Make your own washing soda!

[calaren]

Hi everyone,
I just registered and was debating what my first post should be about when it hit me - how to have washing soda anywhere, anytime, for super cheap! I know some folks have a hard time finding washing soda, or finding it cheaply, so I thought I'd share this with you all.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), while washing soda is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). With a little chemical know-how, you can easily transform baking soda into washing soda - I knew those three years of a chemistry degree would come in handy some day! :D

Here is the reaction that tells what goes on when you heat baking soda:
http://i55.tinypic.com/5orwcw.jpg
(Hope that image shows up)
Basically, it just means that if you heat baking soda, it gives off carbon dioxide and water and leaves behind washing soda. Ain't that awesome? :D

Some folks bake theirs in the oven, but I do mine on the stove - gives better control and seems faster to me.
Dump your chosen amount of baking soda into a pot over high heat (yep, just the dry baking soda) and start stirring. Stir it occasionally and keep an eye on it's temperature with a thermometer. When the baking soda reaches 212 degrees F, you will see condensation on the inside of the pot and steam will come off - this is the water and carbon dioxide being released from the soda to leave behind washing soda. When the soda reaches 392 degrees F, the reaction will be complete and you now have a pot/pan full of washing soda! Wasn't that easy - and cheap?!

I hope that this will be of use to somebody!
Amanda

[mozarkian]

That is awesome! I read somewhere that the washing soda needs to be stored airtight or it loses its effectiveness over time, if that's true it would be easy to just store baking soda and make the washing soda as needed. Thank you!

Question though--- does one cup of baking soda make one cup of washing soda?

[calaren]

The baking soda does lose some mass - the water and carbon dioxide it gives off - but it's a very very small amount. So for all intents and purposes, yep, 1 cup of baking soda does make 1 cup of washing soda. :)
I also have read that washing soda should be stored airtight, so I make up large quantities and store it in a 1 gallon glass jar.
Glad I'm being useful!
Amanda

[mozarkian]

Thank you for posting this, huge bags of baking soda are available very affordably and I use it for other things as well, so this will save me a few bucks on purchased washing soda. Thank you!

[sissy]

Thank you very much,
and I sopose when baking soda is too old to bake with you could use it this way too lol
OH!!!!! Welcome
sissy

[debidoodle]

Ok, this is awesome. Just plain awesome.
One question though, at that high of a heat, it doesn't scorch?

[NCLee]

Thank you very much,
and I sopose when baking soda is too old to bake with you could use it this way too lol
OH!!!!! Welcome
sissy

Sissy, are you confusing baking powder with baking soda? Baking powder has a limited shelf life. If memory serves, baking soda has an unlimited shelf life or thereabouts.

BTW, you can make your own baking powder from baking soda and cream of tartar. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2008/03/homemade_baking_powder

WalMart has big bags of baking soda in their pool section. I was buying them at Sam's Club, till I spotted them at WalMart. Now I have to check the prices to see which one has a better price. Stock up on soda and some cream of tartar (another long life item) and you won't have to worry about baking powder in a SHTF.

Lee

[sissy]

I sopose I was mixing the two up as far as shelf life lol
Thank you for the tip I will check it out for sure. That is very good to know. Was wondering what else I could use cream of tarter for. Only used it 1 or 2 times.
Thanks again NCLee
sissy

[mozarkian]

I have a Snickerdoodle cookie recipe that uses cream of tartar (not sure what it does to the cookie, but the "other half" sure likes the cookies. LOL

[oldtimer]

OK, am I missing something? Why would you take expensive baking soda to turn it into more inexpensive soda ash or washing soda?

You can buy washing soda in every grocery store in the country, however, they've "improved" it by adding something to it that the old washing soda didn't have.

I have a recipe for making varnish remover with boiled laundry starch and washing soda. It works magnificently but then they Arm & Hammer changed their washing soda to "improved" and now it doesn't work for washing soda.

So go to Ebay and you can order regular soda ash. If you buy a big amount like we do, it's way way cheaper than going to all the bother of converting your baking soda to soda ash.

Just my two cents worth. :)

[BonnyLake]

You can buy washing soda in every grocery store in the country, however, they've "improved" it by adding something to it that the old washing soda didn't have.


Sorry to say - but recently it is almost impossible to locate washing soda in grocery stores.

[NCLee]

Same here. A&H Washiing soda disappeared from the stores around here, maybe 5-6 years ago. Finally found it stocked at a Kroger in a nearby community. Heard a few days ago that store is closing. Need to check that out and buy out their supply, if any is left. Along with blueing. The only place I've seen that item in years.

Appears there's just no local demand for A&H, as folks fall for all the hype of liquid laundry detergents with their "spring fresh", "new & improved".

Lee

[AlchemyAcres]

Sorry to say - but recently it is almost impossible to locate washing soda in grocery stores.

Weird! It's in almost every grocery store here.

http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=354780


It's certainly at every pool supply too.


~Martin

[sissy]

It's not in any grocery stores here, you can find it in some pool supply stores.
I guess a lot of cities don't have a demand for it except for pools. lol
This reminds me I need to pick up some more.
sissy

[BonnyLake]

A funny, but stupid thing at my local Fred Meyer store, which is Kroger - they finally brought in some Naptha soap bars and they put them on a shelf with Borax and A&H 'plain' 2lb bags of baking soda - not washing soda! I guess somebody must have requested the combo but the buyer didn't know that there was a difference in soda's... LOL dumb but at least they are trying. :rolleyes:

[oldtimer]

I really feel for you folks that live in such primitive areas that you can't find basic things. If you don't have the stuff in your store, then go to ebay and order soda ash. It's cheaper than I can get at the grocer and it's the old fashioned, not the new improved formula.

Does your store carry lye???

[sissy]

Does your store carry lye???
Most don't but I can get it from the hardware store.
I buy the soda ash from a pool supply that will sell it by the pound or you can but it in the container for a lot more. Don't remember the price, been a while. I do remember thinking that it was a good price.
sissy

[NCLee]

I really feel for you folks that live in such primitive areas that you can't find basic things. If you don't have the stuff in your store, then go to ebay and order soda ash. It's cheaper than I can get at the grocer and it's the old fashioned, not the new improved formula.

Does your store carry lye???

Oldtimer, can't speak for anywhere else. But, around here, the opposite has happened. As our area grows more metro, store isles are being filled with "city folks" stuff. Basics are being crowded off the shelves.

Isles filled with heat and eat, ready made mixes, every flavor of soft drink, fruit drink, and even types of water, known to man. Wish I knew (for this post) just how many feet of shelf space is used for "air freshners", varieties of every brand name of dish detergent, and even potato chips.

Yet, 25 lb bags of flour, 10 lb bags of corn meal, A&H Washing soda, and many other basics have disappeared. Our local chain grocery store has only 1 brand of household ammonia. Have oodles of "beauty" bath soap, but not 1 bar of laundry soap. This list can go on for a while, but my disposition will only grow worse, if I continue to type.

Lye, as in Red Devil Lye, no, no longer. Meth labs side effect.

Lee

[BWHLover]

Oldtimer, can't speak for anywhere else. But, around here, the opposite has happened. As our area grows more metro, store isles are being filled with "city folks" stuff. Basics are being crowded off the shelves.

Isles filled with heat and eat, ready made mixes, every flavor of soft drink, fruit drink, and even types of water, known to man. Wish I knew (for this post) just how many feet of shelf space is used for "air freshners", varieties of every brand name of dish detergent, and even potato chips.

Yet, 25 lb bags of flour, 10 lb bags of corn meal, A&H Washing soda, and many other basics have disappeared. Our local chain grocery store has only 1 brand of household ammonia. Have oodles of "beauty" bath soap, but not 1 bar of laundry soap. This list can go on for a while, but my disposition will only grow worse, if I continue to type.

Lye, as in Red Devil Lye, no, no longer. Meth labs side effect.

Lee

Lee,

I have to laugh to my self every time you rant on the grocery store.

I am now doing 90% of my shopping at a store called Winco. They have the best bulk foods I have ever seen. From dog bones to coffee to pilot crackers and everything in between.

I stay away from the air fresheners and other money wasters. I use our money for real food and item to cook the food. Although I will admit to about 40 pounds of coffee in my stash. Can not have enough coffee on hand.

What gets me the most is the connivence foods that people purchase.
Does anyone know how to make mac & cheese with out using a box ?
Does anyone know how to a cake or frosting from scratch ?

What are these parents teaching their children ? When I was married and inherited my children they learned to cook and do laundry and iron clothes (they were originally mac & cheese from a box kids however they have now been converted).

I have had my grandchildren in the kitchen from age 2. We started with chocolate and moved on. I wanted them to have a love of cooking and not from a $%^&*(@ box but real cooking from real ingredients. My grandchildren have no issue eating stew or french onion soup or split pea soup because of this.

I have no problem taking my grandchildren to the grocery store with me in fact they are a help. They will not put anything in the cart with out reading the ingredients for bad preservatives.

One year I invested in a cast iron hand crank Apple peeler corer slicer machine, you should see the apple pies these children create during the holidays.

Enough of my ranting on boxed foods.

[BWHLover]

I really feel for you folks that live in such primitive areas that you can't find basic things. If you don't have the stuff in your store, then go to ebay and order soda ash. It's cheaper than I can get at the grocer and it's the old fashioned, not the new improved formula.

Does your store carry lye???

oldtimer,

As lee stated I can not purchase borax, washing soda, fels soap or lye at any store in my area.:mad:

[oldtimer]

oldtimer,

As lee stated I can not purchase borax, washing soda, fels soap or lye at any store in my area.:mad:


I guess that's one more reason to stay here in SD :D

[sissy]

Just picked up a 50 lb bag of soda ash from pool supply store 50 lb for $52 something after taxes.
It was 2.50 lb or 50lb bag for 50 dollars I bit the bullet & got the bag. lol I love bargans
sissy

[oldtimer]

Keep that soda ash in a cool dry place and in an airtight container. If a little humid air gets into it, it will get lumpy.

We always used it to soften our water when washing clothes, especially when using home made soap.

You can also make a quart of Argo boiled laundry starch according to the directions on the box. Mix up a batch of "heavy" starch and while the starch is still hot, stir in a cup of washing soda and allow it to cool. This makes the best varnish remover.. Spread it on with a brush, let it set a bit, and your varnish will come right off. The furniture can be washed with soap and water, it doesn't have toxic fumes and it doesn't hurt your skin, but make sure you wash and wipe the wood after you use it or it will leave a white film. We've refinished every piece of furniture in our house using this varnish remover.

[Hooverville]

Ok, I am confused. Are you guys/gals buying washing soda or baking soda from pool supplies? What am I missing here?

[BlueJae]

Here in MI washing soda is no where to be found but I find all my basics in Indiana in the Amish community. I also buy 50lb bags of flour and sugar which everyone laughs at me for getting but they all love my baked goods.
I'll have to check Walmart and ebay for prices to convert my own soda ash.

[grumble]

I posted this on another thread, but it seems to have gone unnoticed.

Want washing soda? That's sodium carbonate. Go to one of the stores that has "dollar" in the name (Dollar General, Dollar Store, etc) and look at the prices for their laundry detergents. The cheapest one (here, the brand is "Xtra") will list the main ingredient as sodium carbonate. That will be 90+% of what's in the box. And it will cost about $0.80 a pound. Pretty much the same price as baking soda, because it's pretty much the same thing. (sodium carbonate, vs sodium BIcarbonate).

It is a good thing to know how to make it yourself from something else, though!

[cubcadet]

Arm and Hammer in bags, 12 lb., at Walmarts, at the garden ctr. less than $7, about 58 cents a lb.. Dollar General sells their version for $1 for a pound. Prolly of a lesser quality.

[grumble]

That's a good deal, cadet, if your Walmart carries the washing soda. If a store doesn't carry it, it's time to start looking at ingredients in the detergent boxes. The whole point is, just because a box or bag doesn't say "Washing Soda" doesn't mean there isn't some washing soda for sale. Just remember sodium carbonate, and you can find it.

[Catalpa]

Where are you looking, bluejae? I live in Michigan, and can get washing soda, borax, fels naptha, bluing and all that stuff right at the grocery store. The local Ace Hardware still has bottle of lye, too.

And I can get bulk sugar, oats, flour, whatever either through the local Mennonite store or the local food co-op.