Natron - Salt of the Earth and More

Natron or Netjeri - a combination of various salts that make up one heck of a cleaning agent.

I've been researching the ancient cleanser Natron online, trying to find suppliers of the "real thing," and generally driving myself mad. Giving in to my lack of patience (you who know me will also know that patience is something I am continually struggling with), I decided to take my knowledge of basic chemistry and "build" my own Natron.

It's actually rather simple once you have some percentages in hand - how much sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride . . . .

Sure I tweaked it a tad, adding sodium borate so that it would make a better bath salt, but what the heck?

A batch of handcrafted Natron is amazing. Pure white, softly crystalline, it pours forth an incredible potency that makes it master of cleaning. It amps up laundry, dish and bath soap as much as 40%. It is anti-bacterial. It is lightly abrasive before it dissolves, making it a nice little scrubby salt (if you keep your water tepid).

Best of all, Natron degreases like nothing else I've ever used. Hit the stove and pow - the grease is gone, baby! It's totally natural, too! So hoorah to not pouring chemicals into the rivers and streams just so your house and your body can be clean.

I've used vinegar and baking soda for years to clean and have had a hard time finding a good degreaser that won't kill the planet. Natron is the answer.

No wonder the ancient Egyptians praised the virtues of Natron. Urns of it have even been discovered in pharaonic tombs, alongside the usual pots of unguents and perfumes; after all, you need clean clothes and something good to bathe with in the afterlife, don't you?

Bright, Clean Blessings!