More On Laundry Soap

In our last article we determined that OxiClean was redundant if we add Super Wash Soda and Borax together in hot water.  But it got me thinking, "What about the Super Wash Soda and the baking soda?".

Super Wash Soda + hot water = carbonic acid + sodium hydroxide (lye)
Na2CO3 + 2 H2O --> H2CO3 + 2 NaOH
carbonic acid is just carbon dioxide enriched water H2CO3 ↔CO2 + H2O 

baking soda + hot water = a couple different possibilities
NaHCO3 + H2O --> NA+ + HCO3- + H2O
NaHCO3 + H2O --> NA+ + H2CO3 + OH-

Once baking soda is dissolved, the dissolution products are the Na+ ion and the HCO3- ion . The HCO3- ion reacts with water to produce H2CO3 and a OH- ion. The H2CO3 will decompose into water and carbon dioxide.
Simple experiment: add a little baking soda to a dish and add hot water. Do you hear a fizz? That is carbon dioxide gas escaping!

As we all know, lye has a pH of about 13  to 14. Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a light alkaline with a pH of 8 to 9.  So, whether we use baking soda or Super Wash Soda we will get an alkaline bath that will help clean our clothes.  My conclusion is that baking soda is a poor replacement for Super Wash Soda, and is not necessary to add to the laundry detergent because I don't have hard water.

Fun at work

DIY Laundry Soap

1 box Super Wash Soda(Na2CO3) - pH 11
1 4 lb. box Baking Soda (NaHCO3) - pH 8.3
1 box Borax (Na2B4O7·10H2O) - pH 9.5
1 tub OxiClean (Na2CO. H2O2)
True Soap (Castile, Zote, FelzNaptha. Ivory, Yardly, Kirks, Etc.) Depending of the variety I use 2-4 bars.
Smell good boosters (this batch was made with Downy Unstopables sweet sizzle)

I was curious why home made detergent works so well, so i began to examine the chemical break down. After examining the results, I discovered I am wasting my money by adding OxiClean. SHOCK! So this is the break down:
One of the active ingredients in OxiClean is sodium percarbonate, an adduct of sodium carbonate (see super wash soda) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Sodium percarbonate (OxiClean powder) must be added to water to be activated. When activated, it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate in solution. The bubbling action, or the release of oxygen molecules, loosens stain molecules from fibers so they can be rinsed away. Chemically, it is like a solid form of hydrogen peroxide which releases oxygen when water is added. Quite simply, the way it is made is by simply treating sodium corbonate with hydrogen peroxide!
Why is it a waste to add the OxiClean? The Borax, when dissolved in hot water, breaks down into hydrogen peroxide. Now add the super wash soda and you get OxiClean.
Why does the detergent work so well? Washing soda breaks some of the molecular bonds in water making water "wetter" and lowering the surface tension of the water so that the soap can be more effective. Borax has many chemical properties that contribute to its cleaning power. Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. Borates bonds with other particles to keep ingredients dispersed evenly in a mixture, which maximizes the surface area of active particles to enhance cleaning power. Baking soda softens water by binding with Calcium and Magnesium forming solid, which can be rinsed off the fabric. Castile soap provides a clean, fluffy lather in both hard and soft water. Potassium hydroxide converts the oils into soap and glycerine, thus requiring less water for a lather than traditional liquid soap. When used for cleaning, soap allows insoluble particles to become soluble in water and then be rinsed away. The cleansing action of soap is determined by its polar and non-polar structures in conjunction with an application of solubility principles. The long hydrocarbon chain is non-polar and hydrophobic (repelled by water). The "salt" end of the soap molecule is ionic and hydrophilic (water soluble).  For example: oil/fat is insoluble in water, but when a couple of drops of dish soap are added to the mixture, the oil/fat apparently disappears. The insoluble oil/fat molecules become associated inside micelles, tiny spheres formed from soap molecules with polar hydrophilic (water-attracting) groups on the outside and encasing a lipophilic (fat-attracting) pocket, which shields the oil/fat molecules from the water making it soluble. Anything that is soluble will be washed away with the water.

Cat toy

Now the kitty has a toy to match her night light.

Cherry Almond Biscotti

1/4 C. light olive oil	3/4 C. sugar	2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract	2 eggs	1 3/4 C. flour
1/4 tsp salt	1 tsp. baking powder	1/2 C. dried cherries
1/2 C. slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 300*F. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended.  Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cherries and nuts by hand. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily.  Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275*F.  Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts (seasoned with North Woods or Taco)
3 quarts chicken broth (water and 1 Tb. chicken stock)
2 Tb. corn meal
1 diced poblano pepper
1 diced sweet ancient pepper (it's sweeter than red bell pepper)
1/2 C. frozen sweet corn
1 can black beans
1 small diced tomato, diced avocado, 1 package ($.89) corn tortillas cut into strips and toasted

In your soup pot, gently saute peppers until they are barely soft (2min?) then transfer to a broiling sheet with sweet corn.  Broil vegetables until they have a light black surface.  Fill soup pot with chicken broth and corn meal. Boil until corn meal is soft.  Add cooked, shredded chicken, beans, and vegetables.  Season with more taco seasoning or to taste.  Serve soup with corn tortilla strips, tomatoes, and avocado.

Honey Almond Madeleines

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus melted butter for molds
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, being sure to not let the butter brown. Remove from heat, and stir in honey and almond extract. Let stand until room temperature. In a small bowl, whisk together, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula mix the eggs and sugars until combined. Fold in flour mixture, until just combined. Add the cooled butter mixture, and continue to fold until combined. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees; with rack in center. Brush madeleine molds with melted butter; set aside. Fill each mold three-quarters full, using a spoon. Do not overfill the molds. Bake until puffed, and the edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until pan is just cool enough to handle. Invert onto wire rack and serve warm, if possible. If not serving warm, once the madeleines are cool, sift some confectioners' sugar over the seashell side.