White, candid, with a particular consistency to the touch and crystalline to the eye, we are talking about a sodium salt of carbonic acid, also known as sodium drogenocarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, monosodium carbonate, baking soda or vichy salt, NaHCO3 or much more commonly sodium bicarbonate .

Whatever you call it, this salt represents a true ally on many occasions, not only for its easy availability and low cost.

It is a natural product, ideal for home cleaning, personal hygiene, fragrance, but not only. Let's find out what all the uses of baking soda are .

For home cleaning and more

> Spray to wash radiators, hob, shower floor and much more

Prepare the spray with water and baking soda (a liter of water for a spoonful of bicarbonate), sprayed on the surface of the top especially where there are stubborn stains, limestone, dirt residues. Leave for a couple of minutes and clean with a scrub sponge.

> Powder to perfume rooms, litter and to perfume drawers and cabinets

Pure bicarbonate of powder is perfect for deodorising and neutralizing unpleasant odors. For the clothes, just proceed with making cotton bags with old fabrics, to tie them with elastic and nice colored bows, in which you will put a tablespoon of fine salt (to remove the humidity), a spoonful of baking soda and a couple of flowers dried lavender. A home deodorant is prepared by leaving the baking soda to rest with water for several hours, then extracting it from the molds and adding the favorite essential oils each time. To keep odors away from the litter box, just add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to it.

> To clean the iron and to reduce scratches on bicycles and cars

Like fine salt, bicarbonate is also an excellent ally to defeat the black spots of the iron. Does it seem too simple? Seeing is believing! Just moisten a sponge with a little water, half a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of lemon, pass the plate when it is still warm and it will return shiny and shiny, like new. To refurbish the bodywork of cars, motorcycles, bicycles, just prepare a mixture with a part of water and three parts of bicarbonate, rub gently with the help of a sponge or a soft cloth on the part to be treated and then rinse.

Find out how to use baking soda against cat and dog allergies

For personal hygiene

> Toothpaste with bicarbonate and white clay.

Just mix simple ingredients: a teaspoon of baking soda, one of white clay or kaolin, a few drops of sweet almond or sunflower oil and the essential oil of your choice (peppermint, malaleuca, thyme). Mix the ingredients together in a cup and pour the mixture over the moistened toothbrush. Gently massage the gums also. Baking soda should be used once a month, maximum two, so as not to scratch or ruin the enamel and never dry.

> Do-it-yourself mouthwash

The simple ingredients for making mouthwash are: a glass of water or herbal tea made from fennel seeds at room temperature, half a teaspoon of baking soda, a drop of malaleuca oil or tea tre. Mix all the ingredients and use the preparation evening and morning. It will help you defeat bad breath and disinfect the oral cavity.

> Scrub for the face and body

By combining three parts of baking soda with a part of water you can get a natural exfoliant to use for the face or body . If you want to sweeten the mixture to nourish the skin even more, just replace the water with whole plain yogurt. Conversely, if you want to make the exfoliating action even more incisive, especially for those parts of the body that require it, such as elbows and knees, just add fine salt and a couple of drops of malaleuca oil. A spoonful of baking soda in the tub water also makes the skin softer .

> Deodorant

Baking soda can also be used as a deodorant for the feet or for the asscelle, pure powdered for direct use, or by dissolving it and mixing two teaspoons in a glass of water, leaving it to stand overnight and then transferring it to a spray container, ready to daily use, without shaking. It lasts a lot and can be added with your favorite essential oils, obviously shaking the spray can before spraying. The white powder is also excellent for decongesting and softening feet, heels and ankles, making a nice warm footbath .

> Shampoo

Finally, a good habit is to add a hint of baking soda to the shampoo that you normally use: the hair will be softer and softer, as the baking soda removes the limestone of the water which tends to weigh them down.

Discover the natural shampoos best suited to your hair

For your health

> To digest

If you have eaten heavy and are struggling to digest, an old and healthy remedy is to melt the tip of a teaspoon of bicarbonate in half a glass of water, with a couple of drops of lemon .

> To soothe sunburn and insect bites

Baking soda is great for soothing insect bites, skin irritations and minor burns. Proceed by making a creamy mixture with a teaspoon of baking soda and a little water, apply, massage and leave for a few minutes. In the case of burns, leave to work for about an hour, rinsing with warm water.

Curiosity : Baking soda is a special ingredient also in the kitchen, for washing fruits and vegetables but also for softening vegetables and especially for preparing vegan desserts ; once it was also used in the hospital, in the case of cardio-respiratory resuscitation, now disputed use.