For starters, it’s a good fire extinguisher, smothering flames with ease. It can easily smother odors as well, essential in the undoubtedly stinky confines of close quarters living you’re likely to encounter in the apocalypse. It’s also a great cleaning supply, as you probably know. Anything from your charcoal grill to the grill in your mouth — baking soda will help. Body odors, bug bite relief, canker sore neutralization … no problem with baking soda. Since it neutralizes acids, it’s also great as an antacid, helping with that post-canned peaches indigestion.

Need more reasons? Baking soda can protect your kidneys from radiation, useful in case of nuclear disaster, and help with your blood pressure and potential nausea. According to Speedendurance.com, baking soda can even increase your athletic performance, for when you’ve got to outrun the zombie horde.

Of course, it also is great for baking … obviously. So it’ll help your fallout shelter feel a bit more like home. Heck, who wouldn’t want this stuff? Baking soda is a fairly simple compound, and as such, the possibilities for its use are nearly endless. Even if disaster never strikes, it’s something worth having in any household. You’ll be glad you prepped.