How does baking soda get rid of bad smells?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: It reacts with acidic odor molecules, making them odorless
It dries the air, and dry air can't carry smells — Baking soda doesn't dry the air, and dry air carries smells just fine; think of a dusty attic. It removes odors by reacting with them chemically.
It covers smells with its own powdery scent — Baking soda has almost no scent of its own, so it can't mask other smells. It works by reacting with odor molecules, not by covering them up.
It reacts with acidic odor molecules, making them odorless ✓ — Many bad smells, like sour milk or sweat, come from acidic molecules. Baking soda is a mild base, so it reacts with them and turns them into salts that don't float into the air, which is why it works best on acidic odors.