Does Baking Soda Expire? Yes, But It's Still Good to Use—Here's How

Curious if baking soda can go bad? The answer is both yes and no. For recipes requiring perfect rise, such as homemade Irish soda bread or quick bread, using fresh baking soda is essential. If precision isn't your main concern, however, older baking soda will still be effective for baking, though it may lead to inconsistent results.

Keep reading for tips on prolonging the life of your baking soda and a simple method to check its potency. If your baking soda has passed its prime for baking, don’t throw it out! We have plenty of other ways to use it, ensuring no box goes to waste.

Baking Soda Essentials

Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda, is a natural alkaline compound that serves as a leavening agent in baking. When combined with an acidic ingredient—like lemon juice, milk, honey, or brown sugar—and a liquid, it releases carbon dioxide bubbles that help your baked goods rise.

It's easy to confuse baking soda with baking powder, which is a combination of baking soda, an acid (often cream of tartar), and a thickener like cornstarch. Although they share similarities, they aren’t interchangeable in a one-to-one substitution. That said, if you have baking soda, you can easily turn it into baking powder.

The Shelf Life of Baking Soda

Baking soda begins to lose its potency as a leavening agent about 6 months after opening, but it can last up to 3 years in an unopened package. To preserve its effectiveness longer, discard the original box and store the baking soda in an airtight container to prevent clumping and deterioration.

An airtight container shields baking soda from moisture, its worst enemy, which is crucial in humid climates. Store it in a pantry, cabinet, or even the freezer. Freezing can slow its degradation and is an excellent choice for those who don't use it frequently.

How to Determine If Your Baking Soda Has Expired

You can’t determine if baking soda has lost its effectiveness by its color or smell, and it remains safe for baking well past its expiration date. When it "goes bad," it simply means it’s no longer effective as a leavening agent to help baked goods rise.

If you’re uncertain about when you purchased or opened your baking soda, test it by adding a tablespoon to a bowl of vinegar:

• If it bubbles and fizzes, it’s still fresh and effective for baking.
• If it doesn’t fizz, it’s still safe for baking, though the results may not be as optimal.

Uses for Expired Baking Soda

If your baking soda has expired, don’t toss it! There are many uses for it beyond baking, and it doesn't need to be at peak effectiveness to still be useful. Keep it with your cleaning supplies—or in your medicine cabinet, garden shed, or pool house—because it still has plenty of life left in it.

Clean Your Home the Natural Way

Baking soda is a powerful household cleaner and a staple for those who prefer natural cleaning solutions. From cleaning your dishwasher to polishing silver to refreshing your mattress, it does it all.

Clear a Clogged Drain

Whether it’s a sink, tub, or shower, baking soda can help clear up a sluggish drain. Make a mixture of distilled vinegar and boiling water, then add 1 cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. It’ll clear up and smell fresh in no time.

Clean Your Fruits and Veggies

A simple bath of baking soda and water—mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 4 cups of water—can help remove dirt, pesticides, and other harmful substances from your fruits and vegetables. Allow them to soak for around 15 minutes for optimal cleaning.

How to Maintain a Balanced pH in Your Swimming Pool

Baking soda can help adjust your swimming pool's chemical balance, especially when raising the pH level (alkalinity). However, you'll need a significant amount of it—around 1½ pounds per 10,000 gallons of water to increase the alkalinity by 10 ppm.

Neutralize Unpleasant Odors

Baking soda’s deodorizing properties are commonly known from placing a box in the fridge to combat food odors. But it works wonders beyond the kitchen! Sprinkle it into trash cans, stinky sneakers, the garbage disposal, smelly carpets (let it sit for 1-2 hours before vacuuming), pet beds, kitty litter, or any other spot in your home that could use a freshen-up.

Stock Your First Aid Kit

Baking soda has a variety of medicinal uses. Keep some handy in your bathroom to treat these common ailments:

• For bee stings and insect bites, mix ¼ cup of baking soda with 2 teaspoons of water to form a paste. Apply the paste regularly to help soothe inflammation.
• For poison ivy, apply the paste used for bug bites to rashes to reduce swelling and itching, or soak in a lukewarm bath with ¼ cup of baking soda.
• For acid reflux or heartburn, mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda into ½ cup of water to create an easy-to-use antacid.
• For sunburn, add several ounces of baking soda to a lukewarm bath to alleviate sunburn pain and inflammation.

Clean Your Car

Baking soda's ability to break down grease and grime makes it an ideal, cost-effective car cleaner. Create a paste by mixing ¼ cup of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water, and apply it to tires, lights, seats, and windows before rinsing. To wash the rest of the car, thoroughly dissolve ¼ cup of baking soda in a gallon of water to remove dirt and stains. (Be sure the baking soda is completely dissolved, as undissolved particles can damage the paint.)

Enhance Your Plants

Baking soda offers numerous benefits for your garden: it's a versatile natural cleaner, a soil enhancer, and helps with weed and pest control, as well as treating fungal infections. Here are some specific ways it can improve the health of your plants—both indoors and outdoors:

• Dust off the leaves of your indoor plants by gently wiping them with a solution made from ¼ teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 quart of water.
• Keep cut flowers fresh longer by placing them in a solution consisting of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 2 quarts of water, changing it every few days.
• Promote blooming in alkaline-loving plants like begonias, hydrangeas, and geraniums by watering them once a month with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 2 quarts of water.
• Eradicate ants by sprinkling a mix of equal parts powdered sugar and baking soda. The sugar draws the ants in, while the baking soda eliminates them. Avoid using granulated sugar, as the ants will take the sugar and leave the baking soda behind!