"bicarbonate of soda" and "soda crystals" -- are they the same thing/
product?

In article . com,
Dot Net Developer writes:
"bicarbonate of soda" and "soda crystals" -- are they the same thing/
product?

No.
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.
"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.
"caustic soda" is Sodium Hydroxide.

Every few decades, chemists decide to change the way they name
compounds, so I might not be using the names taught in chemistry
lessons today. (Do they even have chemistry lessons today?)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article . com,
Dot Net Developer writes:

"bicarbonate of soda" and "soda crystals" -- are they the same thing/
product?

No.
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.

used for raising cakes & some bread, but is not baking powder

"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.

washing soda, a degreaser

"caustic soda" is Sodium Hydroxide.

very strong degreaser for unblocking drains and dissolving human
remains.


Every few decades, chemists decide to change the way they name
compounds, so I might not be using the names taught in chemistry
lessons today. (Do they even have chemistry lessons today?)

Probably now questions like 'how do you feel about the politics of
chemical E101'


NT

wrote:

very strong degreaser for unblocking drains and dissolving human
remains.

And making soap.


Probably now questions like 'how do you feel about the politics of
chemical E101'

That's vitamin B2. Good for you.


--
Grunff

Grunff wrote:
wrote:

very strong degreaser for unblocking drains and dissolving human
remains.

And making soap.

Isn't that sodium hydroxide? Saponification ISTR.

Sodium bicarbonate is also used as a blast media.
http://www.natriumsodablast.com/soda...g.htm#benefits


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" writes:
Grunff wrote:
wrote:

very strong degreaser for unblocking drains and dissolving human
remains.

And making soap.

Isn't that sodium hydroxide? Saponification ISTR.

You're responding out of context, because previous poster snipped
an important line.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 6 Oct, 13:10, wrote:
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.

used for raising cakes & some bread, but is not baking powder

Can it also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?


"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.

washing soda, a degreaser

Can I use this (diluted) for - cleaning inside fridge & on the sofa?
(Previously I used bicarbonate of soda.)

Thanks, regards, Robert

"Dot Net Developer" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 6 Oct, 13:10, wrote:
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.

used for raising cakes & some bread, but is not baking powder

Can it also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?


"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.

washing soda, a degreaser

Can I use this (diluted) for - cleaning inside fridge & on the sofa?
(Previously I used bicarbonate of soda.)

Use bicarb like the instructions say,after all it works and is safe as it is
a food stuff.

In article .com,
Dot Net Developer writes:
On 6 Oct, 13:10, wrote:
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.

used for raising cakes & some bread, but is not baking powder

Baking powder is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate diluted with flour
so that the tiny amounts required can be reasonably accurately
measured in a kitchen. In commercial cooking, it's used raw
without dilution as more accurate measuring is used. It slowly
neutralises acids from the other ingredients, reacting to produce
CO2 responsible for raising. Bread is normally raised by yeast
and sugar liberating CO2, but soda bread is an example where
Sodium Hydroden Carbonate reacting with milk is used instead.

Can it also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?

Yes. Particularly useful where you don't want any smell from
a perfumed cleaner, such as inside a fridge, and you don't
want any acid or alkali left behind. Sodium Hydroden Carbonate
is good for neutralising acids and alkalis. Another traditional
use in this area is for neutralising excess stomach acid.

"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.

washing soda, a degreaser

Can I use this (diluted) for - cleaning inside fridge & on the sofa?
(Previously I used bicarbonate of soda.)

Not sure. Why risk it -- sodium bicarbonate is so cheap?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 6 Oct, 16:50, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
Can it [bicarbonate of soda] also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?

Yes.

The penny's just dropped as to why I can't find bicarbonate of soda in
the supermarket - I've been looking in the cleaning products isle - I
need to go to the home baking products isle!

On 06 Oct 2007 15:50:56 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Baking powder is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate diluted with flour
so that the tiny amounts required can be reasonably accurately
measured in a kitchen.

Baking powder is usually a mixture of Bicarbonate of Soda and
Tartaric Acid in the ratio 1:2.

Can it also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?

Bicarbonate of Soda can, baking powder cannot.

Yes. Particularly useful where you don't want any smell from
a perfumed cleaner, such as inside a fridge, and you don't
want any acid or alkali left behind.

Other than in fridges Bicarbonate of Soda isn't a terribly good
cleaning agent and (if bought in small tubs from a supermarket) quite
an expensive one.

"soda crystals" are Sodium Carbonate, IIRC.

washing soda, a degreaser

Can I use this (diluted) for - cleaning inside fridge & on the sofa?
(Previously I used bicarbonate of soda.)

I wouldn't use bicarbonate of soda on materials. Washing Soda is a
fairly good general purpose cleaning agent but not for use in situ on
fabrics.
--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Dot Net Developer wrote:
On 6 Oct, 13:10, wrote:
"bicarbonate of soda" is Sodium Hydroden Carbonate.
used for raising cakes & some bread, but is not baking powder

Can it also be used as a general purpose cleaner (diluted in water)?

Not general purpose but very good for removing tannin from teapots and
cups. Mix to a paste with a little water.




--
djc

On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:33:08 +0000, djc wrote:

Not general purpose but very good for removing tannin from teapots and
cups. Mix to a paste with a little water.

I wonder if bicarb is an ingredient of dishwasher detergent which is also
very good for degunking teapots and vacuum flasks?

--
John Stumbles

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