Yeah, yeah. I hear you. Baking soda as a prep? Sure, for baking! Survey says? BZZZZZZZZ! Awwww! There are many, many practical uses for Baking Soda, making it a very versatile, relatively inexpensive and nearly indispensable prep item. Here are a few uses the Falcon Clan and friends use and will continue to use baking soda for: Antacid - especially useful for people who cannot take aspirin or do not want to take too much aspirin (one of the key components of Alka Seltzer). 1/2 tsp of baking soda dissolved in 1/4 cup of water - near instant relief. Skin soother - add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a soaking bath and it will help relieve itchy, irritated skin - helps with rashes, relieving the itch from measles and chicken pox too. Add the same to your baby's bath water, and it helps with diaper rash irritation. Non-chemical "soft" cleanser - use a damp sponge and baking soda to scour your counters clean - deodorizes too. Baking powder - yes, that is right. Out of baking powder? No problem - stir and sift together 2 equal parts of Cream of Tartar, 1 part Baking Soda, 1 part Corn Starch - et voila. Baking powder - NON ALUMINUM at that. Silver Polisher - 2 methods here: #1: Dry soda on a damp cloth polishes silver to a lustrous shine. #2: For silver without raised patterns or cemented on handles - place silver on a piece of aluminum foil in a container large enough to immerse the silver item, cover with boiling water, add 4 tablespoons baking soda. Let stand till shiny, rinse well, and dry. Removing badly burned food - To remove badly burned food cover burned on food with baking soda, add just enough water to form a paste, let sit over night. Scrub off the next day - works especially well on cast iron. Scalding a Chicken - when scalding a chicken, add 1 teaspoon to your scalding water. The feathers will come off easier, and the skin will be clean and white. Removing that Gamey taste - add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to your soak water. It helps tone down the smell and taste of extremely gamey meat (works great of you have kids who do not particularly like the flavor). Quick wash (Camp Wash) - 1/2 cup baking soda added to your camp bath water helps clean, sooth, and deodorize your various body parts. This is especially helpful if a full bath/shower are not really practical. Everyone has uses they put baking soda to. I think this is an essential prep. Please list the uses you put this amazing substance to, I would love to add to my list of uses.
Underarm deodorant just 2 fingertips worth and spread it on your underarm and it will outlast any store bought product
Warehouse stores (Sams, Costco) are your friend. I buy about 50# a month, so we have a good set supply. Any other unique uses for baking soda?
It is great to throw 1/4 cup in the washing machine also, or when hand washing your clothes. We brushed our teeth with it when I was growing up.
We do not have enough of it yet. Epsom salt is a goodie also. Of course there is plain and iodized salt. We used baking soda for tooth paste also. Most tooth paste is merely soda and a mild "soap".
Wow, I had no idea! Just where do we find such quanities of this versitile product? I live in a very small rural town, 50 mi. to a bigger city. Not much in the way of shopping around here. OOPS, I didn't read every post, I see this was already addressed. Sorry.
bulk baking soda can be gotten at a lot of feed stores it also raises the pH in liquids same as lime without toxicity mixed as a paste it will help bee stings go away and it makes a great fire extinguisher for food thats on fire and doesnt leave your pan poisoned
Baking soda is also used to slow the burning rate of smoke cartridges as well as sugar rocket fuels. ( don't ask!) I love chemistry, don't you? (ps) it also is a cleansing agent ( mixed with water), for certain types of chemical agents used on people.
A couple more for ya... If you needed baking soda more than an old style "BC" Fire extinguisher you could very, very slowly unscrew the top of the extinguisher and get the soda out. Now, just to CYA a bit... I did mention very, very slowly as fire extinguishers have a fair amount of pressure in them. It could be dangerous and will certainly be messy. Unless you own the extinguisher it may also be illegal. And, not all BC extinguishers have food-grade baking soda in them. They may even have some other substance in them... ready the label. Just an FYI. My wife and I use baking soda when making popcorn balls. When the caramel reaches the perfect temp you just stir in a teaspoon or so and it gets all "Frothy" and lets you stir it into the popcorn really easily. OK, that's not a survival tip... but it is a tasty one! All the Best, Bill
I use it to balance my body's ph. When I'm feeling stiff and achy and my muscles are constantly sore and knotted I know I'm too acidic. I take 1/2 tsp in 1/2 cup of water at night and feel amazingly better the next morning. A good rule is to take it for 4 or 5 nights and then take 2 or 3 nights off - too much can go the other way, making one too alkaline, which is also bad. Rene'
