Sodium bicarbonate aka Baking Soda

Very common and cheap with many uses brushing teeth, cleaning, cooking, baking, hygiene there are so many uses. I posted 2 links, there are many more.
An essential item in our houses.
There are many brands, but Arm & Hammer is the brand I associate with Baking Soda.



If kept cool (room temperature) and dry (an airtight container is recommended to keep out moist air), sodium bicarbonate can be kept without a significant amount of decomposition for at least two or three years.

Sodium bicarbonate - Wikipedia

Baking Soda Experiments, Recipes & Crafts | ARM & HAMMER

 

Sodium bicarb reminds me of those plastic toy diving submarines one could get in cereal packets back in the day when I was a kid. I'm sure my mother used sodium bicarbonate for the same purpose.

 

Mixed with a little vinegar and you had a mild chemical explosive, or you could use a gallon of vinegar and a box of baking soda for those really big jobs!

 

I remember the baking soda boxes always by the kitchen and bathroom sinks in grandma's house . Put in the fridge and it was supposed to absorb the smells and keep the fridge fresh.

 

Sodium carbonate is used as well around here = Washing soda , with borax and vinegar in the washing machine with my homemade soap.
Squeaky clean Sloth

 

Good for grease fires too.

 

Also great at neutralizing spilled battery acid...we go through boxes and boxes of the stuff at work!

 

Once a week, I add it to my shampoo and it gets rid of any product (gel, hairspray, etc), residue.