I have an old fridge that's been smelling bad for a while, and my grandmother always puts a little box of baking soda inside it. I never really understood how that works, because it's not like a regular deodorant like those sprays. Can someone explain the chemistry behind it?
I've had a box of baking soda in my fridge for years and it actually works! The trick is that baking soda is basic, and most unpleasant odors (like rotting food or mold) are acidic, so when the baking soda sits exposed in the air, it neutralizes those odor molecules instead of just masking the smell like a spray would. It's like a silent chemical reaction: the baking soda absorbs the particles that cause the bad smell and transforms them into other substances, which is why it's not just an olfactory illusion!
Log into answer.
