Ammonia & Bluing

Ammonia

• Ammonia, comprised of three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen, is a colorless alkaline gas. Consumers and industry use ammonia as a fertilizer, in making explosives and plastics, and in drug production. Ammonia water, a common cleaning product, serves as a laundry aid that's especially useful in removing perspiration stains from some fabrics. When used as an additive with laundry detergent, liquid ammonia can brighten clothes. Ammonia is also used to clean floors and windows.

Bluing

• Bluing brightens a load of white laundry, yet unlike ammonia, it doesn't remove stains but adds a light blue color to the fabric. The blue color counters the effects of any yellow or dingy shade that naturally occurs in white fabric over time. The ingredients in bluing are dyeing agents.

Crystal Garden

• By stepping out of the laundry room and into the kitchen laboratory, you can use bluing and ammonia to create a crystal garden. The ammonia speeds the evaporation process, enabling the crystals to grow. The bluing is necessary to help the crystals form. Other items necessary for the project include a clear plastic dish, a sponge, salt, plastic spoon, paper cup and food coloring.

Process

• Combine 4 tablespoons of water with two tablespoons of salt in a dish and stir so the salt dissolves. Add two tablespoons of ammonia and two tablespoons of bluing to the mixture and stir. Get the sponge wet and squeeze out any excess water. Lay the sponge in the dish, and cover the sponge with the mixture and top with a bit more salt. Add a couple drops of food coloring. Leave the uncovered container out overnight. The crystal garden will begin to form.

Warning

• Combining ammonia with some ingredients, such as bleach or acidic liquids, can create a toxic and potentially lethal gas. Never blend ammonia with other cleaning products that contain bleach, including laundry detergent with bleach.