How to Tell If Baking Soda Is Still Good—and Why it Matters

Baking soda is a pantry powerhouse, used in all kinds of recipes and culinary preparations, both sweet and savory. It also works wonders as a cleaning agent, deodorizer, laundry booster, whitener, and more. For its use in the kitchen, it's important to ensure that the contents of that familiar orange box are still good—because baking soda does lose its efficacy when it gets old. Luckily, there is an easy way to determine whether or not your baking soda needs to be replaced, and there are numerous ways to use up baking soda once it is no longer useful for baking or cooking.

What Is Baking Soda?

As its name implies, baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda) is used in baking recipes. It is a naturally occurring chemical compound that acts as a leavening agent, meaning it helps batters and doughs rise as they bake. Because baking soda is alkaline, it reacts with any acidic ingredient in the same recipe, like lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk, which creates the carbon dioxide that gives baked goods their lift. Baking soda is also the secret to the crispiest coatings for fried chicken and onion rings.

Why It's Important to Use Fresh Baking Soda

It's important to note the fresher the baking soda, the more effective it is in cooking. Once a box of baking soda is opened, it has a shelf life of about six months to one year. If you find an unopened box, it may still be good even if it's past the expiration date (generally about 18 months from when it was packaged).

How to Tell If Baking Soda Has Gone Bad

Fresh baking soda looks much like baking soda that has gone bad but there is an easy way to test if you baking soda still has oomph:

1. Spoon a small amount of baking soda into a bowl (you don't need to measure it or add much).
2. Add a few drops of an acidic liquid, such as lemon juice or vinegar.

If it starts to fizz immediately and vigorously, the baking soda will still work well for recipes. If not, it has lost its leavening powers, and should be replaced with a new, unopened box.

Storing Baking Soda

Keep baking soda in a cool, dry place, like in a closed pantry—and even if you are storing it correctly, don't wait forever to replace it.

Using Up Old Baking Soda

Though it is no longer useful for baking, you can still use baking soda that has gone bad for myriad cleaning purposes:

• It's a great refrigerator deodorizer.
• Use baking soda as a kitchen and bathroom surface cleaner (make a paste of three parts warm water to one part baking soda).
• Baking soda makes an effective oven cleaner.

Just mark it clearly so you know it's baking soda for cleaning and don't get confused and use expired baking soda to bake with.