HELPFUL HINT SATURDAY - BAKING SODA USES

Here's a bunch of uses for baking soda. I'm sure there's lots more, so feel free to add yours to the comments! Some of these may be new to you, some may not.

Do you have some great old pieces of graniteware/enamelware that is stained? Try cleaning it by soaking for an hour or two in a bath of one tablespoon of baking soda added to a sinkful of HOT soapy water.

To remove pencil, ink or crayon marks from walls or painted surfaces, rub with a damp cloth dipped in dry baking soda.

Coffee or tea stains on china cups? Use the same method as for pencil marks above.

Want to test your carpet or upholstery for color fastness before cleaning? Use baking soda to test a hidden area for color-fastness by mixing 1/2 tablespoon in 1/2 cup of water and apply a small amount to the carpet or upholstery. Let dry, then vacuum and check area.

Baking soda is a safe and effective cleaner for kitchens and bathroom surfaces - countertops and sinks, tub and tile, chrome, steel, enamel or plastic throughout your home. When it is not fully dissolved, like when it is sprinkled dry from a shaker onto a clean damp sponge, baking soda is perfect to use as a gentle scouring powder - it won't scratch your shiny appliance surfaces, but it's abrasive enough to lift dirt and stains for easy removal.

In the laundry baking soda works with your liquid laundry detergent to make it work harder for you (it's a pH thing!). Just add 1/2 cup of to your wash with the usual amount of liquid detergent. It can also help your chlorine bleach work harder for you… add 1/2 cup of baking soda with a 1/2 cup of bleach (instead of the usual 1 cup) to get whites whiter without smelly harsh chemicals that can damage clothes.

Deodorizing Clothes—Freshen any smelly laundry—work shirts, baby bibs, musty towels—by adding 1/2 cup baking soda in the rinse cycle to neutralize and eliminate odors.

Freshen Sink Drains any time with 2 sprinkled tablespoons baking soda while running warm water from the tap for 1-2 minutes. Of course, it's a great odor absorber in the refrigerator, too. You can even purchase special boxes for just this purpose.

Calm that rumbly in your tummy with baking soda. It's is safe and effective as an antacid to relieve heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and upset stomach due to these symptoms when used as directed.