Unexpected baking soda uses you have to know about

Baking soda is one of the most famous products ever made by humans, that is why you can find at least one box of it in each and every house sitting there waiting for its next usage. Baking soda is truly a miraculous product that has many uses around the house. But, there are some that people are quite familiar with when it comes to cleaning, gardening, and health.

The reason behind its effectiveness and wide use is its 100% sodium bicarbonate structure that can give off the carbon dioxide gas when mixed with acid and that causes the dough to rise. Baking soda can be considered as nahcolite, that is why it has such a wide spectrum of uses, from a deodorizer to a cleanser, to a soother. So, here are 7 baking soda used you have to know about.

1. Use it as a pesticide

Baking soda can be used as a pesticide that can effectively and safely kill plant harming insects like spider mites and aphids without harming good insects that are beneficial for plants. Make sure to mix a teaspoon of baking soda thoroughly with 1/3 cup of olive oil and a cup of water. Once done, pour the solution in a spray bottle. If your plants have a fungal disease, spray the affected area once every couple of days until everything settles down. You can spray the solution on roses for black spot fungus and on grapes and vines when the fruits start appearing.

If you are dealing with insect infestation, mix two tablespoons of baking soda with a gallon of water, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a few drops of Ivory soap, then pour the solution in a spray bottle. Once done, spray every few days to send off harmful insects and prevent them from ever coming back again.

2. Clean garden furniture, birdbaths, and clay pots

The cleansing properties of baking soda make it a great cleaner that is safe even for birds and animals because it does not have any harmful chemicals. All you have to do is sprinkle baking soda on the thing you wish to clean and use a damp cloth to remove debris, grime, and dirt. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, that is why it cleans objects without scratching surfaces. Make sure to use water to rinse, and no harmful residue will be present because it will be absorbed by the clay.

3. Get more beautiful blooms

If you have flowers that thrive in alkaline soil like geraniums, begonias, and hydrangeas, you can make them bloom fantastically using baking soda. All you have to do is dissolve some baking soda in water before watering them down. When it’s time to cut them, extend the lifespan of the cut flowers by putting them in a vase alongside a mixture of water and baking soda.

4. Eliminate slugs

If you have slugs that you wish to terminate, don’t go to the store to buy expensive and harmful chemicals because you can use baking soda instead. All you have to do is sprinkle it on the slugs to kill them (yes! It is that simple). You can deter the slugs by putting a dusting on the soil around the plants, but be sure not to put baking soda directly on your plants because that can burn them.

5. Make your tomatoes sweeter

If you want to sweeten your tomatoes, you have to lower the acidity of the soil, and baking soda can help you do just that. All you have to do is sprinkle some baking soda in the soil so that it can absorb the powder. The baking soda will lower the acidity level of the soil which will give you sweet potatoes in return.