by Mary Ellen Pinkham, Everyday Problem Solver (see more from this expert)

You probably have a box of baking soda deodorizing your fridge, but it has lots of other uses that solve a variety of common problems.

  1. Make a quick substitute for spackle.To fill in a small hole, mix a bit of baking soda and a bit of white glue until you have a paste, then use your fingers to ply the paste to fill in the hole.
  2. Stop pool chlorine's turning your blond hair green. When you leave the pool, rinse with 1/2 cup baking soda stirred into lemon juice. Wet hair, then pour the mixture on top while it's still bubbling.
  3. Clean chrome. Rub chrome with dry baking soda and a dry cloth.
  4. Extinguish fires on the barbecue grill. You can douse a flare-up by sprinkling baking soda on it; and since baking soda is of food-grade purity, you won't contaminate the food.
  5. Remove the odor of a spraying cat. Make a paste of baking soda and water, cover area, leave for at least three hours but preferably overnight, then vacuum when powder has dried.
  6. Relieve pain of sunburn. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to soothe and cool the area.
  7. Clean (plastic) piano keys. Baking soda is a gentle abrasive.
  8. Remove scuffs from vinyl flooring. A little baking soda on a damp sponge will make them disappear right away.
  9. Remove the sour milk smell from baby's plastic bottle. Fill it with warm water, add a teaspoon of baking soda, shake it well and leave it overnight.
  10. Polish the silver without elbow grease. Fill a non-aluminum pan with hot water, place a small square of aluminum foil (5 inches or so) in pan, add baking soda (1 teaspoon per quart) and bring to a boil. Drop silver in briefly and remove with tongs. Wash with soapy water and rinse and buff to a gloss. (Not recommended for figured pieces: it will remove shading, so fine silver may look like plate.)



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