Have you ever bought many beauty or household products only to find out later that they all do the same thing?

I have a confession to make. I’m a recovering product hoarder. Yup, I said it with one exception. I still love trying new products, but finding multiple uses is now the name of the game for me to reduce clutter.

Finding new uses for a product is a way of convincing my psyche that I’m clever and innovative.

All jokes aside, if you’re a Dr. Bronners fan, you’re all too familiar with the 18-in-1 uses listed on every one of their bottles. Pure genius, indeed.

My favorite household product, baking soda, has over 50 uses.

In this post, I will share four ways to use baking soda powder and how it is a game-changer in reducing waste and cost.

4 Ways to Use Baking Soda

Kitchen and Room Deodorizer

Baking soda isn’t just for neutralizing food odors in your refrigerator; it can also be used to make a simple room deodorizer.

Using a jelly-size mason jar, fill it up 50% and add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil.

Cover with a decorative lid or cut off some cheesecloth, and secure with a rubber band.

Set baking soda in your bathroom, bedroom, or cup holder in your car to absorb odors. Replace the baking soda every three months. What do you do with the used baking soda?

1. Unclog a Kitchen Sink

Watch this kitchen drain hack before reaching for Drano to unclog your sink.

Not only does baking soda powder deodorize drain, but the combination of white distilled vinegar unclogs your sink in less than 15 minutes.

Add your favorite essential oil like lavender, peppermint, or germ fighter to mask the vinegar smell.

2. DIY Mouse Trap

For less than $1, you can get rid of those pesky mice in the kitchen walls naturally without using a mousetrap or chemical pellets.

Mix one tablespoon of all-purpose flour and baking soda in a tray (old jar lids work wonders) and set in suspected areas where mice roam around your house.

The combination of all-purpose flour and baking soda makes it difficult for rats to ingest, and well, they no longer become an issue. Watch this video tutorial by Herb Halling on how to get rid of rats and mice in your home for less than $1.

Within a few days of trying this hack and placing a couple of old lids around the house (laundry room, kitchen, and garage), I no longer heard or saw any more uninvited guests.

There were also no bodies to be found. Either this is a good deterrent, or upon eating the mixture, the pests left the way they came and found a grassy place to sleep.

3. Fizzing Toilet Powder

What if I told you you never had to scrub your toilet as often or again?

You’re probably shaking your head with disbelief.

I thought the same until I found a fizzy peppermint toilet powder recipe.

I scrub less, and my toilet has never smelled better. I have since moved on to making homemade soft scrubs and housecleaning wipes, repurposing an old cotton T-shirt that almost made it to the landfill.

For more cleaning product recipes and instructions on making a homemade soft scrub with just four ingredients, check out my two-part post, 5 GIY Cleaning Product Secrets.

4. Baking Soda Scrub

Another use for baking soda you may not be aware of is getting rid of dirt and grime under your nails and hands.

Instead of using a nail block to buff your nails while giving yourself a manicure, put half a teaspoon of baking soda in your hand and 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil or carrier oil (olive oil, almond oil, walnut oil) and mix the two ingredients.

Rub the mixture on your nails and cuticles. Before washing off, rub your hands together. You will be left with soft hands, shiny nails, and healthy cuticles.

This exfoliating trick is excellent for working out in the garden or on vehicles.

Don’t stop with your hands. The mixture is excellent for at-home pedicures to keep toenails healthy.

After exfoliating, add a couple of drops of tea tree to a cotton swab and apply to your toes.

Tea tree is an effective topical antiseptic and antifungal treatment for toenail fungus and athlete’s foot.

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