Spring Cleaning Ready! 20 Ways To Replace Toxic Chemicals With Baking Soda Around the House

Baking soda. We all know it, own it and probably use it to keep our refrigerators fresh or for baking, but, let's face it , it is not all that exciting..... or is it? IS IT?!

This natural white powder is actually quite the rock star of your pantry. In fact, it is one of the most multidimensional and useful tools out there. It does it (almost) all, I tell you.

Read on for a huge huge list of things you can do with baking soda. Remember, when it comes to reducing the chemical exposure in your house and for your family, small changes in your routine make a huge difference. This week, choose 2-3 options form the list bellow that will allow you to switch out a toxic product for baking soda and feel like your own rock start of green and healthy living!

At Home

Stovetop grease, stuck on your expensive stainless steel pans? No problem! Generously sprinkle baking soda all over the pan and then carefully add boiling water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes and then scrub.
Sticky, greasy oven desperately needing a good clean? First, sprinkle the inside of the oven generously with water. Then, make a mixture of 1 cup baking soda with 1/3 cup salt and place all over the oven. Layer the paste on thick especially where there is a lot of grease. Make sure baking soda is not dry, if it is, spray with water again, and leave to sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Wipe area clean. If very stubborn stains remain repeat!!
Entertaining tonight only to find out your porcelain plates/china are all stained? Or has your coffee addiction left all of your mugs stained? Scrub wet item with baking soda with a damp sponge
TARNISHED silver? No problem there are two options using baking soda you can try to clean silver: - Bring one liter of water, one tablespoon of baking soda and one piece of aluminum foil to a boil. Drop silverware in the pot for 10 seconds (longer if it's very tarnished), then remove using kitchen tongs. - Alternately (if you are cleaning a silver detail mixed with another material you cannot submerge in water)make a thick paste with 1/4 cup baking soda and two tablespoons of water. place paste over silver area and leave on for a minute then wipe off with a warm clothes.
Did your toddler decorate your _______ (enter furniture piece of your choice) with stickers? Need to remove any other type of adhesive? Baking soda and coconut oil save the day. Make a mixture of equal parts baking soda and coconut oil - it will be a slightly abrasive paste. Then use the paste to rub over the adhesive and wipe off with a wet, warm cloth.
Odor remover; Does your house smell like fish or cat or does the kitchen smell like smoke? Pour a fair amount of baking soda into a shallow bowl and leave the bowl, uncovered, around the house (or the smelly room). Baking soda will absorb the smell. It will take a couple of hours , but you can leave the uncovered bowls around the house for a couple of days for optimal benefits. This is great for the bathroom too if, ahem, someone in your house is known for extra smelly bathroom business!
Drain cleaner - Let go of that SUPER TOXIC Draino. Instead, shake a tablespoon (or more if drain is very clogged) of baking soda down clogged drain and follow with boiling hot water. Allow mixture to sit (at least 15 minutes , but if drain is really badly clogged extend for a couple of hours and even overnight for bonus strength. Do not use shower or sink during this time). Pour a cup of white vinegar down the drain. It will mix with the baking soda and unclog that clog! Works every time at our house!
Did your little artist express themselves drawing a mural with crayons all over your walls? Make a paste with baking soda and water and gently rub on crayon marks (I mean art!) on the wall with damp sponge
Smelly sneakers or shoes- Do not dare spray Febreeze (filled with endocrine disrupting fragrance chemicals) Instead, fill an old sock with baking soda and a few drops of essential oil and then stuff in shoe overnight. You can also sprinkle baking soda inside the shoes before wearing.
Laundry: Keeping your whites whiter without Clorox Bleach. Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash when you add your regular liquid detergent. The baking soda has been known to give you whiter whites, brighter brights, and clothing odor free.
Non-Toxic Fabric Softener : Add 1/4 cup baking soda to laundry too boost detergent and soften clothes NO MORE FABRIC SOFTENER NEEDED!!

FOOD:

Beans - most of us probably soak our beans before cooking them to reduce the cook time, but guess what? If you add 1/2 tsp baking soda to each 2 cups of soaked beans you can reduce cook time and reduce lectin amount!
Arsenic in Rice - Rice has been in the news lately due to arsenic levels. In our recent blog post we spoke about reducing the amount of rice and rice products (so common in gluten free diets too) in your diet. Good news for those of you who cannot live without rice, though!! Adding baking soda and a pre-soak to the rice actually reduces arsenic and phytic acid. How? Just soak 1 cup rice + 1 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp salt for 90 minutes. Rinse and cook. Additional benefits to this baking soda pre-soak is that since it bathes the rice in an alkaline environment, it creates springy soft rice that is NOT mushy or clumpy and has a perfect bite.
Fresh green leafy veggies - When rinsing clean, add generous amounts of baking soda to rinse water- it doubles the life of the greens AND helps retain the green color

BEAUTY/HEALTH:

Conventional beauty products are infamously filled with toxic chemicals. Everything from chemicals that mess with your hormones to known carcinogens are commonly found in shampoos, makeup and even items marketed for baby and child daily use. Incorporating baking soda into some aspect of your beauty routine in lieau of a chemical filled product is a great way to reduce chemicals.

Facial blackhead remover: 50/50 baking soda and water then rub on nose and forehead
Product build up/hair clarifier - Wet hair, and take handful of baking soda and massage into hair and scalp. Add your shampoo, work it in then rinse. Shampoo again and condition. NOT good for colored hair.
Diaper rash remover - Just add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda in baby bath water.
Canker and cold sores - I get canker sores when I am very stressed and this is the only thing that I have found helps. It burns, I wont lie, but it heals the sore after 2-3 times..... and considering these sores are inside your mouth, it just make sense to use natural non-toxic baking soda and not a medication. How? Just add baking soda to the tip of your finger and dab onto the cold sore. Try to keep area dry for a couple of seconds without saliva while baking soda dries. Leave overnight.
Heartburn - I had horrible heartburn while pregnant and never resorted to over the counter medications. I tried both apple cider vinegar and this baking soda mixture. Both worked well. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda to 8 oz water. Drink!
Stop or prevent flu/colds = Add1/2 tsp baking soda in water 6x a day on first day of exposure or symptoms, 4x a day second day, 2x a day third