Why Is Baking Soda Such a Good Cleaner? — Cleaning with Baking Soda

Baking soda, a mainstay of many baking recipes, has colonized territory way beyond the baking rack. It can be found lurking in the backs of refrigerators, in cleaning kits tucked beneath the sink, and in the list of ingredients for natural deodorants and toothpastes. And while Arm & Hammer is largely responsible for making baking soda the household staple it is today, we've been using baking soda for millennia: Back in 3500 BCE, the Ancient Egyptians used it as a cleaning agent and to dry out bodies for the process of mummification.

So, what makes baking soda so special that we can eat it but also use it to fight rust and tarnish? The answer lies in its unique chemical properties.

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