The Many Uses for Baking Soda (Part One): In the Kitchen
There are certain kitchen staples that my home cannot be without. Baking soda is one of these staples, and not simply because I like to bake (although I do love baking). Baking soda is a necessary staple in my home; because it has an amazing abundance of alternative uses! The best part is, baking soda is very inexpensive. Whether you use it straight from the box, as a sachet, in a shaker for sprinkling, for a paste, or in a hot water solution, there are probably hundreds of innovative ways in which you can use baking soda.
For the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing some of these uses in a multiple-part series that I like to call, "The Many Uses for Baking Soda."
So without further ado, let’s start with the kitchen:
- Baking soda is a natural neutralizer. It helps neutralize baking mixes when using acidic ingredients, thus aiding with the rising process.
- It serves as an ingredient if you need to make an alternative to baking powder. Just use one part baking soda and two parts cream of tartar.
- Use it as a meat/chicken tenderizing rub. Leave baking soda rub on for a few hours, prior to washing off.
- It doesn’t just help baking mixes rise. You can use it for airier eggs, pancakes, and waffles.
- You can wash your fruit and veggies with it.
- Use it to soak certain meat and fish, to help eliminate foul odors.
- Piggybacking off of #6, use a small amount on your hands to remove foul odors from touching fish.
- If your digestive system is sensitive to beans, soak them (dry) into a baking soda solution before cooking.
- Keep kitchen rubber gloves fresh and dry by sprinkling some baking soda into them.
- It works as a great non-abrasive cleanser for many kitchen common areas such as your counters, oven, microwave, and sink (even stainless steel).
- Soak sponges and dish rags into a baking soda and water solution to help reduce odors.
- Help remove dish/pan grease and grime by soaking them in hot soapy water with a little baking soda.
- Piggybacking off of #12, use the same method to clean grease off of range vent filters, oven racks, and even barbeque grills.
- Pour some baking soda down your drains and let it sit a while. This helps to deodorize and clean them.
- Use it to clean out and deodorize baby bottles.
- Unclog gas stove burners by soaking them in a ¼ to a ½ box of baking soda and warm water solution.
- Soak crystal in a solution to help it sparkle.
- Rid tarnish on silverware by soaking it in a baking soda and hot water solution.
- Soak plastic food containers in a baking soda and water solution to help eliminate odors.
- To clean the inside of your coffee-maker, let a warm water and baking soda solution run through a brew cycle.
- Help loosen up stuck-on food in the microwave by heating up a baking soda water solution for a few minutes. Then easily wipe off the grime with a rag or sponge.
- As an odor remover for the refrigerator. Just leave an open box in there to help soak up the bad food odors. (This is a classic one)
- Piggybacking off of number #22, sprinkle a generous amount into kitchen trash cans to help neutralize smelly orders.
- Although it should not be used to replace a regular fire extinguisher, baking soda can help put out small stove fires. This is a good emergency back-up to have!
Well that pretty much sums up Part One of my Many Uses for Baking Soda series. I am sure that there are a ton of other kitchen uses that I haven’t listed here, but these are some of the general ones that I know of. If you have any input, I would love to hear about it. Please feel free to comment, below.
Stay tuned, for Part Two of the Many Uses for Baking Soda.