine needed.
11. Relieve heartburn and more
My sister who's a doctor would probably hate me for this but it works so well without me needing to take in medication that I had to write this here. Baking soda is a safe antacid that treats reflux by neutralizing the excess stomach acid. Be warned though, this is only intended to treat occasional acid reflux and not meant for long term treatment and serious cases.
As per Healthline, the recommended dose of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) powder is
1/2 tsp. dissolved in a 4-ounce glass of water, and may be repeated in 2 hours for adults and teenagers. For children, it's best to consult a physician.
The versatility of baking soda is unparalleled. What seemed to be a valuable ingredient in the pantry makes a great alternative for a Deodorizer, Spic and Span Clean home, Healthier Home, and who would have thought, for personal care too!
Keep a box in your cabinet and never be without it.
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