Water softeners, boiler-water compounds, metal cleaning, textiles, manufacture of paper, tanning, sugar purification, photographic developers, ingredient of soap powders and heavy-duty household, industrial and institutional detergents, cleaning agents and scouring powders; laundering, stain remover and degreaser, commonly used to prepare surfaces for painting, paint removers, dietary supplement, food
additive, buffer, emulsifier, elastomers, removal of insecticide sprays, inhibitor of fruit mold, thickening agent, sequestrant (metal-chelating agent), enema (laxative) and laboratory reagent.