I was wondering where baking soda came from this morning.  Do you happen to know?  Turns out it has nothing to do with Coca Cola or Sprite, AND is not just only used for baking!

So I did some research this morning and it seems that we are making baking soda right here in the good ‘ole US of A, yielding directly from the Buffalo state of Wyoming (also the first state that allowed women to vote in case you were wondering)!  Wyoming is known for having a big population of American bison. Depending on who you talk with, the word “Wyoming” in Delaware Indian language means either “large plains” or “mountains and valleys alternating;” in Munsee language “at the big river flat;” or in Algonquin “a large prairie place,” see this and more about Wyoming here!

Anyhow back to baking soda, basically per Google it is mined from the Green River from trona ore which is a mineral.   The trona ore is baked until it becomes soda ash, where from there is treated with carbon dioxide.  From there yields baking soda!  So odd, right?  I never knew and have been using baking soda for over 30 years!  How weird!

That being said I have used baking soda in a variety of different ways other than baking that I wanted to share to help keep you and your family at your best health!  See my list below!

1. A Cleaning Scrub

More lately I have been concerned with the ammonia and bleach based products that I used to use when cleaning my kitchen, bathroom and shower.  I have younger children and want to be sure that they are not exposed to any poisons at all to not have an effect on their skin, body and overall health.  Let them get to that in college!  In the meantime, more recently I have been using baking soda to clean my bathtub.  With 4 people in my family, we have a lot of in and out of the shower and bath and by the end of the week it gets dirty fast.  I likely wet the bath tub by turning the shower on for a few seconds, the wait another few seconds and sprinkle some in the bathtub.  I then use the Magic Eraser scrubbing sponges that disintegrate as you use it.  I really have seen a big difference in the tub as it gets it very clean, and white – making it shine for the week ahead!

2. A Facial Scrub

I heard the best thing to do in your 30’s for your skin is exfoliate!  I get that as I see that my skin is thicker than it was in my 20’s, so I want to be sure I literally put my best face forward.  Along with the Burt’s Bees Skin Nourishment Gentle Foam Cleanser that I use on a daily basis, I once or twice a week mix in some baking soda with it which helps as an exfoliate and really brightens it up!  I also suffered with acne when I was younger, so some of the scars still remain.  This helps as a mild abrasive agent to help make the scarring not appear as bad too.  Also much cheaper than a professional microdermabrasion session!

3. As an Anti-acid for stomach pain or indigestion

We love spicy fried foods here!  There I admitted it!  Problem is that a few hours later I typically feel a little crumby with a stomach ache.  When you look at the ingredients in Alka Seltzer or other brands you will see that baking soda is actually one of the main ingredients!  You can put a half a teaspoon in some warm water, mix it up, then VOILA, a nice soothing drink to settle your stomach and help with the sometimes painful indigestion we can get from spicy or fried foods.

4.  As a Wall Cleaner

Guys, my kids found the Sharpie and friggin’ drew all over the walls in a minutes time while I was on the phone the other day!  What a bummer!  Good news is that they are white walls so I was able to surprisingly get it all off with the Magic Eraser Sponges and the baking soda I originally am talking about here!  We were really able to get a nice handle on the drawings and although not perfect, still looks way better than it did before and we can have guests over again!

5. As a Teeth Whitener

When I found this little diddy out I was so happy!  I used to spend a ton of money on the Crest Whitening Strips at the store, and found out that by placing some baking soda on your finger and letting it sit on your teeth overnight gets your teeth nice bright and white again!  Give it a try, you will really like it!

6.  A Silver Polisher

If you guys have a ton of old silver in the house, chances are they have been sitting in a hidden place for sometime, getting minimal love!  Merp!  Time to use baking soda to polish it up as a ‘I am really bored’ weekend project.

7.  A Carpet Cleaner

Another bummer is that my children love eating Nutella by the spoonful!  Issue is that sometimes it will fall on the white carpet, which it is such a bummer!   Great news is that a mixture of baking soda, salt and warm water, along with a little elbow grease goes a really long way!  It is a great way to keep your carpet bright in between cleanings, and we typically get them cleaned once or twice a year depending on how dirty they get!  After the mixture dries, you can vacuum over it and you should see a much whiter carpet!

8. A Bug Bite and 9. Sunburn Remedy

There are so many weird bug bites and sun burns that I remember getting when being younger.  One time I even stepped on a bee!  Ouch!  Good news is that baking soda can be applied directly to a bug bit or in a warm bath as a sunburn remedy when you forget to put on that SPF 50 sunscreen!

10. A Baking must-have

SO MANY ways to use baking soda, now that you are done cleaning your house and face, time to use baking soda for your weekend Chocolate Chip Cookies!   Recipe here, and enjoy!