(ModernSurvival.org) – Sodium bicarbonate, better known as baking soda, is an item commonly found in most households. For most people, baking soda is used for exactly that — baking. For others, baking soda was a key component in a messy school science project. What most people don’t know is that baking soda has a variety of uses in a survival situation, and they don’t involve making a volcano.

In the following video, SensiblePrepper shares 15 ways baking soda is useful in a survival situation.

1. Soothing skin irritation. Mixing baking soda with a little bit of water will create a paste that can be applied directly to irritated skin for relief.
2. Exfoliating. Baking soda is coarse, making it great for exfoliating dead skin.
3. Extinguishing fires. Baking soda is known to be a good fire extinguisher, as it removes oxygen from the air when placed on an open flame.
4. Cleaning. Again, the coarse nature of baking soda comes into play, as it can be used to scrub pots and pans.
5. Reducing acids. Small amounts of baking soda added to coffee can reduce acidity, making it easier on the stomach (especially for those who suffer from acid reflux).
6. Antacid. Mixing a small amount of baking soda with water can create an antacid when traditional medicines aren’t available.
7. Removing splinters. Soaking a splinter in a water and baking soda mixture will eventually draw the splinter out of the skin.
8. Oral hygiene. Baking soda is an additive in many brands of toothpaste but works by itself as well.
9. Controlling odors. Many people store open boxes of baking soda inside their refrigerators to control odors. Placing the powder in areas that tend to develop an unpleasant aroma, such as the armpits, can eliminate body odor. The same method of applying powder will work for stinky boots and shoes, as well.
10.  Cleaning car batteries. When the connector cables to the car battery begin to corrode, baking soda will remove the corrosion.

Items such as baking soda that can extend beyond their intended purposes are excellent additions to any prepper’s stockpile. Such products increase the overall redundancy of the prep so that if one item runs out or becomes compromised, another item can take its place.

To see another item that has an astounding number of uses, check out our article here.

~Here’s to Your Survival!

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