Baking soda is a favorite for cleaning, but did you know it could do this too?

With all the DIY tutorials out there listing how to use baking soda as a cleaning agent, the product has become as popular for its sanitary uses as for its original culinary purposes.

With its completely approachable cost and simplicity of use, sodium bicarbonate provides countless opportunities to deal with everyday problems without resorting to convoluted chemical products. Here are a few ideas you might not have heard of before.

DataPilot from Weather Underground says baking soda is a total lifesaver for bee and wasp stings. Though the exact science behind it is not quite known, DataPilot theorizes that the alkaline properties of baking soda fight the formic acid that is contained in the wound while also helping to draw out the foreign contaminant. For best results, a mixture of baking soda and water should be applied to the bee sting — after carefully removing the stinger, that is.

A similar mix of baking soda and water can also function as a drawing agent, according to Mercola: So it's great at removing unwanted intruders on the surface of your flesh, such as splinters.

A little baking soda and water can also serve to keep perspiration and offensive smells away. It'll help to keep your armpits dry — like regular powdered deodorant products, but with less chemicals.

Sunburns can ruin your evening after an afternoon in the sun. To cool your skin, try a bath like the one above. Adding a 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tub of lukewarm water will do wonders. Try air drying rather than using a towel once you're done, Mercola recommends. It may take longer to dry up, but the effects of the treatment will be much stronger.

This one is slightly more well-known: Baking soda is a great antacid. Heartburn and a sour stomach can both usually be cured by taking a glass of cold water with 1 or 2 teaspoons of baking soda, according to the Mayo Clinic. Because this one involves ingesting significant amounts of the product, it's recommended to see a doctor if you make it a part of your daily habits.

Baking soda is excellent when used along with your shampoo. Mix the two together for a better cleaning. Your shampoo will be able to provide you with more lustrous hair because the baking soda will take charge of most of the actual cleaning, Care2 notes. Similarly, dipping your brushes and combs into a baking soda and water mixture will allow them to do wonders for your hair, degreasing it as you comb. Make sure you rinse afterward.

Three tablespoons of baking soda added to water can make for both a relaxing and energizing foot soak. Make sure to gently massage your feet in the water for best results. You can also try it on a bigger scale and take a baking soda bath so your whole body can enjoy the benefits.

Did you know about all of these? What other baking soda tricks are you familiar with? Let us know in the comments section and share this story on Facebook.