Soda crystals

[CaptainMartinCrieff]

I bought some soda crystals yesterday because a. I spotted them in the supermarket, b. They were 60p and c. I'm sure I read something on MN about soda crystals. Now I have soda crystals but can't remember what I'm supposed to be using them for. Help?

Soda crystals are fab for running a maintainence cycle on your washer - just stick them in, turn it on, and it'll be nice and sparkling and fresh smelling.

Gerat for helping get stains out - throw a scoop in with washing.

Also good for helping whiten thinngs - either chuck some in with your whites washing or use as an overnight soak.

Good for general household cleaning too - make up into a paste, leave on muchy hobs for example, and then scrub off.

Always wear rubber gloves when using though.

Excellent! Thank you very much.

• maintainance wash washing mashine and dishwasher (just pour a cup or two directly into mashine and run empty on a hot wash)
• stain remover (ad a cup directly into drum with washing)
• smell remover (see above - great for dh's smelly shirts, or sprinkle on carpet and hoover off after a while)
• smelly drains (1 cup, followed by lots of hot water)

• remove hard skin on feet (mix it with moisturiser, leave on feet for 10 min, rub off)

bake german soft pretzels (but this is for the food section, really)

Easier to say what they don't do.

I sub some soda crystals in for reg washing powder (follow instructions on bag for this and more ideas), saves money & better for "the environment".

I always stick a scoop in with the washing as I'm in a hard water area and it softens the water.

Also great for soaking pans or dishes with food burnt on. Leave to soak overnight and it all comes off easily with a cloth. Magic!

I love soda crystals and always have a bag or two in the cupboard.

Eeerrrrrmmm the poster who mentioned German soft pretzels... We are talking about the same soda crystals are we? They were in the laundry aisle of the supermarket, surely you can't bake with them?

yes, I'm sure it is the right kind of soda for bretzels

they are not going in the dough but the dough is dunked in a soda solution before baking, making them so glossy.

Are soda crystals the same as caustic soda? Surely you wouldn't want to eat them, I'd be worried about scrubbing them on my feet to be honest. Or is it something else...

No, not the same as caustic soda, it's something else.

Thats OK then. Was worrying for a minute that people would be getting internal burns!

I definitely think there is some mix up here! Soda crystals should definitely not be used in any cookery. Bicarb of soda can be.

Re-reading....definitely a mix up! Bicarb is great at sprinkling on carpets as a smell remover and is great for putting on feet.

Well thats what I thought Wandawings. I use soda crystals to clear drains with and also in soap making. When I use it in soap making I have to wear Marigolds and I'm supposed to make sure that kids and animals are out the room due to potential fumes. I can't even use the soap for 4 weeks due to the risk of burns.

Warning! DO NOT eat mausyfledermaus' pretzels!!

Reminds me of a recurring nightmare I used to have that I was eating dishwasher tablets. Horrible.

Sodium Carbonate Na2C03 (soda crystals) is different from Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda) NaOH. You can cook with soda crystals but not with caustic soda. They are easily confused so care should be taken with both.

IIRC there is a product that says on it 'Caustic Soda Crystals'. Personally I think they shouldn't be sold next to each other for that reason alone.

It is a bit scary that they can be so easily confused. Looked on my tub and it says caustic soda crystals. I haven't made any pretzels anyway.

You can dissolve washing soda in hot water, then make pipe cleaners into pretty shapes (snowflakes usually) and suspend them in the solution. As the water cools, the soda forms crystals on the pipe cleaners, making hard, pretty really cheap Christmas decorations that last for ages unless you get them wet.