Did you know just how many uses there are for bicarbonate of soda? You can use it for just about anything from deodorising your shoes to relieving your heartburn!

• Add quarter of a teaspoon into hot water to relieve heartburn, indigestion or trapped wind.
• Smelly shoes? Simply fill with bicarbonate of soda overnight, empty into the bin in the morning and the smell has gone!
• Rub a small amount onto a tough cut of meat, leave it for 2 hours and it will be much more tender.
• Add 2 tablespoons to your washing up bowl and make cutting through grease much easier.
• Remove stains from delicate china by dipping a wet cloth into bicarb and rubbing the stain gently until it’s gone.
• Clean the microwave, put 2 tablespoons of bicarb in water in a microwave safe container or bowl. Turn the microwave on high for 3 minutes, remove the bowl and wipe the microwave.
• Shine your sinks or surfaces, sprinkle some bicarb in and around the sink and rub gently with a moist cloth.
• Freshen up your carpets by sprinkling them with bicarb, leave for 20-30 minutes then vacuum.
• Remove stains from your carpet, if someone has spilled wine or greasy food on your carpet, mop up as much as you can then cover the stain with bicarb, leave for 2 hours then vacuum it up. The bicarb will absorb the grease.
• Brighten up your wallpaper by moistening a sponge in a solution of 2 tablespoons of bicarb to approximately 1 litre of water, wipe the walls down and you will notice a difference!
• Clean your toilet and cistern by pouring 250g bicarb down into the cistern, leave it overnight and flush 2 or 3 times in the morning.
• Clean your whole mouth by adding 1 teaspoon of bicarb into a half a glass of water, gargle and spit. This also helps to combat bad breath by neutralising odours.
• Apply a small amount of bicarb under each arm; it will act as an anti perspirant.
• Soothe your feet by soaking them in a solution of warm water with 4 tablespoons of bicarb. This also helps to combat foot odour.
• Do you have mildew on your shower curtain? Simply put in the washer with a couple of towels, add 100g bicarb to the detergent.
• Combat slippery paths by sprinkling bicarb on them
• Don’t use harsh chemicals on your garden furniture or your kids’ outdoor toys, simply clean with a wet sponge that has been dipped in bicarb.
• Put a thin layer of bicarb under cat litter to prevent odours, its cheaper, natural and more effective.

Temporarily reduce the look of your pores by applying a paste of bicarb and water to your skin (please, do not do this if you have sensitive or dry skin) Leave for 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly.