Methods for using soda ash
Soda ash is called the most popular cleaning agent. Despite the huge assortment of newfangled powders and gels, it is she who is preferred by the absolute majority of housewives. What it is? And what properties of soda should everyone know about?
What is soda ash
It is a type of sodium carbonate. The soda ash formula looks like this: Na2CO3. This substance owes its name to the plant, from the ash of which it was extracted - soda-bearing hodgepodge. In other words, soda ash is the sodium salt of carbonic acid. Outwardly, it is a white powder of small and large crystals. This type of soda is found both in underground layers and in ground solutions, as well as in minerals of seas and lakes.
Properties of the substance
This compound actively enters into chemical reactions. Sodium carbonate is non-flammable and non-explosive. But according to the degree of danger, it is still classified as class 3.
It is important to remember that misuse of the substance will result in injuries and burns on exposed skin. Therefore, when using baking soda for household purposes, be sure to wear gloves or use tools with a handle (brushes, brushes) to avoid getting the product on your hands. If, through negligence, calcium carbonate gets into the eyes, rinse immediately with clean running water.
Soda absorbs moisture very well, which means that you should not store it in a room with high humidity.
Calcined and food: what's the difference
Although both substances are called "soda", there is still a difference between them. It lies in the level of acidity. Baking soda (or soda ash) is a stronger chemical and should be handled with caution.
Baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate) is harmless in nature. Moreover, it is beneficial for humans and therefore is widely used in various fields, for example, in the baking industry or for medicinal purposes.
As you can see, these two substances are very different from each other.
Linen soda is used exclusively for technical purposes, its ingestion leads to irreversible consequences. Therefore, when using this substance, it is important to follow the instructions exactly.
The benefits and harms of soda ash
We note right away that sodium carbonate is used not only for domestic needs, it is actively used on an industrial scale. Among the abundance of useful properties of this compound, we highlight the main ones:
- Helps to whiten laundry;
- Removes even greasy and stubborn stains from clothes;
- Perfectly cleans bathtubs and sinks from limescale, as well as toilet bowls and tiles;
- Suitable for washing dishes;
- Has a disinfectant effect;
- Softens hard water;
- Able to remove blockages in pipes;
- In the agricultural sector, pest control is used with soda.
However, with many advantages, there are also quite tangible disadvantages. And they consist, first of all, in the danger of this substance. And in order to deal with such a "drawback", it is enough just to observe certain precautions.
- Do not store soda in a room with high humidity;
- Use carefully. In case of contact with skin or mucous membranes, rinse thoroughly with running water;
- You can not store soda next to food;
- Soda cannot stand direct sunlight, therefore, in order to preserve its useful properties, store the substance in closed bags in dark, dry rooms;
- In order to remove stubborn stains, it is important to observe the dosage and proportions, otherwise the item can be ruined.
The use of soda ash in production
Probably, many do not think about how widely soda ash is used in production. Meanwhile, many industries simply could not exist without sodium carbonate.
- Glass, crystal and tiles are made with the help of soda;
- In ferrous metallurgy, it is used to remove sulfur from iron;
- Sodium carbonate is also required for the production of cobalt, nickel or aluminum (non-ferrous metallurgy industry);
- Soda is part of machine oil;
- The production of laundry and liquid soap is not complete without its "participation";
- The paper industry actively uses soda for sizing cardboard, bleaching paper and making parchment;
- The medical industry uses baking soda to process medicines;
- In the textile industry, with the "participation" of sodium carbonate, silk is made, and fabrics are bleached and dyed.
Domestic use
At home, soda ash is used no less actively than in production.
Soak
This most affordable way to get rid of complex dirt was used by our grandmothers. You will need about three tablespoons of baking soda for a bucket of water. For best results, wash your laundry with laundry soap and leave to soak overnight. The laundry will become noticeably whiter after washing.
Washing in a washing machine
Pour three tablespoons of caustic soda into the detergent compartment during prewash. If the laundry is very dirty, the dose can be increased to five tablespoons. Some housewives prefer to put baking soda directly into the drum of the washing machine. In general, do what is convenient for you.
Linen towels, bed linen and cotton items are best washed with baking soda.
Soda is a very caustic substance, and in order not to harm, you need to use it correctly. So for washing colored clothes, the substance must be dissolved in warm water (30 - 40 degrees, no more).
And to soften the water in the washing machine, add a little soda to it.This will not only help you clean things better, but also get rid of unpleasant odors in the car.
Handwash
Immediately, we note that not all fabrics are "happy" to meet with soda ash. So, for example, it is not recommended to wash woolen or silk items in linen soda. They will become more fragile and tough.
For hand washing, you can prepare a special composition: add half a glass of laundry soap to 500 g of water and put it to heat so that the soap completely dissolves. Without bringing to a boil, remove the solution from heat. Then add half a glass of borax and half a glass of soda to the resulting mixture, and add 2 liters of water. Put on fire and boil again. After that, cool the mixture and can be used for hand washing.
Boiling
Most likely, many young housewives have not heard of this method of making linen snow-white at home. Meanwhile, several decades ago, this was almost the only way to make bed linen (and not only) truly white.
Some experienced housewives today do not neglect the proven method. To do this, add a pound of linen soda, a pound of whiteness to a bucket of water, and the linen itself is lathered with laundry soap. "Cook" all this over medium heat for an hour. After that, allow to cool and rinse.
This remedy is perhaps the most effective, but it is often not recommended to use it, as it corrodes the laundry.
Important! Boil should be either in an enamel or in an aluminum container. Having carefully checked beforehand, there are no chips of enamel. Otherwise, you will not get snow-white linen at the exit, but rust stains.
Colored linen should not be boiled because it sheds.
Alternatively, you can use a more gentle boiling composition: 1 glass of baking soda, 1 glass of laundry soap shavings, 10 liters of water. And boil twice as long - 2 hours.
Cleaning soda
This is another area of application for soda ash that has no equal. Gas and electric stoves, ovens with any degree of pollution - everything is within her power. Someone prefers to apply the powder to the contaminated surface, while others find it easier to prepare a cleaning solution: a glass of water and 2-3 tablespoons of soda.
If the dirt is deep, apply the composition and leave it on for 30 minutes. An important condition: after cleaning, do not forget to wipe the surface dry, otherwise streaks will remain.
Someone will improve the above mixture by adding 1 tablespoon of office glue and 1 tablespoon of grated laundry soap to it. This "detergent" is good for removing burnt fat from the pans.
Slightly different proportions are used for washing dishes: 3 tablespoons per liter of water. This composition washes oily surfaces no worse than the well-known "Fairy".
Soda ash will help you to deal with blockages in pipes, it is indispensable for cleaning tiled floors or linoleum. Sodium carbonate will also easily remove old dried paint.
Obviously, you simply cannot find a more effective and, at the same time, safe means for washing and cleaning. This penny tool (the price of a 600-gram pack is no more than 30 rubles) will give odds to many modern detergents. Of course, the procedure itself (measuring, mixing, heating) will require some effort, but the result is worth it.
VIDEO: The use of soda ash in the farm.
