Sodium bicarbonate baking soda

The sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda) is used for cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc. It is so effective it can be used almost for everything! It is also an ecological product and above all a product at a very low price. You know it by name, but do you really know how to use it?

What is baking soda?

The sodium bicarbonate has the formula NaHCO 3. It is presented as a white powder. We can find it under different names like sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or sodium hydrogen carbonate in industrial pastries. It is also sometimes called Vichy salt because it is the main mineral in Vichy water.

The benefits of baking soda

• It does not cause allergy

• It is edible (only the food baking soda is)

• It is non-toxic

• It is biodegradable

• It does not contain a preservative

• It is economical

A little history

In ancient times, the Egyptians used natron. Natron is a mineral composed of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate. They obtained the natron from the evaporation of salt lakes and used it to rub the body like soap and to make ointments. Natron was also used to preserve mummies.

1791: Nicolas Leblanc, French chemist, develops for the first time sodium bicarbonate as it exists today.

1846: Dr. Austin Church and his son-in-law John Dwight create, near New York, the company Church and Dwight which exploits the first method of industrial refining of sodium carbonate to obtain sodium bicarbonate from Trona.

1863: Ernest Solvay launches its first carbonate and then sodium bicarbonate manufacturing plant in Belgium, using a new process combining two natural mineral raw materials: geological salt (called rock salt) and calcium carbonate (called chalk or limestone). This process is still the most widely used in the world today, and the only one used in Europe.

How to use baking soda?

You understand bicarbonate is a versatile product and that's what makes it part of its interest. It is still necessary to have an idea of the multiple ways to use it. Baking soda can be used in 5 different ways: powder, paste, solution, spray, and mixed.

Baking soda powder

This is how it looks at first. In this case, it should be "sprinkled", that is to say, pour small quantities, distributing it as evenly as possible. Baking powder is used whenever there has to be a "contact" action:

• To absorb odors (contact between the bicarbonate grains and the ambient air).

• To clean surfaces (it is often necessary to wet the support - sponge or cloth - to allow the baking powder to adhere).

• To fight against allergens on mattresses, rugs, carpets.

• In the case of mixing with other powders: for the preparation of pastries, in mixture with flour for example…

Baking soda paste

A paste is obtained by mixing approximately 3 volumes of bicarbonate and 1 volume of water. This keeps most of the grains present, but they remain linked together by "saturated" water in which a small part of the bicarbonate will have dissolved. It is the ideal form for "applying baking soda":

• On surfaces to be cleaned.

• On the skin (food-grade bicarbonate).

• In fact, in each situation where it will be necessary to adhere the bicarbonate to a surface.

Here is an example of the use of baking soda in several forms: cleaning its silverware without rubbing by diluting to start then in the form of powder or paste by rubbing if necessary later for the finishes.

Baking soda solution

Dissolving baking soda in water is very easy. The warmer the water, and the more “pure” the water, the higher the maximum amount of diluted bicarbonate. In theory, in completely pure water at 20 ° C, you can dilute up to 87 grams of bicarbonate per liter (this is the theoretical solubility limit of bicarbonate). In practice, since our tap water is generally very calcareous, it can no longer be considered as "pure" water properly speaking, and it is generally distributed at a temperature between 10 and 15 ° C, and we can only dissolve forty or fifty grams of bicarbonate per liter (about 3 tablespoons). It is very largely sufficient for almost all uses of bicarbonate in solution:

• In the kitchen (when diluted in milk, when used to clean or cook vegetables, etc.)

• For all cleaning and soaking applications (laundry for example).

• But also for body care when you have to bathe in the bathtub or in a basin.

Baking soda spray

It is enough to dissolve the bicarbonate in the tank of a small sprayer (be careful to make sure that it did not contain any dangerous substance previously). Spraying can be very practical!

Mixed baking soda

The bicarbonate can be combined with vinegar for example (it will then react by "foaming"), with oil, with clays, with liquid soap. The fields of applications then become almost infinite.

The qualities of baking soda

Baking soda comes in three main qualities: technical, food, and pharmaceutical. Even if we find them under the same name of sodium bicarbonate (or baking soda), they have different purity criteria. Technical baking soda should only be used for household use. The food soda is identified with the FCC code. It is the most versatile since it can be used for home maintenance as well as body care, for animals and also in the garden.

Bicarbonate is available in different particle sizes (size of the grains that compose it) a very fine particle size (extra fine bicarbonate) is suitable for body care and for making your own cosmetics and deodorant for example, while a large particle size (large baking soda) will be more practical for rubbing powder on a sponge or brush. There is also an intermediate particle size (fine particle size) which is the most versatile.

Bulk Examples of Baking Soda Uses

• Whiten teeth without scratching the enamel

• Relaxing bath

• Dry shampoo (no poo)

• Deodorant for the whole body

• Deodorize and sanitize baskets and cages

• Clean carpets, rugs and bedding from allergens (mites, molds, etc.)

• Make your glasses and silverware shine

• Clean burnt pots or casseroles

• Remove cooking residue

• Remove bad odors (fridge, oven, cupboard, garage etc.)

• Deodorize sofas, rugs and carpets