May refer to the naturally occurring mineral sodium carbonate, or to various sodium based chemical compounds used for cleaning and whitening.
Sodium carbonate–washing powder; sodium bicarbonate–baking powder, for cleaning and to absorb aromas; sodium chloride–salt; sodium chlorate–to bleach; sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda–to bleach and to break down fibrous materials, such as wood cellulose; soda water–for cleaning red wine.