Baking soda is one of the most versatile products in the kitchen—but social media has taken its uses much further, with viral posts showing people eating it, rubbing it on their skin, putting it on rashes, and using it as a substitute for grooming products.
Some uses are practical. Others are better left off your skin.
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a mild alkaline powder commonly used for cooking, odor absorption, and household cleaning. It can also appear in some commercial deodorants and personal-care products, but that doesn’t mean straight baking soda is appropriate for every part of the body. Dermatologists note that baking-soda-containing deodorants can irritate sensitive skin. Académie Américaine de Dermatologie
Here are 8 useful ways to use it safely.
1. 👟 Freshen Smelly Shoes
One of the simplest uses is helping control odors inside shoes.
How to do it:
Make sure the shoes are dry.
Sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of baking soda inside each shoe.
Leave overnight.
Shake or vacuum out the powder before wearing them.
Baking soda can help absorb odors, but it doesn’t replace washing socks, cleaning shoes, or treating a fungal infection if one is present.
Tip: Don’t put large amounts of loose powder directly onto irritated or broken skin.
2. 🧦 Deodorize Gym Bags
Workout bags can develop unpleasant odors because sweat and moisture become trapped inside.
Place a small breathable pouch containing baking soda inside the bag overnight.
Simple DIY deodorizing pouch:
½ cup baking soda
Small piece of breathable fabric
Rubber band or string
Tie it securely and place it inside the bag.
Don’t simply dump loose powder into electronics compartments or onto expensive fabrics without checking the manufacturer’s care instructions.
3. 🧔 Clean Your Beard Tools
Baking soda can be useful for cleaning certain washable grooming tools.
For combs and plastic beard brushes:
Fill a bowl with warm water.
Add 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Soak suitable plastic tools for several minutes.
Scrub away buildup.
Rinse thoroughly.
Dry completely.
Don’t soak electric trimmers, batteries, or electronic grooming devices.
4. 👕 Help Remove Sweat Odors From Clothing
If a shirt has developed a persistent sweat smell, baking soda can be used as a laundry deodorizing aid.
Add approximately ½ cup of baking soda to the washing machine along with your normal detergent, following the clothing and washer manufacturer’s instructions.
This can help with odors, but heavily stained or permanently damaged clothing may need a different treatment.
5. 🧼 Use It for a Gentle Household Scrub
This is one of baking soda’s more established uses—and it doesn’t involve putting it on your body.
Make a paste using:
3 tablespoons baking soda
Enough water to create a thick paste
Use it on appropriate hard surfaces such as sinks or certain washable bathroom surfaces.
Rinse thoroughly afterward.
Never mix baking soda with random cleaning chemicals. Household products can react in unexpected ways, and Poison Control recommends following product labels and avoiding chemical mixtures. Poison Control
6. 🚿 Don’t Use It as a Substitute for Deodorant Everywhere
This is where viral grooming advice needs a reality check.
Some commercial deodorants contain baking soda because it can help target odor-causing bacteria. However, applying straight baking soda repeatedly to the underarms can irritate some people’s skin.
The American Academy of Dermatology specifically notes that baking soda can be an irritating ingredient for some people, particularly those with sensitive skin or conditions such as hidradenitis suppurativa. Académie Américaine de Dermatologie
If you want to use a baking-soda deodorant, a properly formulated commercial product is generally preferable to rubbing kitchen powder directly onto your skin.
7. 🦷 Be Careful With the Viral Tooth-Brushing Hack
You may have seen men mixing baking soda with toothpaste to supposedly whiten teeth.
Baking soda does have cleaning properties and is found in some formulated toothpastes. But that doesn’t mean repeatedly scrubbing your teeth with loose powder is a good substitute for toothpaste.
A better approach is to use a toothpaste specifically formulated for oral care—especially one containing fluoride.
Avoid aggressive scrubbing. More abrasion doesn’t automatically mean whiter or healthier teeth.
8. 🧴 Don’t Put Baking Soda on a Rash or Broken Skin
This is especially important because of the photograph accompanying the viral post.
The image shows baking soda being poured onto an irritated-looking area of skin. That’s not a treatment I’d recommend.
A rash can have many causes, including irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, eczema, fungal infections, insect bites, and other skin conditions. Applying household powders can make irritation worse or delay proper treatment.
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that substances that touch the skin can trigger irritant or allergic contact dermatitis, producing redness, itching, swelling, or a rash. Académie Américaine de Dermatologie
If your skin is irritated:
Wash gently with lukewarm water.
Avoid fragranced products.
Don’t scrub the area.
Don’t apply random household chemicals.
Use a simple fragrance-free moisturizer if appropriate.
Get medical advice if the rash is persistent, painful, spreading, infected-looking, or unexplained.
⚠️ What About Drinking Baking Soda?
This is another viral trend that deserves caution.
Don’t drink spoonfuls of baking soda as a daily “detox,” energy booster, or home remedy.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Large amounts swallowed can cause dangerous sodium and acid-base disturbances, and Poison Control warns against using it as a homemade antacid. Poison Control
So the picture showing a man swallowing baking soda should not be treated as a normal grooming or wellness routine.
🧔 A Safer Everyday Grooming Routine
You don’t need a cupboard full of viral hacks to stay fresh.
A simple routine works well:
Morning
Shower with a gentle cleanser.
Wash your face with a suitable facial cleanser.
Use deodorant or antiperspirant if desired.
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste.
Apply moisturizer if your skin is dry.
After exercise
Change out of sweaty clothes.
Shower or wash sweaty areas.
Let shoes and gym equipment dry properly.
For your beard
Wash it regularly according to your skin and hair type.
Clean combs and brushes.
Keep trimmers clean and dry.
For sensitive skin, dermatologists generally recommend gentle, fragrance-free products rather than repeatedly applying homemade mixtures. Académie Américaine de Dermatologie
🧂 The Bottom Line
Baking soda can be a very useful household product, particularly for odor control and certain cleaning jobs.
But viral posts often go too far by presenting it as a universal grooming treatment.
