Bicarbonate of soda is so useful!
Baking soda (as us Yanks call it) or bicarb is one of the most useful things to have around the house, second only to vinegar. If your tummy is upset, dissolve a tablespoon in water and drink it to help settle your stomach. Keep a small container of it without a lid in your fridge and it absorbs and deodorises food smells (be sure to change it every few months to keep it freshening). Use it instead of commercial products that are full of chemicals. Sprinkle onto carpet, let it sit a while, then vacuum to absorb stale smells and pet odours. Mix it with a little lemon juice to get stainless steel sinks spotless. Pour some down a clogged drain and top off with a cup of vinegar to let the ‘explosive’ action help clear the clog.
From United States in the 1980s
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mikocoffey says:
21 January | 15:44
forgot to say that my mother used it to treat cystitis, too!
Serena says:
21 January | 15:57
I have heard this one before it is very interesting
ArkAngel says:
22 January | 16:39
When I was in Ireland (West Cork) my children caught chicken pox on the first day of the holidays. Local wisdom pointed us in the direction of baking soda. We bought up the whole of the town of Schull's supply of the said magic powder. It reduces itchiness and is applied by bunging said children into a bath laced with copious quantities of the White Stuff.
CavMamma says:
31 January | 13:11
ArkAngel, I have also used Bicarb for chicken pox covered children and it's quite possibly the best thing there is. It dries up the spots and helps to alleviate the horrible itching. It's also good if they have a nasty chicken pox spot that just won't heal. Just mix some to a paste with water and dab it directly onto the spot. A couple of hours later it should have gone down to nothing. Incidentally, it was an old Irish GP, long since retired who told me of its worthiness. He was a minefield of natural cures and homemade lotions and potions - all of the ones I tried worked better than conventional medicine!