One thing I have found some friends are doing is keeping the opened carton of soda in the fridge. Then using it for cooking etc.
Open Equals Odour.
o many times I have told them to keep it in a cool dry place, and in a zip-lock bag as airtight as possible. People don't seem to realize, that when it's in the refrigerator open, it is meant to be absorbing the stronger odors of the foods mixed in there. Vegetables, fruits, meats etc. can mix together and leave a funky smell, the soda helps absorb it, but you should use a spoon and mix it up a few times over a couple months, then replace it with a fresh open carton quarter annually or so. It still has use afterwards for scrubbing floors etc., u don't need much though, also, if you mix it with powdered sugar (icing sugar), it can be used in the home or garden for roaches and some other insects, as they consume the sugar and soda, and when the soda mixes with the fluids in them, they die, kinda cruel but often necessary.
I find it works best for baking when I keep it in a tight zip lock and place on the highest shelf of the cupboard.
Also, the bubbling action of soda, with the slight abrasiveness is great to use if you dab just a finger nail size amount on your dish scrubber, especially with plastics, to remove excess soap and odour...it has so many great qualities, removing blood stains on white clothing, adding a bit to laundry so the abrasiveness is mild enough to add a little scrub to your clothing, without damaging it, but only if you use the actual soda, not laundry soap which includes soda, for once it has been in a liquid, it is no longer abrasive to scrub a dub dub..
