Baking soda makes dough rise, so cakes and pastries stay light instead of dense and flat. Yet recipes need only a pinch, leaving most of the box untouched. Why waste it? Beyond the oven, baking soda excels as a natural cleaner and offers seven standout benefits for skin, hair, and overall health. It may be the most affordable, versatile beauty aid you own. These seven clever hacks prove its value—you’ll believe it once you try them.

1. Relieves Heartburn

Heartburn, or acid reflux, feels like fire in the chest when stomach acid moves upward. A single episode after spicy food is maddening, and chronic cases can damage the esophagus. Baking soda calms the burn fast by neutralizing acid. Mix one teaspoon in cool water and sip slowly; gulping can create foam and bloating.

2. Freshens Breath and Whitens Teeth

Research shows toothpastes with baking soda remove plaque and brighten enamel better than those without. Skip the special paste—dip your brush in a water-soda mix and clean as usual. For mouthwash, dissolve one teaspoon in half a glass of water, swish, and spit. Its antibacterial power reaches spots brushing can miss.

3. Treats Canker Sores

Tiny but painful, canker sores form inside the mouth and sting with every bite. Rinse once daily with the mouthwash from tip #2—one to two teaspoons of baking soda in half a glass of water—to ease pain and speed healing.

4. Acts as a Deodorant

Baking soda absorbs odors so well it appears in many deodorants and even sits open in fridges. Sweat itself is odorless until skin bacteria break it into acids. Soda lowers that acidity, reducing smell. In a pinch, pat a little under your arms for a natural deodorant.

5. Boosts Your Workout

Endurance athletes use baking soda to stay at peak performance. Intense exercise floods muscles with lactic acid, causing burn and fatigue. Baking soda’s alkalinity buffers the acid, letting you push longer. One study showed users lasted about 4.5 minutes more than non-users—a major edge when you’re at your limit.

6. Soothes Itchy Skin and Sunburn

A thick paste of baking soda and water calms itching from bites or stings. For sunburn, add one or two teaspoons to a warm bath and soak at least 30 minutes, covering affected areas. Some evidence says cornstarch and oatmeal can speed relief even further.

7. Softens Calluses

Calluses protect skin from repeated friction but can feel rough or painful. Soaking hands or feet in a baking-soda solution softens the thick skin and eases discomfort, making gentle removal simple.

Conclusion

Baking soda is a multitasking marvel—ideal for baking, cleaning, and enhancing health and beauty. Stock several boxes around your home; they’re inexpensive and always handy, whether you need to soothe aches, whiten teeth, or heal a sore.