Update: Odour Takes a Powder

Back in January I posted a blog about an easy home-made deodorant. At the end of that post, I mentioned I was working to find a comparable liquid form for summer. After some research and a few test trials, those results are now ready to share.

The first concoction I researched was another simple recipe consisting of one tablespoon of alum dissolved in one cup of warm water and (optionally) scented with a drop or spritz of a favourite perfume or cologne. Ammonium alum is available at most compound pharmacies, and is intended for topical use. Its price was reasonable: $4.49 (Can) for 125 grams, which is enough for eight (nearly nine) preparations, each supplying eight ounces of liquid deodorant. It seemed a great option until I began researching the ammonium alum. This double sulfate, also known as ammonium aluminum sulphate, is made from aluminum hydroxide, sulfuric acid, and ammonium sulfate. Though this chemical is said to be non-toxic, I was concerned when I read the words "aluminum hydroxide." That mineral is used in the production of aluminum chloride, a common ingredient in commercial deodorants and the one which has been linked to Alzheimer's, breast cancer and respiratory problems. I'm certainly no chemist, but I was reluctant to use this fluid for the same reason I avoid commercial brands.

Next I checked out a cream deodorant. It involves a little more processing, but it's still a relatively simple recipe using common ingredients. To prepare it, mix equal parts of baking soda, petroleum jelly and talcum powder (I substituted corn starch) in a double-boiler and dissolve the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently until a smooth cream develops. Put the preparation in a container – preferably glass – with a tight-fitting lid. This cream is applied by hand so, to avoid its contamination, I prepared small batches. The cream works effectively; however its greatest drawback was the oily residue it left on clothing. This stain proved resistant to laundering and, for this reason, I don't recommend it. Why ruin clothes with oil stains? There's no frugality in that.

In continuing my research for a home-made liquid deodorant, I performed experiments with water and baking soda. The usual bicarbonate effect happened though, and when the bubbling activity subsided, all that was left was an insoluble mass of soda sunk to the bottom of the water. Subsequently, I tried a mixture of equal parts baking soda and glycerine. This resulted in a loose cream which could be applied by hand but, while it worked effectively, the skin felt too sticky for comfort.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing formula I discovered was a deodorant tea, which works from the inside out. The recipe calls for a mix of equal quantities of sage leaves, parsley, alfalfa, and melilot (also known as sweet clover.) This herbaceous mixture will deteriorate in light and so should be made in small quantities and then stored in an opaque container. To prepare the tea, brew ½ to 2 teaspoons of the mix in ½ cup hot water and steep a few minutes. The instructions did not specify ingesting daily, only "regularly." I presume its use is dependent on one's personal need.

The tea got me thinking, though. If these herbs and plants can have a deodorizing effect, then the reverse must also be true: some foods, drinks and spices must contribute to body odour. From personal experience, I can attest that consuming certain foods – beef, fried foods, alcoholic beverages, and spices and herbs such as curry or garlic – does indeed produce unsavoury body odours. Even the strongest commercial deodorants only mask their (often foul) emanations. So, I have begun to take note of various foods which produce those unpleasant results, and now eat them only occasionally.

Ultimately, I ended up back at the beginning. The original powder formula – equal parts baking soda and corn starch – remains my favourite. And, I needn't have been concerned about "powdery armpits." This deodorant, it turns out, disappears very quickly after application, to become as invisible as any commercial brand. Unlike those store-bought deodorants, however, this powder, if it ends up on clothing, is easily brushed off or laundered out. Its cost – only pennies per bi-weekly batch – also makes it a thrifty choice for budget-conscious households.

So, with all the experimentation behind me, I'm back to using the original powder preparation and am pleased to report my underarms are tank-top friendly.

Have you got a home-preparation I haven't tried? If so, I'd like to hear about it. Please leave a comment to share your formula and observations.

Odour Takes a Powder

A few years ago, concerned about the affects of aluminum compounds in various household products, I got rid of a few old pots and pans, stopped buying soda in cans, and quit using commercial antiperspirants.

Most antiperspirants (as opposed to deodorants) contain ingredients such as: Aluminum chloride; Aluminum zirconium tricholorohydrex glycine; Aluminum chlorohydrate; and Aluminum hydroxybromide ('How Stuff Works' article; May 2, 2001). Given the growing body of evidence linking these ingredients to Alzheimer's, breast cancer and respiratory problems ('Natural Medicine' article) the risks far outweighed – for me – the need to use an antiperspirant.

That set me on a path to discover an effective product that did not include those compounds. Health stores offered crystal and stick deodorants, most expounding the virtues of Aloe Vera, Tea Tree and/or hemp oil. While these additives are believed to be safe and, in some instances, beneficial, they just didn't work for me. Crystals crumbled and cracked, becoming torturous to use, and the fragrant ingredients in stick deodorants simply produced something viler than mere underarm odour alone. One product even resulted in a yeast infection. Not good.

My patience exhausted, I decided to try a home remedy of my own invention. Knowing that baking soda is effective at neutralizing odour and corn starch absorbs moisture – the latter once recommended by our family physician for my child's diaper rash – I combined the two. Applied like a dusting powder, using cosmetic pads (home sewn from scrap cloth; see: Rags to Niches) it can be a little messy so I do this over the bathroom sink.

It's astonishing how well this powder works. Not only does it completely eliminate odour and control perspiration, it's fantastically less expensive. It has an unexpected benefit to, too. Many commercial deodorants leave residue on clothing and some seem to lock odour into synthetic fabrics. This powder has the opposite effect. There is no stain, just a little dusting (at most), and the baking soda actually helps remove lingering odours from fabric.

To make your own, simply combine equal parts of baking soda and corn starch. I make small batches (one tablespoon of each ingredient) and change cosmetic pads daily to lessen the possibility of contaminating the powder. This two tablespoon batch lasts approximately two weeks, at which time I clean the container and make a fresh batch. The cosmetic pads are laundered in small-garment bags with regular loads.

For more than two months I've used this home-made product and, impressed with its effectiveness, cost, and bonus feature, doubt I'll ever buy commercial brands again. However, I am working on a liquid form for summer, when sleeveless tops will expose powdery armpits.

Rags to Niches

The debate still continues over the use of rags versus paper towels. In our home, it's not a case of either/or. Both are used; rags far more often than paper towels, but the latter is on hand for specific purposes.

Sometimes, it's more cost-effective to dispose of towelling. For instance, I use paper to soak up oil from fried foods, or "mop" fats from stock – as we seldom fry foods and only occasionally make stock only a few towels per week are required. To use rags would mean washing them separately to avoid oily stains on other clothing – not very economical, nor environmentally friendly. At other times, is just safer using paper to clean up raw meat juices or spilled egg. Rags could easily contaminate other surfaces prior to their laundering, possibly causing dire illness. Disposing of an occasional towel lessens the risk so I'll continue using paper for this purpose.

Rags, however, are my first choice for most other household applications. Some people feel the "environmental cost" (EC) of laundering rags negates any advantage they might have over paper towels. In our home, rags are never washed separately, but with other "like" items (per their colour and/or soiling,) thus making those loads closer to capacity and thereby saving EC in the long run. It should also be noted that saving cloth from ending up in a landfill before it's been fully "consumed" must also have some merit.

All rags are not created equal, though. I once cut up an old sweatshirt to use for rags. The material – a poly-cotton blend – only pushed fluids around but wouldn't soak up anything...except oils. A-ha! I thought. Now, polyester blends are kept in a separate pile and used anytime there's a greasy mess to clean. Old towels and washcloths are perfect for polishing glass and plastic surfaces – after all, kitchen linens were made for this purpose. Old bath towels make the best soakers, for those larger spills like the dreaded toilet or bathtub overflows. Cotton-blend socks are fantastic additions to the rag bag. Worn on the hand(s), they work well for dusting or polishing small items. They're ideal shoe buffers and, when too soiled, instead of washing and perhaps ruining other laundry items, can be used as campfire "starters." Just make sure to store them in a closed tin, in a cool place, until needed. Just don't cook over that campfire until all trace of the "starter" has been burned away.

Second-hand cloth can be used for more than merely rags. I take old jeans apart and use the salvageable cloth to sew tote bags. Old pillowcases are used as storage bags and are particularly good for foods which require ventilation (e.g. onions.) "Retired" sheets could produce a dozen rags, but are used for another purpose. I cut them, across their width, into one-foot strips and then sew those strips onto the foot end of new sheets to extend their length – most sheets are just way too short for my liking! Nobody sees the mismatching foot end, and we end up with sheets long enough to fold over the top blanket.

As someone who sews, I also have a collection of remnant cloth. This doesn't go to waste either. Quilting is a possibility, but I've yet to learn that craft. So, to use those fabrics I recently made cosmetic pads with some leftover fleece sandwiched between two layers of poplin. Using a zigzag stitch, I sewed rows and columns, approximately 1-1/2 inches wide, separated by about 1/8 inch to allow cutting between them. These cosmetic pads have lasted several months now and launder well (though I put them in a "small-garment bag" to ensure the washer won't eat them.),

Ultimately, even rags become too threadbare for practical use. Don't throw them out yet, though. Laundered, they make excellent packing material.

Over time, this has become like a game: How else can second-hand cloth be of use? Do you play the Rag-time game too? Please leave a comment and share your cloth-recycling ideas.