Everyone has some baking soda in the house, and if not, you should get some. Aside from baking with it, I also use it in my garbage disposal, do laundry and clean the shower floor.
Sodium bicarbonate is known more commonly as “baking soda” since it helps make dough rise by producing carbon dioxide. But aside from that, it has probably a hundred other cool uses! Today I’ll share the most common medicinal uses for baking soda, as well as a few household uses that make it the cheapest, most effective remedy in town!
Consuming excessive baking soda is toxic because it’s so high in sodium. So if you’re taking it internally for heartburn, do not use it chronically, and do not take too much. See a doctor for proper treatment. There’s about 1,200 mg of sodium in one teaspoon and that’s the part that makes it potentially harmful with consumption! Not everyone sharing their home remedy online happens to be a licensed practitioner, so be careful about what advice you follow from online bloggers.
If you’re interested in other “folk” remedies take 5 minutes to CLICK HERE and read, How Weird Folk Remedies Can Help You.
Here’s another article that might be of interest to you: 10 Weird Health Facts about Burping, Sex, Hair, Eyes and Spinach!
Baking Soda to Freshen Breath.
Adding some baking soda to your mouthwash can instantly freshen breath and improve oral hygiene. I think this is a great addition to anyone’s nightly routine and studies even show that it can help your body fight bacteria better by increasing pH in your saliva temporarily.
Here’s the recipe for Homemade Spearmint Baking Soda Mouthwash
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 drops spearmint (or peppermint) essential oil
2 drops tea tree oil
2 drops clove oil
Directions:
Mix together, and rinse mouth for 30 seconds then rinse. Do not swallow. If the flavor of the mouthwash is a little too zingy for you to rinse with, then replace the 2 drops of tea tree oil with 2 drops of wild orange oil. Remember, this is a mouthwash, so you swish and spit. After this mouthwash, always rinse again with plain water.
Now, here are the xxx best medicinal uses I can think of using baking soda:
2. Baking Soda for Itchy Skin
Get relief for itching and minor bug bites or bee stings using baking soda paste that you make at home. Make a paste that is thick enough to apply to your skin. The amount you use doesn’t matter, just pour it into a little dish, and add enough water slowly until it is thick like a paste, and you can apply it to your itchy spots. You can even kick it up a notch medicinally by adding several drops of lavender, frankincense and/or tea tree essential oil.
If your itchy skin is widespread as you might experience with a drug allergy reaction, then take a lukewarm bath and add about 2 cups to a large bathtub of water, and soak for 15 minutes. Some people find this immediately soothing especially when they add oatmeal to the bath at the same time.
For more specific areas, you can create a paste with baking soda and a bit of water. Apply a thick layer of paste to the affected area. Since we’re coming into camping (and therefore poison ivy) season, keeping baking soda on hand is a good idea in case you walk into a bush!
3. Baking Soda for Thrush and Yeast Infections
A study confirmed that baking soda has mild anti fungal effects and you can use this to treat thrush and mild Candida yeast infections. You can stir a little baking soda in your diaper rash cream, or if it’s oral thrush, you can gargle/rinse with the mouthwash I referred to above. Always remember to rinse your mouth out with plain water after you rinse with the baking soda mouthwash. For babies who have oral thrush, it’s a little bit harder. Make a solution of 1 cup of lukewarm water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda, and dip a Q-tip in that, and then swab their mouth/tongue several times a day.
People who undergo chemotherapy, or those who have to take steroids sometimes develop oral sores in their mouth and a baking soda rinse can be very soothing. Just remember to rinse with cool water afterwards.
4. Baking Soda for Upset Stomach and Reflux
Acid reflux is a very common problem that stems from various different root causes, so before I tell you how to use baking soda, I want to make sure that you understand you should not be ignoring this symptom. It may be due to overeating or from using drugs that are irritating to the esophagus like NSAIDs, but it’s also associated with a hiatal hernia, parathyroid adenomas, esophageal cancer and more. The baking soda trick works well for simple acute types of acid reflux, such as the type triggered by eating salsa, onions or coffee.
In this case, you can try baking soda for heartburn/reflux. It works by neutralizing stomach acid. Just dissolve about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a cold glass of water. Sip it slowly until the heartburn subsides. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, do not do this. Of course, everyone should ask their own practitioner if this is right for them because I can’t possibly know from here what’s right for thousands of you reading my article today. Do not use this chronically, it may lead to metabolic alkalosis and electrolyte disturbances which impact your heart and muscles.
5. Baking Soda for Smelly Feet
You can make a little foot bath using 1 cup of baking soda to a small foot bath of water. I would add a cup of witch hazel to the mix as well as 10 drops of tea tree oil. Soak your feet for 5 minutes then rinse and dry off. This might help with toenail fungus too.
6. BONUS HOUSEHOLD TIP: Making Laundry Cleaner.
Baking soda is an inexpensive method that many people know about to whiten and clean your laundry. It’s simple to use. You just add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of baking soda to the regular amount of laundry detergent that you use. You’ll notice it softens the water too. The baking soda will dissolve completely in the water and help remove stains and dirt from your clothes.
If you’re interested in more useful tips to help with various ailments read this: Folk Remedies and Natural Cures.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
