Make your own washing soda
- Thread starter Bethanial
- Start date
Wannabefree
Little Miss Sunshine
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2010
- Messages
- 13,397
- Reaction score
- 713
- Points
- 417
x2!Homemaker said:Thank you!
- Thread starter
- #13
Bethanial
Lovin' The Homestead
:blush: glad to be of assistance
Bethanial said:Since this seems to get lost in the other thread, I'm gonna post it here:
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, washing soda is sodium carbonate. It's a very easy chemical change we can do at home. Bake your baking soda for one hour at 250*.Please note that is250*C NOT *F The *F equivalent is 482. IF your oven will get to 500F go for it, mine will only get to 450F ~gd
I found this at this blog post, which has a link to the NYTimes article she got the info/idea from
Same blog different post talks about cheapest ways to find baking soda, and also mentions (in the comments) that sodium carbonate is what you can get at the pool supply store
edit - fix link
Farmfresh
City Biddy
Thanks for the info Bethanial! Also thanks for the clarification ~gd. My stove goes up to 500 F. 
If the heat is being used to cause the chemical change ~gd would a longer session at say 450 F work?
If not many of us have wood stoves ... etc that could reach those temps easily. How would you go about using something like that?
If the heat is being used to cause the chemical change ~gd would a longer session at say 450 F work?
If not many of us have wood stoves ... etc that could reach those temps easily. How would you go about using something like that?
Yep like most chemical reactions it would go slowly at a lower temp. keep in mind that the bicarb itself has to reach the temperature. the reaction is driving off water and CO2 and they are going to steal a lot of the heat energy you are trying to drive into the reaction. At the price of heat these days I would look to buy the washing soda directly rather than make mine own by baking baking soda.
Farmfresh
City Biddy
Yet if the stove is going anyway ... the old wood stove heating the house ... it would make it very cost effective and easier than finding the washing soda in many instances.
LovinLife
Lovin' The Homestead
I learn so much on this forum!
so lucky
Almost Self-Reliant
I'm really glad to know about the temperature needs for making washing soda. I was going to bake it at 250 farenheit. Here in my neck of the woods (Southeast Missouri) I can't find the Fels Naptha anywhere, anymore. A manager at the largest grocery store around (Schnucks) said he has been trying to get it and his supplier says they are out. However, there is plenty to be found on Ebay, apparently. Hate to pay shipping, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Love this forum!!
Farmfresh
City Biddy
Hello there fellow Missourian. Welcome to Sufficient Self!so lucky said:
You can also use good old Ivory soap for laundry soap in a pinch.
