Prepography

Today we add another article in our Top 10 series…this time it’s the Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Baking Soda

What is Baking Soda?

Baking Sodais composed of pure sodium bicarbonate.  This common leavening agent is added to baked goods which causes them to rise due to the production of carbon dioxide bubbles.  Baking Soda reacts chemically to help neutralize and regulate pH in substances that are to alkaline or acidic.  Baking Soda differs from Baking Powder in that Baking Powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, an acidifying agent and a drying agent.

Sodium bicarbonate, also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate is a naturally occurring compound but can also be produced using the solvay process.

Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Baking Soda

1. Odor Neutralization:  There’s a reason your mama kept an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator…it absorbs and neutralizes odors by neutralizing the pH of odor producing nastiness.  It can do the same thing when sprinkled on odor producing garbage, spills or even carpets (let stand for at least 15 minutes).  It can also be used to remove an odor from a container…use with hot water and leave the water and Baking Soda mixture in the container overnight.   Add to animal litter or bedding to reduce odor.
2. Personal Hygiene:  Apply directly under arms or mix with warm water and apply with a cloth after bathing to reduce body odor smells during the day.  Mix with hydrogen peroxide or use directly as a toothpaste substitute.   Wash your hands with Baking Soda to remove odors.
3. Medicinal:  Soothe heartburn with a teaspoon of Baking Soda added to six ounces of water.  Mix into a paste with water to soothe skin if mildly sunburned, bitten by insects or suffering from poison ivy.  It can also be added to bathwater to soothe mild rashes.  A paste made from Baking Soda will reportedly extract splinters.  Mix with water and gargle to soothe canker sores (reportedly freshens mouth as well). Continue reading →