Two important uses of washing soda (sodium carbonate) are:

• It is used in the manufacture of glass, soap, and paper industries.
• It is used to remove the permanent hardness of water by softening it.

Two important uses of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) are:

• It is used in making baking powder, which releases carbon dioxide to make bread and cakes fluffy.
• It is used in soda-acid fire extinguishers for putting out fires.

Additionally, baking soda neutralizes stomach acid and is used as an antacid for heartburn relief, though this is a health-related use rather than an industrial or cleaning use.