Almost every pantry in the American households has stocks of baking powder. Of course, most of the people use it for baking purposes. Other than baking, there are many other novel and non-obvious uses of the baking powder. In this article, I have mentioned my tried and tested non-obvious uses of the baking powder.
Use baking powder as a deodorizer for rugs and fabrics
Do not worry if any of your carpets smell odd and stale. Vacuum clean the carpet. Sprinkle baking powder on it. Let it sit overnight. Then vacuum clean the carpet again. Your carpet will become odorless. This is an excellent use of baking powder to remove the smell of pets’ wastes and other spills from the carpets. The baking powder is safe to use on all the fabrics. The car seat covers and caret can be deodorized in the same way.
The baking powder can also be used to deodorize clothes. Sprinkle baking powder on the cloth to be deodorized. Leave for a couple of hours. Then take the cloth outside and shake it vigorously to get rid of all the baking powder. Afterwards toss the cloth in the washer immediately.
Use baking powder as a cleaner for steel and ceramics
This is one of the most common uses of the baking powder. The baking powder has tremendous cleaning powers. It can be used to clean various surfaces. However, the best places to clean and shine with the baking powder are the stainless steel sink and the ceramic tiles and fixtures.
To make the cleaner, make a paste of water and baking powder. Let it sit on the dirty surfaces for at least fifteen minutes. Scrub with a sponge. Rinse with clean water. Repeat if the place is too dirty. If you need to use a very powerful cleaner, use vinegar instead of water to make the paste.
Use baking powder as an odor absorber for refrigerators
It is common for the refrigerators to develop strange odors over time. This should not be an issue if you have baking powder at home. Yes, this is another unexpected use of the baking powder. Throw away the stale and expired items from the refrigerator. Now put baking powder in a small container and keep it in your refrigerator uncovered. It will absorb all the smells. Do not forget to replace the baking powder after every 15 days.
Use baking powder as a clarifier for scalp and hair
It might be surprising for you but the baking powder can be used to have shiny hair that is full of life. The hair and scalp develop product build-up over time, which can be a reason of dull and lifeless hair. It can be helped by using a clarifying shampoo once in a week. However, a cheaper alternative is to use the baking powder on the hair and scalp. Make a loose paste of the baking powder in water and apply it on wet scalp and hair. Rinse with water after a minute or two. Shampoo as usual. This will remove the product buildup from the scalp and the hair. The process can be repeated once every month.
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