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Somebody posted on the Frugal Living Forum that he used baking soda as a personal deodorant, by making a paste with it. At first I thought -ugh! ...and would it work? I decided to try it.....one of these days. But until then, here's a list of the varied uses of baking powder

It's not complete by any means, so if you know of more uses and would like to share, e-mail us

14 Uses for Baking soda

1. Toothpaste - its a mildly abrasive tooth cleaner and mouthwash in one. ('Dentist approved')

2. Pot scrubber - make it into a paste and scrub stainless steel, iron or copper pots and bottoms with it.
3. Clean porcelain sinks and tubs.
4. The old one - put an opened box in the refrigerator to absorb odors.
5. Use instead of powder in your shoes to absorb moisture and odors
6. Neutralize battery acid quickly in case of spills.
7. Use gently as an exfoliating facial scrub.
8. Soothe bee stings, and other insect bites by spreading a paste of baking soda and vinegar on it.
9. Use in bath water to relieve irritated skin. (Good for baby, too)
10. Anti-acid, mix 1/2 teaspoon in about 4 ounces of water, and drink all at one time. It will cause you to 'burp', as it neutralizes stomach acid the same way it does other acids.
11. Use in diaper pails to keep them fresh.
12. Also use in garbage cans, and wherever odor is a problem.
13. Test your garden soil for acidity by mixing one cup soil with two cups water, then stirring in 1/4 cup of baking soda. If you have a volcano erupting in your container, your soil is very acid. If you just have a little fizz around the edges, you have a minimally acidic soil.
14. Carpet deodorizer - sprinkle on carpet, and leave overnight, then vacuum it up in the morning. Offending odors will be gone.

12 Ways to Use Cider vinegar

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 One of the most trusted and possibly misunderstood remedies of all times. Vinegar has health benefits, it's a neutralizer, a cleaner, and a medicine, among other things. It's used in many different ways and here are just some of them:

1. Used as a hair rinse, vinegar neutralizes the alkali left by shampoos.

2. A quarter cup in a quart of water makes a good window cleaner.
3. Fabric softener and static cling reducer - use as you would liquid fabric softener.
4. Air freshener, used with baking soda - use 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 cups of water. After it stops foaming, mix well, and use in a (recycled) spray bottle into the air.
5. Chewing gum dissolver - saturate the area with vinegar. If the vinegar is heated, it will work faster.
6. Stain remover - for stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak clothing in full strength vinegar.
7. Corn and callus remover - soak a piece of stale bread (a cloth would probably do as well) in vinegar, and tape it over the callus or corn overnight.
8. Age spot fader - Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar and use it daily on age spots. This will take a few weeks to work, just like it's expensive relative from the store.
9. Kill grass or weeds by pouring hot vinegar on it. This might take a couple of times to work completely.
10. If you have a septic tank, use vinegar instead of harsh chemicals to clean the toilet bowl. Let it set overnight if you can; it will help keep germs down.
11. Spray your hands with a mist of vinegar, or dip them in vinegar and dry after washing dishes or having them in soapy water to keep your hands soft.
12. It's an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you've added a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.