The science and art of being prepared for any scenario or circumstance has many aspects, but one of the most understated is versatility. Being able to improvise and provide a range of possible solution with the use of a minimal amount of material is the backbone of many survival and preparedness approaches. The reason for this is easy to understand – while the everyday life is abundant in many things people need or want, the same state can quickly change in unforeseen circumstances. The same can happen for an individual, but also to a whole country or even the entire planet.
There are numerous scenarios that can lead to a situation where every resource can become scarce and proper knowledge of survival can make a difference between life and death. In times like this, using things to their maximal potential is essential for anyone with a prepper mentality. Yet, among all of the things that can and should be used in a case of emergency, there are some things that border on being outside of this world when it comes to their benefits and uses.
Baking soda is one of such resources and the number of its applications in regular life and an emergency is truly amazing. As a substance, it has been around for ages and can still be easily found today, costing next to nothing. Yet, its practical value is mind-blowing, especially in those cases where the everyday reality suddenly changes for something much more menacing. Here is the detailed overview of the same substance, as well as the ultimate list of its uses every prepper should know about.
Baking Soda Structure and Composition
Names for baking soda include sodium bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda, but its basic purpose is always the same – the substance acts as a regulator of pH levels. This, in turn, represents the power of Hydrogen and ever since its discovery in the start of the 20th century, it has appeared on a scale starting with zero and going to 14. On that scale, anything having a pH number of zero to six is considered acidic, while anything ranging from eight to 14 is considered alkaline or basic. The value of pH seven has a status of being neutral. This might sound abstract, but everything has its pH level, from the drinking water to the foods a person might eat.
This makes the pH measurement integral to everything from medicine and biology, all the way to chemical and civil engineering. Baking soda is a regulator of the power of Hydrogen and this means that it neutralizes both alkaline and acidic pH levels. While its everyday name is connected to its culinary applications and uses it offers for cooks, it has the power to impact a whole lot more than just that. It is a natural product that is completely safe, but this does not stop it from being very effective in an almost unimaginable number of ways. This was recognized decades ago and for some time, baking soda was even known as the miracle product.
Today, there are many other chemical substances that are used for particular purposes and baking soda is not as omnipresent as it was in the first half of the 20th century. But, it still holds immense value for anyone who is a dedicated prepper. With its presence in any survival situation, especially the long-term ones which take place over weeks and months, any individual or a group will stand a much better chance of not just surviving the scenario but also thriving in it.
1. Extinguish Small Fires
Baking soda is an effective tool for putting out fires and it is even used in class C fire extinguishers. The power of the substance comes from the fact that once it is heated, the baking soda becomes a substance called sodium carbonate. This is important because the same carbon dioxide it produces takes away the oxygen from the fire, which is needed for it to keep burning. By being heavier than the air, the same gas will also fall down to the lowest parts of the fire, making sure it does not continue burning over the extinguished surface. For preppers, it is very simple to make baking soda balls made out of rubber balloons which can be used as an instant extinguisher in a case of fire – they just need to be thrown inside of it.
2. Treat Irritation from Bug Bites
The substance should not be placed on the skin every day and for no reach, because it impacts its natural pH levels. But, for insect bites, it can be a good improvised solution. It is able to soothe itching, redness and stinging that come after a bug bite and even many industrially-made creams contain some amount of baking soda. The easiest way to use it is to mix one part baking soda with three-part water and create a paste. This paste should be applied to the bitten area and left there for 10 minutes. After that, the paste should be removed and the area gently washed with water.
3. Relieve Jellyfish Sting
Jellyfish are a big nuisance in the sea. They come by stealth and can produce very irritating injuries, sometimes so painful that the person cannot function, even though they are not long-lasting or usually really dangerous. Baking soda can deal with that irritation. To get rid of jellyfish sting pain and discomfort, baking soda should be mixed with vinegar. This will make a solution that will nullify the poison of the jellyfish once applied on the affected skin.
4. Treat indigestion and heartburn
Both digestion and their aftereffect of heartburn are produced by an influx of stomach acid back into the esophagus. The acid levels rise because of an issue in the stomach and the body tries to get rid of the same acid by disposing of it orally. This is very unpleasant and thanks to baking soda, there is a way to achieve the same results without throwing up. Ingesting a small amount of baking soda dissolved in water will allow it to quickly regulate the high acidic levels (low on the pH scale) and allow the pain and discomfort to be taken back and eventually completely resolved.
5. Treat Sunburns
The substance can also help with sunburns, which are nothing more than skin inflammation caused by the heat of the sun’s rays. However, it should be used in really small amounts. The best way is to toss around a small handful of baking soda into a bathtub of cool water. A person should then get in and spend about 20 minutes soaking in it, after which they should rinse out all of the same water. This will reduce the itching and speed up the healing process.
6. Ulcer Pain
Like the instances of heartburn, an ulcer is able to impact the acidic levels in a stomach and then produce pain as a result of being an open wound. The presence of baking soda will lower the acidic levels and thus reduce the discomfort from the ulcer.
7. Get Rid of a Stuffy Nose
Baking soda is an integral part of a DIY nose rinsing solution. Along with sea salt crystals, it is used to create a solution that will be used to rinse out the nose and sinuses and this way reduce its inflammation. The inflammation is the reason why a stuffy nose is obstructing a person’s breathing and this solution can resolve it.
8. Remove Splinters
Baking soda can help remove a splinter by swelling the skin. A part of the body with the splinter should be covered with a bandage soaked in baking soda and water. Over a 24-hour period, it should allow the splinter to appear protruding out of the skin where it can then be removed with tweezers.
9. Natural Deodorant
A small amount of baking soda should be combined with water and then put under the armpits. There, it will kill any foul-smelling bacteria but it will not dry out the skin as many aluminum-based industrial deodorants.
10. Clean Your Teeth
The baking soda powder is abrasive enough to be used to clean teeth in a safe manner. A small amount should be placed on a toothbrush and used regularly before the baking soda is cleaned out using water.
11. Clean your Grill or Oven
Baking soda is also a great degreaser agent, being that it impacts alkaloids as much as acids. Using baking soda powder is a great way to go about this.
12. Make Soap
Baking soda can be added to lye water and then to the soap batter to make a fizzy bath effect. It is not only fun but produces a better level of cleaning.
13. Hand Washing Dishes, Pots, and Pans
Similar to cleaning oven and grills, baking soda is useful for hand washing of dishes. This will allow anyone to use a mixture of baking soda and water to wash anything greasy.
14. Resolve Acne
Like other solutions that are used for acne, baking soda and water will reduce inflammation. This will, in turn, resolve the acne faster and with less scarring.
15. Polish Silver Bartering Coins
Even in situations like polishing coins made out of silver, baking soda can help out. Here its abrasive trait and chemical composition will be able to take down the patina that builds up on top of the silver coins.
16. Clean your Car Battery Terminals
The corrosion that build up on a battery terminals can be eliminated using baking soda. This is achieved by mixing three tablespoons of baking soda with a single tablespoon of hot water. The solution should then be scrubbed across the terminals with an old toothbrush or anything similar. After this is completed, the terminals should be cleaned using a wet towel, followed by drying using another towel. With this, the battery will be ready.
17. Clean Fruits and Vegetables
Cleaning vegetables and fruits only demands a couple of tablespoons of baking soda and a bowl of cool water. All produce should be placed there and left in for about 10 minutes, with some occasional scrubbing with a gentle brush. The rinse produce will be completely clean after that.
18. Remove Weeds from the Cracks in your Driveways
Leaving baking soda on plants for a prolonged period will gradually make them dry out. To do this, you should only apply a baking soda and water solution for a couple of days on any weeds in the cracks. The results will be clear right after that.
With all of these applications for baking soda, its status as a miracle product is pretty clear. For any prepper, having access to a store of baking soda should be one of their top priorities, no matter what scenario they might be preparing for.
