By michael - February, 26th 2014

Baking soda also makes a perfect stand-in for many personal care products, which are adding their own twist to the toxic tangle of pollutants and personal health (mainly in the form of synthetic fragrance (and it’s almost all synthetic), sodium laurel sulfate, and parabens). So exactly how does baking soda fit into my scheme to make the world a better place? Baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate,  helps regulate pH—keeping a substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, its natural effect is to neutralize that pH. Beyond that, baking soda has the ability to retard further changes in the pH balance, known as buffering. This dual capability of neutralizing and buffering allows baking soda to do things such as neutralize acidic odors (like in the refrigerator) as well as maintain neutral pH (like in your laundry water, which helps boost your detergent’s power). It’s a simple reaction, but one that has far-reaching effects for a number of cleaning and deodorizing tasks.

DIY baking soda solutions

We're willing to guess the only time your baking soda sees the light of day is during the holiday cookie rush or when you're hit in the face with a funky smell every time you open the fridge. But within that bright orange, otherwise forgotton box is a component to an endless amount of household, medical, and yes, beauty solutions. What makes beauty and sodium bicarbonate a perfect pair? It's antifungal, antiseptic, gently exfoliates away even the toughest calluses, and tackles more smells than what's in your crisper drawer. Read on to discover our favorite incredibly easy uses for baking soda in your beauty routine from our friends at Arm & Hammer, No More Dirty Looks, and a few we figured out along the way.

1. As an all-over scrub

Just add oatmeal for a nourishing, refreshing body exfoliator gentle enough for daily use.  Make a paste of three parts baking soda, …

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