I don't know about you, but if there's one thing I dare not leave town without it's the kitchen MVP.
Bringing baking soda with you is like bringing a magic powder. The list of things you can do with this kitchen superstar is seemingly endless. From cutting grease, cleaning the bathroom or cleaning your skin, to deodorizing garbage bin and even extinguishing a minor grease fire, it definitely is a must-have for your next out of town trip.
I personally love this K-MOM All Natural Baking Soda from Mighty Baby. It features an easy to use shaker bottle so you can just sprinkle the product and avoid exposing the entire thing. It definitely helps maintain freshness of the product so you can store it longer in your cabinet. Not to mention the sealed spill-proof cap which makes it a perfect essential to bring with you!
With this superstar in your luggage, you can do these things even when you're away from home.
CUT GREASE NATURALLY
I learned from Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute that to dissolve stuck-on grease, all we need is hot water plus mildly abrasive baking soda. Cleverly enough, these two really cut the grease without needing dish soaps that are loaded with chemicals.
Washing Atlas' food container, has never been more eco friendly - economically and ecologically. I could bring a utensil cleaner but we already have one too many essentials in our suitcases. We could use what's available but we love the environment more + 'chemical' in Atlas' stuff doesn't sound okay to me at all.
FACIAL SCRUB
With baking soda in our loot, we could DIY a facial scrub without stuffing our bags with "extra" stuff we don't really need.
Trust me, you're just making these big skin care companies fatter.
Baking soda is absolutely a safer option: for you and the planet.
Just mix three parts baking soda to one part water, rub the paste onto your face with gentle, circular strokes, then rinse with warm water. Voila! Ph balanced, clean face.
UNCLOG DRAINS
Some cases you'll need to dial SOS to your good ol liquid sosa but I'm pretty sure there's no way you're packing a bottle with your essentials. And hey, there's a better alternative you can find in your pantry.
With baking soda in your luggage, just ask anyone from your hotel or lodging a cup or two of vinegar, pour on the sink, toilet, or any clogged drain, watch it fizzle, wait five minutes, then flush with hot water.
Consider the unclogging done.
ABSORB TOILET ODORS
The gleaming counter tops, walk in shower room, and jacuzzi tub, no matter how first-class, is gross if it reeks. Oh Please!
Just in case you can't Chris Pratt your way out of doing number two, (read his hilarious speech about poop here), add a cup of baking soda to the toilet and let it sit for an hour before flushing. It will not only absorb odor but it will also clean the toilet. That's an award winning trick to maintain a pleasant experience for you and your roommates (if you have).
Speaking of award winning, boy did anyone other than this man deserve the MTV Generation Award, I don't think so.
DEODORIZE GARBAGE DISPOSALS
We are only as parent as parents get when soiled diapers make up most space in our garbage bins. And you know pretty well what happens when these pile up. To help eliminate odors, sprinkle baking soda at the base of the bin to trap the smell.
AIR FRESHENER
Ironically, most air fresheners we can find on the market are loaded with toxic fumes that pose health risks in the long run. Notice how a place can go from pleasing to suffocating with just few extra sprays. Good thing we can deodorize the room with baking soda. Add a few drops of of your favorite essential oil to make a simple, safe and therapeutic air freshener.
PRODUCE WASH
Chances are, we can't just ignore that bright red apple especially when it's our little one's favorite! It's a fruit for healthy living's sake!
Like how we should wash our fruits and vegetables at home, a quarter of a cup of baking soda dissolved in a bowl full of water will kill contaminants and remove residues of pesticides from the produce. Rinse with clean water and enjoy clean, fresh fruit.
..AND FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING
Like 50 more weird and wonderful ways! (sharing with you really really soon!)
From meticulous cleaning residues on store-bought produce to deep cleaning extra greasy dishes and pans, declogging a drain, relieving stomach reflux, to facial scrub; baking soda is no less than an '"everyday miracle" in our household.
And since we can only hope to bring our entire home during vacations, bringing along this essential is the closest thing to comfort.
But why should we opt for baking soda instead?
Because the global market is saturated with an array of toxic cleaning products detrimental to our health. It may seem harmless and I might come off as OA, but chemically loaded cleaners are not labelled BAD STUFF for nothing. And if you think they magically dissolve with water after use, think again. Once flushed down the drain, it goes to the ocean and harm the aquatic life. Guess where they end up eventually?
...In that salmon steak you had for lunch, yum!
So next time you need a little help from your trusty cleaners, you might want to consider spinkling this magic dust instead.
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