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Baking Soda

    I really like pushing baking soda as a household staple. It's safe in most cases and does a variety of work. It fits in a green home.

    Use it as a backup when you run out of toothpaste. It removes stains and freshens breath.  You can also use it just for the occasional brushing to whiten teeth. Be sure it's fresh soda and not one that's been in the fridge or freezer. Don't use it on a regular basis, because it doesn't have all the good things that toothpaste has. But if you have stains from coffee or tobacco or in general, soda is great.

    Only in extreme emergencies, use soda dissolved in water for heartburn. It will neutralize the acids, but it can build up with regular usage and block arteries.

    I love baling soda for removing stains from coffee and tea cups, iced tea pitchers, and baking dishes. It even works on metal pans, or anything that you're having difficulty cleaning. It does its job without harsh chemicals that endanger the environment. You can pay more for things to clean your Pyrex or Corningware, but they work about the same as soda. I tend to forget things on the stove and sometimes ruin things by letting them burn in the bottom of the pan, usually the middle only. Baking soda helps in the final stages of removing the burned matter.

    In fact you can use it in drains to sweeten any odors that may back up from septic tanks, etc. Back in the seventies, the environmentalists recommended pouring a small box of soda down your drain once a week just to neutralize chemicals that had gone down the drain from your home. If every homeowner did that, big improvements would be made in waste systems, but it still couldn't counteract commercial wastes.

    If you don't mind vacuuming powder out of your carpet, baking soda works as well as the more expensive carpet deodorizers. And you can put a box in the refrigerator, and one in the freezer to absorb odors of onions and fish, etc. Don't throw it away when done; just pour it in the drain and rinse! You can also use it in laundry.

    And of course, if you bake, you'll have lots of reasons to keep baking soda on hand. Used with salt, it may replace baking powder. I've even heard that if milk is just beginning to take on an odor, but it's still within the date, a pinch of baking soda will sweeten it for cooking. I wouldn't serve it over cereal.

    You can also use it in water to clean battery terminals in the car. When mixing it in anything other than water, be careful. It will foam and may interact in ways you don't want. Every household needs baking soda eventually.