I'm making homemade laundry detergent, but can't find washing soda. What can I use instead?
By heather from Brooker, FL
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I've found you can get washing soda at a swimming pool supply store, look for "sodium carbonate" that is washing soda.
You can use baking soda in place of washing soda by baking it below is the explanation on how to do it.
The difference between baking soda and washing soda is water and carbon dioxide. Seriously. Baking sodas chemical makeup is NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). Washing sodas chemical makeup is Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it breaks down to become washing soda, water steam, and carbon dioxide.
The process is really simple. Just heat your oven to 400 F (or 200 C), sprinkle some baking soda on a shallow pan, and bake it for about half hour, until it changes composition. You should also stir it up occasionally, just so that it bakes more evenly.
The process is really simple. Just heat your oven to 400 F (or 200 C), sprinkle some baking soda on a shallow pan, and bake it for about half hour, until it changes composition. You should also stir it up occasionally, just so that it bakes more evenly.
Baking soda is powdery, crystallized like salt, and clumps together. Washing soda is grainy, dull and opaque, and is separate grains.
Hope this answers your questions.
Thank you for this!! My husband and son are both terribly allergic to anything Arm and Hammer( I love the smell ) and I have had difficulty finding a washing soda substitute for homemade laundry detergent until I saw this!
I have found it at Walmart and most grocery stores in my area carry it.
Washing soda is usually found with the laundry products in most stores. I know the Kroger chain stores carry it.
Call this phone number 1-800-524-1328 and give them the UPC code 33200-03020 (for Washing Soda). The service will ask for your zip code and then tell you places in your area that sell the item. I believe this service will locate any item if you have the UPC code number.
Washing Soda is sodium carbonate, aka soda ash, and is NOT the same as Baking soda (Bisodium carbonate).
Washing soda has many uses. It is often sold as a pool chemical to lower effects of chlorine and raise PH, but is much more expensive at pool supply companies than as Washing Soda elsewhere. Sodium carbonate is also used in making glass, in taxidermy, and as an ingredient in some toothpastes.
At home, many people use Washing Soda (also known as Super Washing Soda, Soda Crystals, and Sal Soda) in dyeing fabrics, cooking, making their own cleaning products, and as a descaler for coffee pots, espresso machines, etc. The most common use is as a laundry additive: It softens the water, helping your detergent clean better, neutralizes odors, and removes greasy stains.
I use it to safely and inexpensively, clean silver. To do this, you first put a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a glass container (I use a 9x13 baking dish), and put in enough very hot water to cover your silver item. Then add a few tablespoons of Washing Soda, drop in your silver items, making sure they touch the aluminum foil. Let sit a few minutes, remove, and dry. You may need to repeat the process.
Tip: Washing Soda is packaged in a box and is usually displayed near the fabric softeners.
You can turn Baking Soda into Washing Soda by baking it. Below is the explanation on how you can do it.
The difference between baking soda and washing soda is water and carbon dioxide. Seriously. Baking sodas chemical makeup is NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). Washing sodas chemical makeup is Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it breaks down to become washing soda, water steam, and carbon dioxide.
The process is really simple. Just heat your oven to 400 F (or 200 C), sprinkle some baking soda on a shallow pan, and bake it for about half hour, until it changes composition. You should also stir it up occasionally, just so that it bakes more evenly.
Baking soda is powdery, crystallized like salt, and clumps together. Washing soda is grainy, dull and opaque, and is separate grains.
Below is a picture so you can see the difference.
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