announcement

This will be short and perhaps bitter sweet.

We're so fortunate to have such a fantastic vibrant bunch of loyal customers.  This is a good time to once again say a huge thank you to you all - it's been a real pleasure to have been part of your adventures.

We've made a very difficult decision to close the main website.  Primarily we have to face the fact that after over 8 amazing years things have quite simply, changed.  I could go on about all the different challenges we've faced but it seems much better to focus on the future, to let you know that we will still be around a while longer but not in the form that you're used to and that there is no cause for concern.

So today I've been "closing" the website. Sitting here on a sunny Sunday afternoon whilst friends and family romp in the sunshine, twiddling with all the different sections; deleting a lot of hard work but ensuring that there is information for our customers.  

Reading back that last sentence will probably summarise where my head is at the moment.  Many of you know that this business is my third baby.  I am a single parent to two beautiful (now teenage) girls and we've had to make a lot of sacrifices and faced many personal challenges whilst I've been building and running this little enterprise.  Economic factors are part of the reason for this change but I've also come to a point where I must pursue other things, not least a return to a fairly normal family life.

I am quite sure that you will have questions, perhaps concerns.  All orders are perfectly safe and we are not disappearing. That's a very important message and the reason for this post.  Our website had a product count of some 12000 units when all pack sizes were included in the calculation.  We are closing the site simply so that we can manage the sale of our stocks efficiently.

Going forward I will be working in a very closely related field whilst retaining some aspects of Bathbomb.biz Ltd. There are no plans for us to continue supplying ingredients at this point in time but there are plans in the pipeline for new adventures within the field of Bath & Body - watch this space. 

So, over to Ebay - let the sale commence...  

Royal Mail Parcel Size Change 28th October

Earlier this year Royal Mail introduced parcel size bands and price increases that negatively affected a great many businesses.

We have great news though - look what dropped through the letterbox this morning!

The cost of a parcel of these dimensions was more than double the amount shown just a day or two ago! Note that the £2.25 shown is a franked mail price for second class - this will be a little more if you send your mail via the post office. 

We wanted to ensure that you all have this information - for those of you who sell your products at a distance this is fabulous news in the run up to Christmas.  Looks like the competition from My Hermes and similar operators has had an impact on the Royal Mail. Yipee!

Here is the press release from Royal Mail - go check it out :)

Happy Easter! Kaolin Bath Bombs Recipe

This recipe uses a fabulous British product - Cornish Kaolin Clay - and makes a ROCK hard bath bomb. Perfect for novelty bath bombs such as the massive Easter Egg shell pictured here.  

Colourful & calorie free, this was made using a cracked effect chocolate egg mould (you can now buy one here) which we filled leaving a hollowed out centre.  Doing so enabled us to "fill" the egg with 60mm bath bomb eggs.  The two halves were then simply tied together with curling ribbon so that the inner contents could be seen.

Using the clay appears to speed up the drying time and in turn helped with moulding such a large form.

In combination with Witch Hazel, this is a fairly easy recipe to use for all situations and one that you could adapt to make any kind of bath bomb fizzer.  

INGREDIENTS:

600g Sodium Bicarbonate
300g Citric Acid
50g Corn Flour
75g Kaolin Light BP Grade Clay
10ml Coconut Fragrance (any of your choice)
Acid Red water soluble powder colour
Witch Hazel spritz to bind 

METHOD:

Combine all of the dry ingredients thoroughly in a plastic or glass bowl kept for the purpose.
Add the tip of a teaspoon of powder colour and mix well. The colour will not be apparent until you add moisture, so don't be tempted to add too much.
Add your fragrance whilst mixing constantly with (gloved) hands
Spritz 5 or 6 sprays at a time with Witch hazel, repeating 6 or 8 times or until the mix holds together when pressed in the palm of your hand. The correct consistency is the same as is needed when making successful sandcastles - damp but not over wet.
Press into the mould with fingers, spreading evenly and leaving a hollow in the middle of the mould.
Set aside to dry for 15 minutes before removing carefully and allowing to dry completely (1 hour)

You can of course use the mix in any mould and adapt the colour and fragrance to suit.

Enjoy!



How to make Solid Lotion Bars

Solid lotion bars are a complete necessity in this weather.  But what are they?  And how are they made?

Unlike commercial moisturisers and body butters, home made lotion bars need only contain a handful of natural ingredients.  Because of the long shelf life of the butters oils and waxes used in making them, and as they are formulated without water, they don't need additional preservatives.

If you suffer from dry or irritated skin, need to moisturise on the move (much easier to carry a lotion bar through airport control than a bottle of lotion!) or simply want to find a cheaper way to keep your skin in great condition, why not give them a try.

You don't need fancy moulds; if you already have PVC or Silicone soap, candle, bath bomb or chocolate moulds or even ice cube trays then you can use these.  Alternatively you can use paper souffle cases, or recycled plastic containers - just be sure that whatever you use can withstand a fairly high degree of heat.  If travelling with solid lotion you might want to use a Dip Pot.  These food grade pots are semi disposable containers that are also micro safe and have a hinged lid allowing you to make and store your bars in one container.

Of course you can get fancy with them especially if planning to give them as gifts.  Heart shaped soap moulds make a really pretty looking lotion bar.

Solid Lotion Bar Recipe

50g Beeswax or Vegetable wax such as Candelila
50g Sweet Almond or similar vegetable base oil
50g Shea Butter

Optional

1.5ml toiletry grade fragrance concentrate or essential oil of your choice
Suggestions; Lavender & Patchouli essential Oil, Clary Sage & Lavender EO, Coconut fragrance oil, Ylang Ylang EO (doubles up as a very very good massage bar for two!), Vanilla & Chocolate fragrance oil (though licking your arms after applying isn't wholly recommended)... experiment, we think you will enjoy!

Method

Using either a microwave or a pan, slowly melt your Beeswax until almost completely liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in the Shea and Sweet Almond.  If necessary return to the heat briefly but be sure to remove from the heat immediately that all the butters are liquid.  Doing this part of the process slowly and gently will preserve the qualities of the butters/oils.  Shea butter in particular does not like to be overheated and can react by separating and becoming grainy.

Cool for a few minutes before stirring in your chosen Essential or Fragrance Oil.

Once the mix has cooled* for a few minutes, pour into your moulds/containers and cool completely before use. You can pop the moulds in the fridge if you're feeling especially impatient.

*Allowing the mix to cool is especially important when using plastic moulds - you don't want to melt them!

Et Voila!  All done.

Vary the recipe by using different "butters" - Mango for instance.  If you want to include Cocoa Butter then we suggest that you reduce the Beeswax - perhaps use 25g of Beeswax with 25g of Cocoa Butter plus the other ingredients as above.  And if you find the recipe either too hard or too soft for your preference, then either reduce or increase the Beeswax.

Hot Tip! Want to add a touch of colour?  Try Jojoba Beads - teeny tiny spheres of Jojoba Wax that's had cosmetic colour added; suitable for use in scrubs these can also be added to your mix to add a touch of colour - only a few grams needed.

Functionally all of the ingredients work for your skin - other than fragrance of course, but that's a sensory necessity!  Beeswax will help provide a barrier to the elements whilst the Shea and Almond Oil will moisturise and soften.  You can include Essential Oils for therapeutic value as well as for their particular fragrance or simply make up a fragrance free version which can be used to tackle very dry skin and even eczema.  The choice is yours, we hope that you enjoy :)

Hand Made Christmas - Solid Lotion Puds

Making a gorgeous gift doesn't come much easier than this...

This is the first item in our mini series that will help you on your way this Christmas.

If you (like we) are determined to have a hand made Christmas this eye catching lotion "pud" is a lovely place to begin.  

In fact, this little recipe will lend itself to use as a lotion bar, bath melt or massage bar.  Only the mould you use will make the difference.  The balance of butters and oils enables the finished product to melt on contact with skin or indeed warm bath water.  So take your pick, adapt the recipe just by choice of mould and make the most of this versatile combination of ingredients.

Using just Mango Butter, Cocoa Butter and your choice of vegetable base oil, this is a cost effective recipe. Whilst we've suggested the Essential Oils used here (which are a wonderful therapeutic combination with a gorgeous aroma), you can of course adapt these to your favourites or substitute a fragrance oil instead.  A great combination would be a designer similar fragrance and a sprinkle of glitter for a lotion bar perfect for the party season.

Ingredients

(to make 4 x 50g puds)

90g Mango Butter

50g Cocoa Butter

60ml Grape Seed or similar vegetable base oil

1ml Rose Wood Essential Oil

0.25ml Tangerine Essential Oil

0.25ml Mandarin Essential Oil

0.5ml Lavender Essential Oil

You will also need; 4 x holly toppers, pipettes, a suitable mould ( for the image above we used a medium paper souffle case) and a heat source.

Melt the butters beginning with the Cocoa butter and adding the Mango as the Cocoa begins to melt.  Use a low heat setting if using a microwave.  Alternatively use a bowl over hot water but please ensure no water or steam enters the bowl of ingredients.  You may also melt directly in a pan. In all cases, ensure that the butters are only heated to the point of "just" melting. Do not overheat and do not leave unattended.

When the butters are liquid, add the base oil.  Stir and allow to cool to the point of slightly thickening.  ( not for too long - you will still need to pour the mix!)

Add the essential oils and stir thoroughly. 

Pour a small amount into each of the cases first and then fill with the remaining mix (doing so should ensure there is no seepage from the cases - this is also why you should not pour at too high a temperature).

Refrigerate until completely cold.

Peel off the cases and insert the holly topper if using 

So that the aroma lasts, wrap in cello bags, cling film or store in an airtight container until required.

Suggestions

To make bath melts select a small souffle case - this will hold around 30g which is sufficient for a bath melt.

To make a massage bar use a plastic or silicone mould with a capacity of around 50-80g.  Cool completely before attempting to remove from the mould.

If you'd like a massage bar that doesn't melt quite so quickly, increase the Cocoa Butter by 20%

How to Make Prim Heart Bath Melts

We so wanted to share these lovelies with you, as they are simple to make but better yet, they are truly fabulous to use.  So finally, here they are!

So what is a bath melt?

You simply pop one into  your (running) bath.  The natural Cocoa, Shea and Natural Vegetable oils will melt in the warmth of the water, but as you probably guessed they will not disperse fully.  Instead, the oils will be drawn to your skin providing instant moisturising without the effort!

When you finally get out of your bath (take care, it will be slippery and we strongly recommend the use of a bath mat) all you need do is pat your skin dry.  A film of skin loving oils will remain, leaving you with a wonderful pampered feeling.

We're using our Prim Hearts Mould which can also be used for fizzers and soaps, but you can of course use any suitable mould.  Keep the size small, there is no need to have a huge chunk of a melt in your bath.  Novelty ice trays will work as will guest soap moulds.  As this is an oily recipe, it will work well with re purposed yoghurt pots etc too. and should not give you too many de moulding issues whatever the shape.  As with soaps, chilling before de moulding will help tremendously.

What you need to make around 6 melts. (Multiply up if you want to make more)

A mould with a capacity of around 120-130g divided between cavities of around 20-25g (If you don't know the capacity, weigh your mould empty and then again with water in it to calculate the rough capacity)

65g Shea Butter or similar (a butter of similar consistency at room temp such as Mango)

32g Cocoa Butter unbleached (still has its natural aroma)

32ml Vegetable base oil such as Sweet Almond (substitute with your favourite if you prefer)

0.5ml of Thyme fragrance oil

0.5ml of Rosemary fragrance oil

(both fragrances can of course be substituted for your preference)

Due to the oil rich nature of this recipe, the melts that you make are known as a "leave on" product.  That is, there is an increased element of dermal exposure to the fragrance; the oil and the fragrance within the melts will cling to the skin and not be washed away.  

This is in contrast to a melt and pour soap for example that you rinse away and is termed a "wash off" product.  These two classifications are especially relevant for those making and selling products - the two have different permitted levels of fragrance and allergens in the final product.

Of course at home there are no regulations covering your own creations made for personal use, but the rules exist as a point of safety. For this type of recipe, use no more than 1% fragrance or essential oil in your mix in total. This recipe uses around 129g of ingredients and so using 1ml in total of fragrance will keep you within the recommendations.  Our suggested fragrances Rosemary and Thyme have relatively low levels of allergens in their formulation.  Allergen free fragrances are available here

Rosemary & Thyme make a fabulous fragrance combination that should not be kept for stuffing!  But you may also have other ideas. Don't be shy - you can combine any of our cosmetic grade fragrance concentrates to create your own classy combinations but please don't mix Essential oil and fragrance oil.  How about Vanilla & Cinnamon for a warm spicy autumnal soak? Or English Rose & Patchouli for a sensual soak?

Method

Using a saucepan over a very low heat, melt your Cocoa Butter first.  When half liquid, add your Shea Butter and Oil.  Stir gently until completely liquid but do not overheat.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Add your fragrance and stir.

Cool for a further 5-15 minutes, observing the mix to ensure it is not setting.

Pour into your moulds.

Allow to cool, refrigerate until cold before popping out of the mould.

For our Prim Heart mould, turn the mould upside down and press firmly but gently in the middle of each cavity.  Your melts should release easily.  If not, they may not be cold enough - pop them back in the fridge.

Wrap & Enjoy!

Chill Pill Bath Bombs Recipe

Cute Chill Pills!

How much do we LOVE this new mould?! 

So easy to use, this is a 2D tray style plastic mould that can be used for lots of crafting applications - soap, bath fizzers, mini melts etc. What's more, because it is produced with Food Grade plastic, it's also suitable for chocolate making*.

Our passion as you may have guessed is for all things fizzy.  With that in mind we thought we'd share with you our simple recipe for creating rock solid chill pills that you can package up to make excellent gifts.  

(Don't let us stop you from using this mould for your other crafts though! Let us know what you've used it for :) )

Of course, you can simply use your own favourite bath bomb making recipe for this mould if you prefer.

As these are small fizzers you don't really want to end up with crumbly fizzers therefore we've created a recipe using Witch Hazel as the primary binder and including Corn Flour for a smooth finish.  Witch Hazel will help create a strong solid fizzer.  All good when making and packaging gifts :)

This recipe is also what we'd term oil free.  Because of the size of these adorable fizzies, a lot of people will use them in a shower.  No slippy oils or butters here then please!

We've made ours in white. If you want to add either some colour though you can include a powder pigment/water colour or a liquid colour at the dry stage before binding with Witch Hazel. 

Note that if you use a liquid colour, it is likely that with this recipe you will end up with spotting due to the speed of drying going on. We like spots, but we know not everybody feels the same. 

This recipe will dry at this size in just minutes.  Once you've filled all 6 cavities you are safe to turn them out and go ahead and use the remaining mix to refill and repeat the process.  You could go on like that forever, so if you wish to make more or less Bath Fizzers simply reduce or increase the mix proportionately, keeping the ratios of one ingredient to another.

We suggest wiping the mould with kitchen paper before refilling to avoid the subsequent fizzers from sticking to any residue in the cavities.

To make around 12 Chill Pill Fizzers

Chill Pill Mini Mould

150g Sodium Bicarbonate

75g Citric Acid, Fine Grade

25g Corn Flour

Up to 5ml Fragrance Concentrate

Witch Hazel to bind

Gloves

Optional colour

Method

Sing "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, I must work quickly you know" whilst you place all of the dry ingredients in a plastic bowl (saved for B&B crafting) pop on your gloves and mix everything thoroughly with your hands.

Add your fragrance a couple of drops at a time and keep the mix moving with your free hand. 

Once you've added all of your fragrance, spritz the mix with Witch Hazel. Work steadily until the mix is holding together when squeezed in your hand.(Think sandcastle sand)

Take your mould and press mix into each of the cavities.  Compact the mix and level the base.

As soon as the cavities are all filled, you can turn the fizzers out carefully.  You might want to cover the mould with a plate or tray and use that to help turn out the fizzers without damage.  If necessary, apply firm but gentle pressure to the middle of the mould to release the fizzer.

Set your creations aside, wipe the mould with kitchen paper and repeat until all mix is used. (Keep singing!)

If wrapping the fizzers we suggest leaving them up to an hour to totally dry out and become safe to handle.

Enjoy!

Click here for our Keep Calm & Carry on Chill Pill making KIT

*As with all plastic moulds, do not overheat your ingredients or pour into the mould at high temperatures, whatever medium you are using. For soaps we recommend allowing the soap to cool for a few minutes before pouring but in the case of bath melts where you are using hot oils, it is necessary to exercise lots of caution - have the liquid oils as cool as is practical before you pour. You will find that oils & butters will still pour at quite low temperatures.

Top 5 Tips to Get the Best out of your Soap Moulds - Part 1 - Plastic Tray Moulds

 

Multi Purpose Moulds - the above were all made from the same mould

Some of you know that we now produce our own plastic tray moulds in house.  We've used this style of mould for many years, for Bath Bombs and Soaps as well as melts, shower bombs and the like.

Functional and long lasting, they are a great addition to the Bath & Body crafter's cupboard but as with anything functional, there are ways to get the best out of using them.

As our in house designed & made range grows, we are learning more and more about the do's and don't s and naturally wanted to share with you all.

1) Do not overheat. When using Melt & Pour soap base with your mould, remove the soap base from the heat source and allow a minute or two for the temperature to reduce. Usually, you will be adding colour and fragrance at this point and this time delay will suffice but if you've had to reheat your base, keep this tip in mind. If using melted oils and butters to create massage bars and melts, be especially mindful of the temperature. You must allow the oil/butter to cool before pouring.

2) Always wash your moulds in warm soapy water immediately after use. This is especially important when making bath bombs as the ingredients will weaken the moulds if left unwashed for extended periods of time

3) Do not dishwash or apply direct heat to the moulds. They are plastic and will warp or melt.

4) Take care when de moulding soap.  Most tray moulds will release bath bombs incredibly easily but with soap a number of factors can make de moulding tricky.  Fragrance and colours, additions and layers can all affect the soap itself and make it cling to the mould.  Chilling thoroughly will greatly assist removal of soaps, whatever base you use.  Ensure the soap has had at least 30 minutes in the fridge if it has intricate detail to the mould. You can speed this process by using the freezer but be aware that regularly doing so or leaving the mould for long periods in the freezer will shorten the life of the plastic making it brittle.  Now and then is fine though!

5) Look for the release of air when removing your soaps. Upturn your mould and apply gentle but firm pressure with your fingers/thumbs first in the middle of the soap and then around the sides. You should see the soap release and a pocket of air travel around the mould.  Delicate designs often obscure this so be patient and keep applying firm but gentle pressure until the soap is released.  Do not bend or bash (!) the mould or you will risk permanent damage.

What do you find most helpful when using your moulds? Please do comment below or why not join in the discussions on our Facebook page 
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#NatClean2012 Challenge - Week 5 - Lavender Carpet Freshener

This week's recipe is a really simple one, and our thanks go to Sam who recently reminded us about this fab recipe in a conversation on the Bathbomb.biz Ltd Facebook page.

Using just two natural ingredients you can create your own version of the commercially available carpet fresheners - without chemicals!

All you need is a quantity of Sodium Bicarbonate and some natural Lavender flowers.  Because you can make this ahead of time and keep some for later use, (and we recommend this because the aroma deepens over time) we would suggest that you find a suitable container just for the purpose.  Something like an old ice cream tub or a large coffee jar will be fine.

How much you make depends on the area of carpet you want to clean.  For an average sized rug you will need around 250g of Bicarbonate of Soda and a handful of Dried Lavender.

Simply mix the Bicarb with the Lavender and use immediately.  Sprinkle onto the carpet liberally - if you can leave it overnight so much the better.  If not, try to leave for a couple of hours and then vacuum up.  A definite plus is that your vacuum will also benefit from a Lavender aroma too!

If you don't like the idea of using Lavender flowers, or if you have a particularly light coloured carpet/rug then you can just use Bicarb on its own.

Alternatively add 5-10 drops of your favourite essential oil per 250g of Bicarbonate.  Stir the oil through the bicarbonate and leave overnight.  Before use, stir the mix and crumble any lumps.

Again, if in any doubt about the effects on your carpet please do a small test.

We hope you have been finding these #NatClean2012 recipes useful.  If you, like Sam, would like to share a recipe that you've found to be useful, do get in touch.  You can comment here, email or catch up with us on Facebook.

Enjoy :)

All Natural Bath Bomb Recipe

This is a really simple recipe that uses no artificial fragrance or colour.  

Even if you find fragrance overpowering, you can still enjoy a relaxing and cleansing bath filled with fizz and the sensory delights of aroma & colour that comes only from gorgeously natural ingredients.  

The pure Cocoa Butter in this recipe will literally feed your skin, leaving you feeling pampered and moisturised without any effort.

As you would expect, the aroma of these beautiful bath bombs is gentle and soothing; perfectly suited to those who struggle with strong smells or indeed anyone who needs that bit of me time.

What you might not expect is that the aroma from this recipe is soooo nice! Enjoy :)

Ingredients

250g Sodium Bicarbonate

125g Citric Acid

50g Corn Starch (Corn Flour)

50g Dried Mango Powder

Orange flower water in a spritz bottle to bind (about 15-20ml needed here)

Grated Natural Cocoa Butter (unbleached to keep its natural properties and aroma)

Handful of Calendula flowers
(All of the above ingredients are available at www.bathbomb.biz)

The above will make around 5 Bath Bombs when using a 60mm two part mould, or will make dozens and dozens of little fizzers using silicone ice tray type moulds.  We also used a PVC soap & bath bomb tray type mould and these worked really well.

Method

Place the bicarb, citric and corn flour in a large plastic bowl & using gloved hands, combine the ingredients

Add the Mango powder & combine, squashing any lumps between finger & thumb (Mango has a tendency to clump)

Taking a lump of Cocoa Butter, grate in around 10-20g and stir through the mix

Add a handful of Calendula Petals (Not too many or you may have problems getting the mix to hold its shape)

Spritz with Orange Flower water 5-6 sprays at a time whilst moving the mix around with your hands.  When the mix is holding together if squeezed in your palm, its ready for moulding. (Think damp sandcastle sand - do not over wet)

Place into your moulds and allow to dry.  Wrap to preserve the aroma until required.

As this recipe contains a "butter" please use caution - the bath will be slippery.

Tip when you get out of your bath, just pat your skin dry allowing the film of Cocoa Butter to remain and work its magic!

If you prefer a stronger aroma you can simply adapt this recipe by adding your favourite fragrance or essential oils.  We recommend using a citrus Essential oil - Tangerine or Mandarin work really well with the ingredient combination here.  Use around 1% so for this quantity you'd need around 4.5ml.

What do you think?  Let us know if you'll be giving these a try we would love to hear from you.

And if you'd like to share pictures of your own creations please do join us on Facebook here

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 4 - Descaling #NatClean2012

Hard water causes limescale - we all appreciate that.

But did you know that you can remove scale easily just by using natural ingredients?

Using a simple solution of Citric Acid (a very mild acid, derived from and found in Lemons for example),

or vinegar, it's possible to banish accumulated limescale and with regular use, keep it away.

Limescale is mostly Calcium Carbonate which can be readily removed without the need for chemical descalers.  

Why would you want a chemical descaler in your kettle?  Or indeed want to pour the used chemicals down the drain?

Kettles clogged with scale will be less efficient so this #NatClean2012 tip will save you money whilst caring for our environment.

To descale a family kettle;

Either; 

Fill to just above the scale line

Add 2-6 teaspoons (depending upon the amount of scale. Do this frequently and you will only need a couple of teaspoons) of Citric Acid

Boil the kettle

Allow to cool

If clear of scale, tip out and rinse, boil again with clean water, the tip out.

If any scale remains, repeat. If you know your kettle is really "furry", leave the Citric solution overnight.  I've never had to do this though and we have REALLY hard water.

OR

Empty your kettle

Fill to just above the scale with vinegar*

Leave overnight

Tip out and rinse

Boil with clean water and tip out

*Any kind of vinegar will do, the aim is to rinse and rinse until the kettle is clear of any residual vinegar anyway. If you're worried about possible smell or taste remaining, use White Vinegar. 

Happily, you can press this method into use with your coffee machine, washing machines, dishwashers and baby bottle sterilisers.  Cheap, quick and with no fear of nasty chemicals remaining.

Coffee machine - as above in the water unit - leave overnight (switched off)

Dish washer - place Citric acid directly in the base of the dishwasher and run as normal

Washing machine - use a cup of vinegar or a solution of Citric Acid in your laundry powder drawer and run (without clothes) 

Here's my kettle in its various stages. 

I descale with Citric every couple of weeks so it's not too bad at the beginning but it will give you an idea.  This took only minutes.

Before - enough scale to affect the taste of your tea!

During - this was at the second boil

And after - no scale left at all

When using either the Citric Acid method or the Vinegar method, take care not to overfill the kettle - it will fizz and may foam.  If leaving overnight, it's probably best to leave a note near the kettle too...

Enjoy!

If you've enjoyed reading and using our #NatClean2012 posts please do comment and follow us on Twitter for more hints & tips.  Don't forget to use the hashtag #NatClean2012 that way we can share ideas :)

Another Use For Citric Acid

I wanted to share with you all, whilst we're on the subject of Natural Cleaning (how are you getting on?) and all things a little bit greener...

This wonderful post on by Sandie Bloor Herb and Wild Food Recipes: ElderFlowers

Her blog is a lovely resource for natural food recipes using home grown or foraged ingredients and I'd encourage you to pop over and say hi

Enjoy!

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 3 - Eco friendly jewellery cleaner #NatClean2012

Jubilee fever may be over, but we're still wearing our best sparkly jewels in honour of Her Majesty the Queen!

If your jewellery is looking a bit dull and lifeless, today's #NatClean2012 challenge is for you - let's get those sparklers sparkling and make you look like a Queen once again!

It's important to clean your jewellery regularly if you want to keep it in tip top condition - everyday wear and tear can make it look dull and lifeless, and who wants a lifeless bit of metal upon their person?

So, let's get cleaning - naturally!

Clean Silver Jewellery naturally

You will need:

• aluminium (tin)foil
• baking powder
• boiling water

Firstly line a bowl with the foil - make sure the bowl is something that can cope with boiling water or this could get a little messy!

Then put in your silver jewellery.

Cover the jewellery with baking powder. Make sure it's covered but don't go mad!

Now the fun bit; pour on boiling water until it covers the jewellery. It will fizz and foam a little - don't panic!

Leave it for around 5 minutes to perform it's fizzy magic.

Lift out the jewellery (we'd recommend using a fork if you don't want to be branded) and rinse under cold water.

Buff with a soft cloth and gaze in wonder at your new sparkly items :)

(Note of caution - be careful with costume jewellery, as leaving for too long in the boiling water could melt the glue - we'd advise soaking for a minute at a time)

Clean Gold Jewellery naturally

 You will need:

• cider vinegar

In a bowl, place the gold jewellery you wish to clean.

Add the cider vinegar until it covers the items.

Let it sit for 15 minutes, then take it out and buff with a soft cloth.

Bask in the knowledge that everyone will soon think you have a whole load of new jewellery and all for the cost of a bit of cider vinegar!

So there we have it - 2 great eco recipes for cleaning gold and silver jewellery - now you can look good and save the planet at the same time!

Will you take us up on our NatClean2012 challenge? If you missed the previous posts, click here to find them!

Let us know in the comments below (and on Twitter using hashtag #NatClean2012) if you have any other jewellery cleaning tips, and how you're getting on with our Natural Cleaning Challenge!

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 2 - Furniture Polish #NatClean2012

It's week 2 of our Natural Cleaning Challenge - have you taken the Challenge?

Last week we talked about a natural oven cleaner - how did you get on?

This week we're looking at a natural furniture polish.

I don't know about you but I really dislike the synthetic smell of most furniture polish - OK it may contain some funky chemical that 'attracts dust' and it make make my furniture look nice and shiny, but does it really have to smell like that?

And sometimes I wonder how people managed to keep their furniture dust and streak free before these polishes were invented!

So, let's create a lovely smelling natural furniture polish that you'll be proud to use, won't make your kids sneeze and doesn't cost the Earth!

Natural Green Furniture Polish

You will need:

• 2 cups of oil
• 1 cup of white vinegar

Now, this is where it gets interesting - you can choose pretty much any type of oil for this natural furniture polish recipe, depending on the smell you like. Coconut oil, jojoba oil, good old olive oil, linseed oil - take your pick (we wouldn't recommend chilli infused oil though!).

Mix the oil and the vinegar together and polish your furniture using a soft natural cloth. Simply wipe on, then wipe off for a long lasting sheen and a lovely smell.

You could use lemon juice in place of the vinegar, but please do be sure to test an area of your furniture first, as it may have a slight bleaching effect on some wood.

The great thing about this recipe is you can ring the changes every week with a different type of oil!

Fancy an even better smell? Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the mix (again test this first just in case).

We'd love to hear your variations on this recipe, so go ahead and give it a go, then let us know in the comments below how you got on!

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 1 - Oven Cleaner #NatClean2012

It's a task we all hate - cleaning the oven. But those chemical laden cleaners have made it so easy haven't they?

"Just spray on, leave, then wipe", says one brand.

But just exactly what are you 'spraying on'?

When the warning on the back tells you to well ventilate a room, not to get the product on your skin, and not to breathe it in, it can't be good can it?

That's because the most common basic ingredient in oven cleaners is lye; either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This can burn your eyes and skin, and can be fatal if swallowed.

Some oven cleaners can also contain butane, monoethanolamine and Dithylene glycol monobutyl.

We don't know about you but we feel pretty icky spraying our oven with things we can't even pronounce!

And that's before we think about the residue left behind on an item we use to cook food for our children!

But help is at hand, with our Natural Cleaning Challenge Week 1 Oven Cleaner!

Try the following recipe, and let us know in the comments what a difference it makes for you. Or tweet about it using the hashtag #NatClean2012!

NATURAL ECO FRIENDLY FUME FREE OVEN CLEANER

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
• Half a cup of washing soda (most supermarkets stock this)
• Tablespoon white vinegar (not malt!)
• Hot water

Method:

1) Turn your oven off and allow it to completely cool

2) Wipe off any excess dirt or spills with a cloth dipped in very hot water

3) Add the baking soda to the washing soda and mix

4) Gradually add the hot water until you have a thick spreadable paste

5) Add the vinegar - it will fizz at this point, don't be alarmed!

6) Spread the paste all over your oven surface (rubber gloves and an old paintbrush would come in handy for this part!)

7) Leave it overnight (make the most of it, order takeaway!)

8) The next day just wipe off with warm water

9) Admire your sparkly oven and feel smug that no parts of the planet were harmed in the cleaning of your oven!

If your oven is particularly greasy (don't worry, we won't tell!) then use an additional cup of washing soda in the initial mix.

The great thing about this oven cleaner is that it doesn't scratch your oven and so can be used on enamel and porcelain, and if you wanted that lemon fresh smell you could add a few drops of lemon essential oil.

That's it - it's really that simple!

Grab your ingredients, cool down your oven and... 3...2...1...GO!

(Don't forget to tell us how you get on in the comments! And on Twitter using hashtag #NatClean2012)

Natural Cleaning - will you take the challenge? #NatClean2012

With the advent of shops such as Poundland and The 99p Store, buying cleaning products has never been so cheap. Add into that the millions of pounds that manufacturers throw into their advertising campaigns, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that you had the best bargain in the world with a £1 toilet or kitchen cleaner from a well known brand.

But most of us know life isn't just about money or glamorous brands; it's about being eco-friendly, about staying healthy and about avoiding the chemicals and additives that most modern cleaning products contain.

So, with that in mind, we at Bathbomb.biz are issuing a challenge - a natural cleaning challenge!

Over the next few weeks we're going to challenge you to replace one of your cleaning products a week with a natural alternative. Even better than that, we're going to give you the recipes and guidelines you need for that alternative, using things you probably already have around your home.

Think about it; currently you probably use a lot of the following:

• Chlorine
• Phosphates
• Caustic cleansers
• Hydrocarbons
• Benzisothiozalinone

Without even thinking about it - they're found in toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, kitchen sprays, detergents and more. And that's just the start.

Yes they make things clean and sparkly. Yes they make things smell good. But these chemicals (and more) are also linked to a  variety of health and environmental problems, due to the way they are manufactured as well as the impact they have once they're washed down the drain.

We owe it to ourselves and our environment to avoid them.

So we're going to show you how to use:

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Essential oils
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Bread
• Walnuts
• And more

to make your home shine, smell fresh and most of all BE CLEAN.

No more toxic chemicals, no more fabricated smells that don't last, and we'll even bet that our natural cleaning challenge recipes are cheaper too!

So are you up for it?

Let us know in the comments if you're in, and look out for our next post or watch Twitter for the hashtag #NatClean2012

Fan of the Week Draw

Hello! It's that time again - time for us to throw tenners around!

Well ok, a tenner.  At one lucky fan of our Facebook page

That's right - simply by being a fan (click like when you go there) and by actively commenting and posting, you can be entered into a draw to win a free virtual tenner to spend on the website on products (excludes postage and safety assessments)

So... without further ado...

April's Fan of the Week Winner is


Cristine Dyer!

Well done Cristine, and thank you to all of you for joining in with the page - you guys make it what it is and we really appreciate that :)

Top 10 Tips - Bath Bombs

As we've had many people asking for help with their Bath Bomb making recently, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit this earlier post.

Hand made bath bombs are a joy to use and so much fun to make.  With a few pointers, it's simple to learn to create your own bath fizzers easily at home and it's a great activity to share with children.  Once you've mastered the basics, you can create gifts for friends and family to be proud of.  After all, there's nothing quite like a hand made gift!

As always, feel free to contact us if you need more help 

1) Select your Citric Acid carefully; Super fine granules (table salt size) are best. Powder is too volatile, whilst coarse granules have a lumpy appearance and may "bobble" as your bath bombs dry out.

2) Be fussy about your Bicarb! Fine food grade Sodium Bicarbonate is best. Technical grade may contain unwanted impurities and granular varieties will result in a coarse looking bath bomb.

3) Want smooth bath bombs? Use Cornflour (Cornstarch) as 10-15% of your dry ingredient content. Cornflour also helps control the fizzing reaction between the ingredients as you are mixing.

4) Dry Ingredients = food grade.   Some of the ingredients such as Bicarb, Citric & Cornflour can be sourced in food stores.

5)Wet ingredients = cosmetic/toiletry grade. Fragrance, colours, etc should be purchased as cosmetic/toiletry grade.  Essential oils should be pure or blended with base oils.

6) Don't use water. Really, don't. Using water to bind your mix causes fizzing & expansion in the mixing process. Fact. Result = stressful and unattractive mad panic to get the mix to stick and mould without turning into a fizzing flop. (You can do it - but why?!) Vegetable Base Oils (Sweet almond, Grape Seed etc) or Witch hazel work well. Witch Hazel speeds the drying time so that your bath bombs can be safely handled/removed from their moulds within minutes.(depending upon the size of the mould) 

7) Spray your "wet" ingredients onto the mix. If using Witch Hazel to bind, always spritz from a fine mist "finger" spray. Oil can be "dripped" into your mix or sprayed on with the aid of a trigger type spray (the sort you get on a Febreeze bottle). Spraying helps distribute the oil more evenly and therefore there is less risk of some premature fizzing in the bowl.

8) Wear gloves and mix with your hands. You will learn to detect the correct consistency for making the perfect bath bombs, but believe me you will get there faster by using your hands as opposed to a spoon. Simply spray or pour with one hand whilst mixing with the other.

9) Ensure your moulds or containers are dry. Keep them away from the bowl when mixing/spritzing to avoid wetting them accidentally.  Sound obvious? Hmmm well we've been there.  Wet moulds = stuck & stranded creations! If this happens and you cannot remove your bath bomb - run the whole mould under the tap - it's preferrable to breaking the mould.  Alternatively, I've taken an entire-mould-stranded-but-otherwise-perfect bath bomb into the bath before. (Waste not want not as my Gramma said.) 

10) Don't over wet your mix; aim to achieve the same consistency that is needed to make really good sandcastles.  Damp enough to hold together but not sloppy. You can always add more moisture but if you've overdone it, it's almost impossible to recover your mix and adding more dry ingredient rarely helps.

11) Avoid steamy kitchens! Set your creations aside to dry in a damp free atmosphere.  If you've cooked a roast, rustled up some bath bombs and set them aside in your kitchen you may find when you return to admire them later that they've developed "bobbles". This is simply the damp in the air and can be avoided.

We hope these have been useful tips...We'd love to hear your experiences, so please do comment below :)

PS... ok so there are 11 top tips. Things don't always go to plan.... a bit like making bath bombs! Perhaps the best things in life are meant to be a little harder to achieve?  Philosophy aside, if you'd like a few more free recipes, hints and tips - why not sign up to our newsletter?  We won't spam you, but we will send you exclusive offers, the latest product news and free tips & recipes from time to time

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