My friends have a really neat set of pages called "101 Uses for..." and *every* time I read the newest list, I have found an ingenious use of an item that I had yet to utilize.

Here is my first 101 Uses page In Progress. Baking Soda. It's a Wonderful thing.

1. Use Baking Soda on you toothbrush occasionally to whiten & brighten your smile, scrape away plaque, and as an emergency alternative if your significant other already squeezed the last of the toothpaste out of the tube that morning.

2. When washing your hair, forego the traditional Shampoo & Conditioner and lather baking soda into your scalp & hair instead. Some people don't like the gritty feel in their scalp; but if it doesn't bother you, keep lathering; it rinses smooooth. Some people add Apple Cider Vinegar as a final rinse, others don't.

3. Offering free-choice Baking Soda to ruminant animals like goats, cows, sheep, etc to prevent bloat is a common practice on farms. It's safe and the animals crave it when they need it.

4. When you get a bee, hornet, wasp, mosquito bite, or scorpion sting Good 'ol Baking Soda can be made into a paste and applied. Messy? Heck yes. But we keep a 50lb bag of it in the shed next to our rain barrels to make emergency pastes in the summer for those very reasons. Works on the dogs and horses too, poor things. Don't forget to use an Antihistamine as soon as you can get to it.

5. Some people swear by baking soda paste for small (not serious) burns. (We prefer Dynamint in most cases)

6. Have heartburn? The old remedy before the bottled heartburn tablets was to ingest baking soda paste.

7. Don't forget to add Baking Soda to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!

8. Cut down on Odd Fridge Odors by opening up a small box of baking soda and leaving it on a shelf.

9. Freshen up a musty smelling book by laying it in a tub of baking soda for a few days.

10. Dirty feet that need a good cleaning? The graininess of the soda will help scrub out the grime and when mixed with warm water it leaves a really smooth feeling to the skin.

11. Rinse your face well with warm water. Make a soda paste and apply it to your face, then rinse with warm water. Ta da! Facial Scrub!

12. My grandma said that fur coats occasionally need baking soda sprinkled into the pelt, left set for 3 days, then brushed out to keep them properly cared for.

13... hmm, my friends are so good at this! =D