Baking Soda: My Money-Saving Secret Weapon

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Baking Soda: My Money-Saving Secret Weapon

Even with a coupon and a great sale some products still cost more than I am willing to pay. My remedy: find affordable solutions for as many products as possible and splurge on the rest. One of my money-saving secret weapons is baking soda. At around $0.68 a box, with countless uses around the home, I can save a bundle and skip buying many products that are out of my budget. When you combine a great sale or coupon with the bargain power of baking soda, the savings are even better.

Baking Soda in the Kitchen

1. Natural Cleaner - Forget spending extra for those non-toxic cleaners. I just pour a little baking soda onto a surface and scrub using a wet rag or sponge. For a lemony fresh scent, squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto the powder and watch it foam. A few tablespoons dissolved in a bucket of water works great for cleaning floors. Baking soda works great on most surfaces, even those that scratch easily.
2. Remove Stubborn Smells from Hands - You don't have to smell like garlic or fish for days after making your favorite meal. Pour a little baking soda over wet hands and scrub. Rinse with cool water.
3. Refresh Sponges - I hate using old, smelly sponges. I soak my sponges in a solution of baking soda and water and then run them through the dishwasher. This helps me use sponges longer and get a better value for my money. You can also sanitize old sponges in the microwave.
4. Clean Fruits and Veggies - Don't pay extra for a fruit and vegetable cleaning rinse. Make your own! Fill your sink with cool water and add a couple tablespoons baking soda. Let your fruits and veggies soak in the solution for about 10 minutes and then gently clean them with a fruit and veggie brush

Baking Soda in the Laundry Room

1. Laundry Booster - Brighten those colors, whiten those whites and get the stink out of gross laundry by adding a ½ cup baking soda in with your usual detergent. Baking soda can also be used to make your own laundry detergent. Check out this past post of KCL: Save Hundreds on Laundry with this Do-it-Yourself Detergent.
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