Caustic soda will solve household problems

Baking soda is known to many housewives who are fond of home baking. But there is also soda ash and caustic soda. The latter is chemically aggressive, so many people simply do not know how it can be useful in everyday life.

Composition and properties of caustic

Caustic soda is an alkali without a particularly strong odor, having the appearance of white scaly granules. It easily dissolves in water and accordingly has excellent hygroscopic properties. But housewives should remember that when it comes into contact with water, soda generates heat.

Caustic soda is known to many from chemistry courses as sodium hydroxide. It can be either liquid or solid. It is widespread in the production of fertilizers, biofuels, as well as in pulp and paper mills.

But there are a number of limitations when using caustic soda at home. Thus, goggles and gloves are required when working with the substance, due to its toxicity. In addition, soda requires mandatory and thorough rinsing with water if used to clean sinks and bathtubs. It slowly but surely eats away the enamel.

Caustic also has a number of positive aspects:

• The product instantly and completely dissolves fat of any age;
• Removes all deposits in sewer pipes. But you should remember to thoroughly rinse;
• Low price and availability in all hardware stores.

Caustic for solving everyday problems

Despite some dangers and nuances of working with caustic soda, it still solves some problems quite well.It is used not only at home, but also in gardening areas.

Be careful when storing sodium hydroxide at home. The substance should be in a closed, non-flammable container, out of reach of children. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the expiration date. After 1 year, caustic loses its properties and may not cope with the task.

We fight fat.

All housewives know how difficult it is sometimes to get rid of grease stains, especially if they are old. Caustic will cope perfectly with this problem. It will also help remove plaque in teapots and pans.

To do this, you can take any cleaning powder, add caustic soda and water. Treat the surface with this mixture and leave it alone for 30 minutes. Then be sure to rinse thoroughly.

Teflon and aluminum are not suitable for cleaning with caustic soda.

The washing has just started.

If you carefully read the composition of washing powder, you can see caustic there. Therefore, the conclusion suggests itself. Baking soda can and should be used when washing.

So, to soften water and remove stubborn stains, simply add 3 teaspoons of caustic soda along with the powder. The water temperature can be any, starting from 50 degrees.

When washing by hand, soda is also useful. It will refresh your laundry and help remove dirt. To do this, add soda along with the powder and leave the laundry there. The holding time can be any. But for severe stains, it is better to wait two hours.

If the house needs general cleaning or there is a sick person, then it is advisable to wash the floors with caustic soda. Add about 4 tablespoons of caustic to a bucket of water.

Of course, after such treatment, the floors should be rinsed with clean water and then wiped dry. But in this case, excellent disinfection occurs and all contaminants are removed.

We clean the pipes.

Caustic soda is an excellent solvent for both fat and any protein deposits. Therefore, it can be successful in clearing pipe blockages.

By the way, if you choose a strong and “fast” sewer cleaner, look at the composition. A product whose formula contains sodium hydroxide will easily cope with its task.

In the absence of special cleaning liquids, you can use caustic soda in its pure form.

1. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of soda into the contaminated drain, and pour a glass of water into it. That's it, we wait for the reaction, which occurs within 2 hours, and turn on the water. After rinsing well, you can enjoy the free flow of water.
2. For particularly difficult blockages, where you need to call a plumber, you can get by with the following remedy. Mix soda with table vinegar and pour this mixture into the clog. This creates a strong chemical reaction with the release of foam. It is advisable to close the drain with a stopper and leave for 2 hours. Then pour in boiling water. That's it, the blockage is gone.
3. To prevent pipe contamination, it is necessary to carry out the following procedure once a month. Pour one liter of water and 2-3 parts of soda into the drain. After 2 hours have passed, rinse thoroughly. This removes unnecessary buildup and deposits in the pipes.

Making soap on your own.

For lovers of everything made with their own hands, the idea of ​​​​making your own soap should appeal to your taste. And of course caustic soda will help with this.

The recipe is simple and does not require mathematical calculations or precision.You can use components “by eye”.

• Caustic soda;
• Distilled water;
• Any vegetable oil;
• Fragrance (eg essential oil)

Heat the oil in a water bath. Soda must be dissolved in water. Then mix the oil and soda. The result is a viscous mass that needs to be mixed well and you can add your favorite flavoring.

The mixture is then poured into prepared molds and after 24 hours is used for its intended purpose.

Caustic at the dacha.

In the garden or vegetable garden, caustic soda can also be beneficial. Thus, summer residents are often plagued by caterpillars, gray rot and powdery mildew. You can fight this scourge by using regular sodium hydroxide.

To do this, first pour 5 tablespoons of soda into a bucket of water. After mixing, you can spray the substance on trees, shrubs and other plants that require treatment.

Please note that sodium hydroxide tends to accumulate in the soil. This leads to a change in its composition, not for the better. Therefore, caustic treatment should not be too frequent.

Caution is paramount

Caustic soda is a powerful alkali that can corrode many surfaces. Therefore, in order not to harm your health and not spoil the item being processed, you should follow simple rules.

1. Work only with rubber, intact gloves that reach the elbow. Glasses and a robe will not be superfluous at all. If caustic hits the skin, it can cause chemical burns and eczema.
2. The substance emits heat when in contact with water, so it is unnecessary to start cleaning surfaces immediately after preparing the solution. Wait a few minutes and only then get to work.
3. Avoid splashing the product. If the solution does get on the skin, immediately turn on running water and expose the affected area. After this, wipe with 2% boric acid. It is advisable to consult a doctor if, after half an hour, the skin does not restore its previous appearance.
4. Storage is permissible only in a closed jar, preferably iron or glass. Free access to caustic soda is unacceptable. Caustic soda is explosive and poisonous. Therefore, storage rules do not allow open storage of containers with the substance.

All products that are unsafe for health require careful handling. Caustic soda is one of them. If you follow all the precautionary requirements, it will provide an invaluable service when using it in everyday life.