Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate.It is alkaline, which means it has a pH above the neutral 7 and reacts with acidic ingredients. Think about the old baking soda-and-vinegar school experiment.

Baking soda’s pH value also makes it an effective deodoriser. Some unpleasant smells on clothes or plastic containers are produced by acids, which are solutions with low pH levels.

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Before you drink baking soda water to improve fitness or lower disease risk, experts want you to know where the research stands and what the risks are. CNN values your feedback 1.

If you’re out of baking powder, Corriher recommends mixing a batch of 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch.

The vinegar and baking soda are reacting with each other, not with your dirty surface, which is why this combination is usually no better at cleaning than water. Here's what to use instead.