The chemical name for sodium bicarbonate is natrium hydrogen carbonate and it is part of every household due to its wide usage. It is most often used in food as leavening agent, so it is an integral part of baking powder, but it can also be used alone, as stated in many recipes for dessert dough, a mixture of meatballs or vegetable balls, etc. It is used as an acidity regulator due to its alkaline property (high pH), and reduces the acidity of the environment. It is also used in the household to remove unpleasant odors, to remove stains, as water softener, etc.