This week, with Mothers Day coming up, Roy decided to make something as a gift for his Grandma. At times like Mothers Day Mums are often given lots of chocolate and other sweet treats but with Easter not being very long ago, he thought he would prefer to make something to pamper his Grandma in a different way. Then, he came across a recipe for a bath powder in one of his old 'Home Health' books from the early 1900s. It was a really simple recipe and could be made in a very small quantity, right through to a very large amount, and promised a soothing, fizzy bath. He thought this would be perfect. So this week, Roy Creates Fizzy Bath Powders
Choose a measuring implement, like a tablespoon or a cup, and keep to the following proportions. You can make as much or as little as you like.
- 2 measures of bicarbonate of soda
- 1 measure of cooking salt
- 1 measure of cornflour
- 1 measure of citric acid
- A clean, dry, airtight bottle or jar
- Fabric
- Scissors
- Ribbon or chord
- A rubberband
- A label and pen
Options:
You can choose to scent and colour your powder, by using essential oils and food colours, or by adding dried flowers, dried herbs or ground spices. Roy used lavender essential oil and red and blue food colouring to make lavender scented and coloured powder.
Method:
- If you are using essential oils and food colouring, thoroughly mix these with the salt before adding any other ingredients. If the bicarbonate of soda or citric acid encounter moisture they will start reacting with each other and your powder will loose its fizz.
- Add the cornflour and mix this with the salt.
- Now add the bicarbonate of soda and citric acid and mix them with the salt and cornflour.
- If you want to add dried herbs, flowers or spices, add them now.
- Put the mix into tightly sealed bottles or jars. Your bottles must be completely dry and seal tightly. Any moisture will start the reaction happening early, and it won't fizz properly in the bath.
- Cut a circle of fabric, using a cup or saucer as a guide and use a rubberband to tie this around the top of the bottle.
- Write a little card with instructions and the scent used, and use a matching ribbon to tie this to the bottle.
- Add a little to bathwater for a relaxing, scented bath.
What Makes The Bath Powder Fizz?
When you add this mix to a bath, the mix will fizz madly and leave behind a nicely coloured and scented bathwater. Why does the mix fizz though? Bicarbonate of soda is an alkaline base substance while the citric acid is the opposite, an acidic substance. When they are combined in the bathwater they suddenly start to react, trying to neutralise each other. A biproduct of this reaction is carbon dioxide which fizzes as it bubbles out of the water.
