HD Chemicals Caustic Soda – what is its use at home, garden , DIY?
The best known use is draining pipes. But caustic soda is also used in several other household situations, not only emergency ones.
Caustic soda, is the popular name for sodium hydroxide. HD Chemicals Caustic Soda has a strong irritating effect on the skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Therefore, when using this chemical, you should take precautions – protect your hands with gloves, cover your eyes, mouth and nose. In the event of contact with the substance, rinse the area with plenty of cold water and consult a doctor (remember that caustic soda causes chemical burns and severe allergic reactions).
It is also important to store the agent properly – in a tightly closed container (soda reacts strongly with carbon dioxide in the air). Remember to keep this product out of the reach of children and pets.
The use of Caustic Soda for cleaning installations
With a clogged pipe, many of us reach for ready-made draining agents. They are based on caustic soda, so you might as well replace them with it. We will buy Caustic Soda from HD Chemicals LTD online. HD caustic soda is in the form of microgranules. When clearing clogged sewage pipes, the recommended amount of soda (usually a few tablespoons) is poured into the drain and left for some time – from 15 minutes to several hours. Then it is rinsed with plenty of cold water. You can also first pour a little warm water into the blocked siphon and then add caustic soda. However, you have to be careful, because soda reacts strongly when combined with water and generates large amounts of heat – the solution foams a lot and can splash, so the treatment must be carried out with gloves and covered face (soda combined with water gives off irritating vapors).
Do not use too much soda, because it can crystallize in the sewage pipes and completely clog them. The preparation must not be used for aluminum installations and on galvanized surfaces because it may damage the installations. Caustic soda reacts very strongly with aluminum.
However, soda should not be used for plywood and veneers, because it may have a destructive effect on glue, and also for some types of wood, e.g. oak, after such treatment may darken. The agent will also not be effective in removing powder and acrylic paints.
The use of caustic soda for disinfection
Sodium Hydroxide HD Chemicals is very good at cleaning surfaces – it dissolves proteins, removes fats and, above all, kills microorganisms. The use of caustic soda is therefore worth considering when we want to disinfect, for example, a bathroom after a household member’s illness. However, you have to be careful, because not all surfaces can come into contact with the substance – caustic soda should not be used for aluminum, cast iron, zinc. But, for example, bathroom ceramics can be safely washed with a sodium hydroxide solution. However, you must remember to wash the surface with plenty of cold water after disinfecting.
The use of Caustic Soda for cleaning driveways and paths
Dirty paving stones do not look very good after years of use. If washing under pressure is not enough to clean it, the use of caustic soda will restore the surface to its aesthetic appearance. 125 g of soda dissolved in 5 liters of water is poured over the surface to be cleaned and scrubbed with a rice brush, and then thoroughly rinsed with plenty of cold water.
The use of caustic juice in the bleaching of wood
Liquid caustic soda is a colorless, odorless and non-flammable liquid called soda lye. It has many industrial applications, but at home it can be used for whitewashing floors or wooden appliances. When applied to wood, it changes its color, giving it a white-gray shade. The preparation penetrates deeply, so the whitening effect is permanent.
The use of Caustic Soda in the production of soap
The traditional recipe for soap production consists in mixing fat (e.g. vegetable oils) with sodium hydroxide. The use of caustic soda in the form of lye causes the so-called the reaction of saponification of fats – after a few hours, the mixture produces sodium soap and glycerin, which together form the so-called grey soap. Recently, it is quite popular to use caustic soda at home, because more and more people struggle with skin allergies, and the soap is free from irritants.
Post time: Jan-10-2023