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Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is one of the most versatile kitchen ingredients around. While most people use it as a leavening agent in baking, baking soda can also be used in the kitchen for surprising cooking uses, as well as for cleaning. Depending on what it’s combined with, the basic structure of baking soda (remember acids and bases in chemistry class?) can help break down foods or cut through built-up grease.
If you have a dirty oven, sheet pan or even a smelly refrigerator, baking soda can be used to clean all of these. And if you’re looking to use up that box of baking soda while you cook, you might be surprised to learn that dishes like beans and bagels can benefit from baking soda. Here are eight tried-and-true cooking and cleaning hacks using baking soda.
5 Ways to Use Baking Soda to Clean
Baking Sheets
Drain
You might not automatically think of using baking soda to clean drains, but a combination of baking soda and vinegar is often effective. The chemical reaction between the acid and base cuts through any built-up grease and soap that has accumulated in the pipes. Make sure to flush hot water through the drain after pouring down the baking soda and vinegar combination. Check outthis videofor an easy tutorial. (And learnhow to use baking soda to clean the rest of your sink.)
Oven
Refrigerator
Baking soda can work in two ways in your refrigerator. First, tocombat any food odors, it’s recommended to stick a box of baking soda on your refrigerator shelf, where it will absorb any unwanted odors. I prefer to use refrigerator packs that stick on the wall of my fridge instead of an open box that could easily be knocked over. Put one in your freezer too to help keep your ice cubes tasting fresh as well.
Second, baking soda can be used to clean the interior of your refrigerator. According to theAmerican Cleaning Institute, a combination of baking soda and water is a great cleaning solution for the easily scratched interior surfaces of a refrigerator or freezer.
Stovetop
3 Ways to Use Baking Soda to Cook
Bagels
If you’re looking for a fun project, making bagels is a great option. And the key to achieving that chewy, NYC-style bagel (the best style, in my opinion) is to boil your bagels. Boiling your bagels in a mixture of water and baking soda willcreate a basic environmentthat will help your bagels brown. Check out thisrecipe for boiled bagelsfrom our sister site MyRecipes.
Beans
Adding a little bit of baking soda when cooking dried beans is great for a number of reasons. First, it can help make you less gassy. Second, it will make your beans cook faster because the natural sodium ions of baking soda help soften the structure of the beans. And, finally, it can improve the texture of beans when you soak them overnight in a mixture of baking soda and water. GetMichael Solomonov’s recipe for creamy hummus.
Potatoes
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