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The thing is, it can (and should) be used for so much more than baking.

Baking soda sodium bicarbonate in glass bowl

Julia_Sudnitskaya / Getty Images

“you’ve got the option to see the grout becoming white immediately,” she adds.

Anywhere there’s grout or tiling, baking soda can come in handy.

However, most experts don’t suggest using baking soda on marble as it can actually be too abrasive.

Use it to polish silverware.

Combine a tablespoon of baking soda and a cup of boiling water.

Let your silver soak in this for about a minute, then wipe it dry.

They’ll be shiny as new!

Just skip this for your antique silver, since it might be too abrasive for that.

That also means it’s a great addition to homemade laundry detergents.

Since it can help remove stains and odors, baking soda works well in DIY laundry detergents.

Make a bunch, pack it up, and give them as gifts.

Get a simple homemade detergent with baking soda recipehere.

And an excellent oven cleaner, too.

Cleaning bloggers love to use baking soda to wipe down their ovens.

Find out how to use it for the taskhere.

It can deodorize your fridge.

After having it in your fridge for just an hour it will already smell better.

And your litter box!

It can make soil more plant-friendly.

To know if your soil is too acidic, Avelar says you should look at your plant.

If its leaves are beginning to change color, that could mean your soil is in trouble.

(In general, use about 1 teaspoon of baking soda per plant.)

And keep your plants from getting sick.

In some cases, you may also notice a plant has developed very dark spots that almost look black.

Avelar adds that this can also help keep aphids (insects that feed on plant sap) away.

10. you’re free to also turn it into homemade toothpaste.

Or use it as a quickie breath freshener.

Since baking soda absorbs bad odors, it makes a great quickie, homemade breath freshener.

Just mix about a teaspoon with a half of a glass of warm water.

Then swish it around like mouthwash and spit it out.