Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is more than just a baking ingredient. It’s a natural, affordable, and non-toxic way to handle household and garden pests. Unlike chemical pesticides, it’s safe around kids and pets. This pantry staple can be a powerful pest control tool.

How does it work? When pests ingest baking soda, it reacts with their stomach acid.
This creates internal gas they can’t expel, causing fatal pressure. It’s a simple but effective biological reaction.

Using it is easy for many pests. For cockroaches, mix equal parts baking soda and sugar in shallow lids.
For ants, blend it with powdered sugar and place along trails. To deter slugs and snails, sprinkle it lightly around your plants.

Baking soda also helps with fleas and other pests. Mix with salt and apply to carpets, then vacuum after a day or two. It may reduce bedbugs around mattress seams, though only mildly. While not always reliable for mice, it’s eco-friendly and easy to try.