If you swap in an equal amount of baking soda for baking powder in your baked goods, they won’t have any lift to them, and your pancakes will be flatter than, well, pancakes. You can, however, make a baking powder substitute by using baking soda.

Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogen carbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation (Na+) and a bicarbonate anion (HCO3−).

Sodium bicarbonate is formed by mixing carbon, sodium, hydrogen and oxygen molecules. This mixture, also known as baking soda, is actually a type of salt.

Hint: Baking powder is a mixture of a carbonate or a bicarbonate with a weak acid. Baking powder is known as a dry leavening agent which contains baking soda, cream of tartar and sometimes cornstarch as a buffer.

Baking soda is a compound because it’s composed of molecues that are all identical. It has the chemical formula and the chemical name sodium hydrogen carbonate. Baking powder is a mixture because it contains both sodium hydrogen phosphate and potassium hydrogen tartrate – two different compounds.

It is important to remember that hair grows from follicles beneath the skin,” Madan says. Fiction: Baking soda can treat hair loss. “There is no reliable or published evidence of this being true,” Madan says. When treating hair loss, experts say it’s best to meet with a medical professional.

Apple cider vinegar is praised for being rich in vitamins and minerals good for hair, like vitamin C and B. Some also claim it contains alpha-hydroxy acid which helps exfoliate scalp skin, and that it’s anti-inflammatory, which can help with dandruff.

Baking soda is good for teeth whitening because it is a very mild abrasive, which helps remove stains from the surface of your teeth. In addition, baking soda is alkaline and salty, which helps lighten acid-based food stains – such as those from coffee, tea, and red wine – on teeth.

Here’s how to make and use this popular hair care treatment:

1. Know when you need a baking soda shampoo.
2. Make your mix with baking soda and water.
3. Apply the shampoo to wet hair.
4. Follow with an apple cider vinegar rinse.
5. Dry and style your hair as normal.
6. Find the frequency that works for you.