Following on from last weeks uses for Soda Crystals, here is another great inexpensive product with many uses. Bicarb of soda is about 99p for 200g, and it has lots of different uses. I would literally need to write a book to list them all, so I am going to hit you with my top five.

Top five uses for bicarb of soda.

1. Deodorise your fridge. I do not like bad smells in my house, and my fridge is often the culprit. Here’s the solution, put an open container of bicarb of soda in your fridge and the smells will disappear. I won’t pretend to know how it works, perhaps it’s the soda pixies. Replace it every 2/3 months to keep your fridge smelling fresh.

2. Bathing. Add half a cup of bicarb of soda to your bath and it will leave your skin softer than a baby’s bottom. Also do the same for chickenpox and it will massively relieve the itching for hours. If your baby has nappy rash put 2 tsp’s in their bath and it will relieve and help to clear the rash, brilliant.

3. Insect bites and bee stings. Being bitten is not nice, it itches and stings and bicarb is useful here also. Apply directly to insect bites and make a water and bicarb poultice for bee stings, it really is effective.

4. Sunburn. Ok so it would be much better just not to get burned at all. However I am so fair that sometimes the sun burns me regardless. I make a paste with bicarb of soda and water and spread it on the suncream and it’s bliss.

5. Car windscreens. Now I really don’t know how this works, it must be some very powerful magic or something but it does. If you put bicarb and water on a cloth and wipe the inside and outside of your windscreen it repels the rain, how cool is that!

Anyway you may think I am as barmy as a box of pixies or you may share my love of the magical white stuff, whatever floats your boat. If you are as enthusiastic about bicarb of soda as me then please do comment and share your tips for its many uses. Top tip will win, well, a place in my heart.