Bicarbonate soda – 250g

Because it has long been known and widely used, the salt has many different names such as baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, and bicarbonate of soda and can often be found near baking powder in stores. The term baking soda is more common in the United States, while bicarbonate of soda is more common in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Abbreviated colloquial forms such as sodium bicarb, bicarb soda, bicarbonate, and bicarb are common.

In cooking, baking soda is primarily used in baking as a leavening agent. When it reacts with acid or is heated, carbon dioxide is released, which causes expansion of the batter and forms the characteristic texture and grain in cakes, quick breads, soda bread, and other baked and fried foods.

In cleaning, a paste made from baking soda with minimal water may be used as a gentle scouring powder. Such a paste can be useful in removing surface rust, as the rust forms a water-soluble compound when in a concentrated alkaline solution. Cold water should be used, as hot-water solutions can corrode steel. Sodium bicarbonate attacks the thin protective oxide layer that forms on aluminium, making it unsuitable for cleaning this metal. A solution in warm water will remove the tarnish from silver when the silver is in contact with a piece of aluminium foil.

Baking soda is commonly added to washing machines as a replacement for water softener and to remove odours from clothes. It is also almost as effective in removing heavy tea and coffee stains from cups as sodium hydroxide, when diluted with warm water.

Always replace lid and store in a cool, dry place.