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If you’ve ever baked a cake, cupcakes or even muffins, chances are you’ve got a container of sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, in your pantry. For the most part it stays hidden in the pantry, waiting for the next time you break out the baking equipment.
Rather than saving it for special baking occasions, consider some new baking soda uses around your house. It’s one of those versatile ingredients that can replace numerous other products, so you can save your hard-earned cash for what really matters. Honestly, after reading this, you will never have too much baking soda at home.
For cleaning and health, baking soda can be your best friend. It’s hard working, safe, good for the environment, and cheap. A five-pound bag of baking soda is less than $4 and as you will see, can save you a ton of money.
What Is Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)?
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, also called bicarbonate of soda. It is a salt that occurs naturally in a mineral called nahcolite. Often baking soda and baking powder are thought to be interchangeable in baking, but they are not. Baking powder has cream of tartar in it , so it is more acidic. You really can’t use baking powder for cleaning or health purposes. The acid in baking powder would throw the formulas off.
Baking soda reacts with an acid (like vinegar) and the chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide. Think of fifth grade volcano experiments. That same bubbling reaction is helpful in cleaning and acts as a leavening agent in baking. Don’t confuse it with soda ash , which is sodium carbonate.
There is no expiration date on baking soda containers because it generally doesn’t go bad even after it’s opened. However, it starts to lose some of its leavening powers after it’s been open for six months. This means baked goods won’t rise as much though it won’t affect the taste.
30 Uses for Baking Soda Beyond Baking
From brushing teeth to treating diaper rash, this miracle product is…
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