Water. Agua. Eau.
It is the great giver of life, the washer of dirt, the slow and steady drip of time. Without water, life on this planet would not exist.
Unfortunately, with water, life in your homemade creations may exist where you don’t want it to. Whether you’re DIYing your own beauty concoctions or edibles, there’s one important thing you need to be aware of when you use the effervescent aqueous essence.
Early in my crunchy DIY escapades, I learned a valuable lesson: Anything that contains water can potentially spoil, mold, or grow bacteria. I learned this by putting fresh mint into oil and keeping that oil on a counter top.
Within a week, the oil had turned rancid, the mint was muddy brown, and the whole thing stank to high heaven.
This is DIY 101 about water for several reasons: There has been a rash of comments on older posts with recipes that you’re supposed to keep in the fridge saying things like, “Heya! Can I just keep this in the bathroom? I’ll probably use it in two or three weeks.” (No, by the way, you cannot. Unless you like your beauty moldy.)
Also, I keep noticing recipes on Pinterest that combine water with things like oil (to make a cooking spray) or hand soap (to make a foaming soap substitute), and typically there’s no mention of what needs to be done to keep these things from going bad.
So.
Let’s talk about water, right now, so you don’t have a culture in your kitchen or bathroom that you weren’t counting on. Except, of course, that dirty pot in your sink you just can’t get around to washing. (Ew.)
Putting Water In Your Homemade Creations
Before we begin, I want to apologize. This is a difficult reality to face, this water awareness situation, because SO many homemade creations would be much easier if we could just add water and forget it.
“Homemade is supposed to be easier! Water is the easiest thing on the planet! Shut up, lady, and quit harshing my buzz.”
Trust me, though. The sooner you accept that you have to be more careful with your water-based creations, the easier everything will become in the future.
Remember when I was all, “Oooh oooh, fancy schmancy words about water and how it’s the bringer of life”? Well, the quickest way to come to terms with this water situation is to remember that water is the bringer of life, including bacterial and fungal life. Anything you add water to could potentially sprout an entire world that you don’t particularly care for.
Everything needs water to grow. Including, but not limited to, yucky stuff.
We Don’t Live In Sterilized Labs
Here’s the good news: We live gorgeously messy lives.
And the bad news: Because we live our normal, every day life in the same place we indulge in our creative, genius sides, we don’t have the luxury of a sterilized lab, controlled levels of preservatives, and the purest of ingredients. Nothing we make is going to last forever.
On one hand, this is good. Diversity is the magic of nature, and by creating our concoctions using plants and oils and fruits and roots, we have the opportunity to harness all of that diversity in myriad ways. And when you think about it, the things like synthetic preservatives that inhibit life completely may not be exactly what’s right for our living bodies.
However, we do need to remember that a modicum of care should be taken when adding water – or using any water-containing ingredients – so that we keep out the bad stuff as much as humanly possible.
I say all of that to make one simple, salient point: Because we are the creator of these things, and no two recipes will ever be exactly alike, it’s difficult to add the “perfect amount” of preservative or predict the “perfect length” of shelf life to any recipe made with water.
So, instead, we have to use common sense. Here’s how.
DIY 101: Tips For Using Water and Water-Containing Ingredients Safely
- Always, always use distilled or filtered and boiled water. What comes out of your tap contains bacteria. It does. To some degree. Some of the bacteria is good, but some could harbor a stinky, growing mess if you use it in a recipe that you let sit for a long while. Using distilled or filtered (and we’re talking high-quality Berkey-type filter, not, say, Brita) and then boiled water really cuts down on the chance that you’re introducing a contaminant to your recipe.
- BOIL EVERYTHING. Anything you’re working with – be it a bottle, a spoon, a lid or a measuring cup – needs to be as sterilized as you can possibly get it. In a large pot, boil all the things you’ll be working with for at least 10 minutes to kill any invisible monsters, so you don’t contaminate while you’re creating.
- Use containers that don’t require “double dipping.” For instance, if you’re making a water-based lotion (which will likely also include some sort of preservative), store it in a squeeze bottle or a pump bottle. Anything that doesn’t require dipping your hands in over and over and over. And always keep the lid closed when not in use.
- Make VERY small batches at a time. If you’ve decided, say, that you want to try making a homemade cooking oil spray (which, by the way, by the looks of all the recipes I’ve stumbled on recently, is just a mixture of oil and water), MAKE A SMALL BATCH. Especially when it comes to mixing oil with water; these two things LOVE to grow bacteria together. So if you stick to a small batch that lasts you, maybe, a week, you’ll be in better shape. Just don’t expect to make water-based concoctions that last for months – or even weeks – at a time.
- Remember that store-bought products include preservatives that are formulated for their original water content. Now, I cannot say for scientific certainty that the preservatives in the original product aren’t enough to protect bacterial growth if you add water. In fact, I’m pretty (again unscientifically) certain they do to some extent. Just keep in mind that they may not for very long. If you’re adding small amounts of water to things like soap or shampoo or even castile, consider adding a natural preservative (hold on, we’re getting there) and changing out the product every month or so.
- Whenever the recipe has room for it, add a natural preservative to extend shelf life. Yes, nature does come with its own built-in preservatives, although they’re not going to be as long-lasting as store-bought products will be. Remember: THIS IS GOOD. Here are some natural preservatives (reminder: these are not broad-spectrum preservatives, but they do offer a good deal of protection when used properly):
Remember, these things will not extend shelf life indefinitely when you’re making a water-based recipe (or using, say, fresh herbs), but they will help keep your concoction stable longer than if you didn’t use them. Some of these things are more potent than others, and none of them have “exact measurements,” because all your recipes are going to be different (and it would take a CRAPLOAD of scientific studies to determine exactly what amount would work perfectly in what recipe).
And nothing is going to keep a fresh apple completely fresh once you cut it open, except removing the water – and then it’s not fresh, it’s dried. So if you’re making a beauty recipe with a piece of fresh fruits or veggies, absolutely follow the next rule.
- Store your water-based concoctions in the fridge or freezer as much as humanly possible. I trust you’ll use your common sense especially with this one. If you’re using a vinegar hair rinse in the shower every few days (that includes water), it’s probably okay to keep it there for a week or more. But if you’ve made a product that uses fresh fruits or veggies, or a good deal of water and little preservative, STORE THAT DARNED STUFF IN THE FRIDGE if you plan on keeping it for more than a day. When in doubt, chill it. The cold temperatures keep the bad stuff from growing as quickly. But, as we all know, even the fridge doesn’t stop things like mold. So toss anything that seems even slightly questionable.
Also, quick rule of thumb: Anything that uses fruits or veggies should be used/consumed within 2-5 days, and always kept refrigerated. And if it looks weird, don’t use it.
A Pool of Information, Not a River of Fear
I say all this not to instill fear in any of you, but just to remind you to be vigilant with your homemade concoctions.
And we are NOT making “store-bought” items that are loaded with preservatives and synthetics so they’ll last for years without spoiling. And that’s okay. THAT is not our goal. If it was, we wouldn’t care about what we put on our skin or in our mouths.
We just need to remember that what we make has a much shorter shelf life, especially when it includes water or water-containing materials. (You wouldn’t expect your chicken salad to keep for three months, would you?)
Just use your knowledge, use your common sense, and be aware of what you’re doing. After that, it’s all fun and games. And no one needs to get hurt.
—
I may have left out a few ideas on ways to keep water-based and water-containing ingredient concoctions safer for longer, so I welcome any ideas or comments that could broaden all of our horizons.
Talking about using water in homemade creations seems to bring out a lot of fear in people (especially people who actually make synthetic-preservative-containing cosmetics), so let’s try to keep things calm and collected … and helpful.
The more we help each other, and the more we discuss this, the better our homemade creations will be. Now, and forevermore.
Five Important Things I Learned About Food from Joel Salatin
So I’ve been making my own essential oil blend sprays for deodorizing rooms, especially the dog and bathrooms. I use witch hazel or rubbing alcohol since I don’t have vodka since I don’t drink it. I have been guilty of neither boiling or using distilled water. I’m wondering how bad it will be? I go through many bottles of spray within a few weeks. Does the bacteria stick to towels or things? My husband and myself rarely get sick, maybe because, due to doggies, I’m always washing everything. I guess we’ve been lucky. However; I will batten down and buy some distilled water. Now how do I clean out the glass bottles of any invisible bacteria? If I boil them they make crack. What is your advise?
What would be the best way to clean old dry water spots off of wine glasses? I always try to hand dry the wine glass before they drip dry to prevent the spots from appearing. But on occasion I forget or my guests who try to help with an after party clean up also do not realize the need to dry the glasses.
Some good information but some misinformation that unfortunately is constantly being recycled over and over again. One products that already contain a preservative do not contain enough preservative to preserve the extra water you are adding to it. If you are adding water to a product say castille soap for instance you are lowering the PH to environment that bacteria can grow in. Second Rosemary EO, Grapefruit extract, Vitamin E are NOT preservatives. They are antioxidants. They will not preserve anything. They will not prevent mold or bacteria from growing. They will only help prolong the shelf life of your oils to prevent them from going rancid more quickly. Citric Acid is not a preservative unless once again you are testing the ph to see if adequate enough to create a hostile environment for bacteria and mold to grow in. Absorbic acid when added to water very quickly oxidizes and become completely ineffective. Alcohol is be a preservative but you would have to use it at at least 60% that’s a lot of alcohol and a lot more than any would want to add to something the same goes for vinegar. You would have to use an awful lot for it to be able to preserve something.
People that want to make their own products and add water to them should actually take the time to learn a little bit about science or only make oil based products. I know people don’t like preservatives because they are ‘un-natural” well not all things natural are good. Like bacteria. If you have the smallest cut or damaged skin and spread an contaminated product all over yourself you risk a serious staff infection. Not educating yourselves and adequately preserving and creating a safe product is irresponsible and unhealthy.
I was thinking the same thing when I read this… but I’m not an expert. Do you have any suggestions for a good ACTUAL preservative when mixing oils and water??? I actually would like to mix essential oils into water… which I still think is asking for bacteria growth if a preservative is not used. Any input (from anyone more knowledgeable than me) is appreciated!!
Hi! Love the topic thanks for all the great info, just wanted to say that I’ve found that using Aloe vera gel (the natural stuff not the stuff at walmart) helps a lot with preserving “water based” products I just substitute it for the water and my products last longer. Happy Mixing!!
Don’t count on it. There is absolutely not enough preservative in the gel to adequately preserve your products. There is enough preservative to preserve the gel. Preservatives are calculated at a safe usage rate for the percentage of ingredients in that product only
Hi, Betty. I was looking for an article about working with water in a lotion and came across your blog. It’s fantastic. Thank you. I have a question. I’ve been trying to make a facial lotion… 4 times so far… That didn’t go bad in a week or two.
My recipe calls for vitamin e oil which is helpful. I’ve also been using Neodefend. I know, not exactly natural but I’m desperate. It’s getting to be really annoying to heat 2 pots up to the same temp to get the emulsifying wax to work and my product comes out beautifully then goes bad. I’m adding the e oil and neodefend when heating the water and oil mixtures to mix. Should I add the preservative after the initial product has cooled down? Am I ruining it by heating it? Thank you so much in advance!!
Jodi
NeoDefend is effective in a pH range of 3 to 6. It is heat stable and you can add it to the water phase or it can be added to the cool down phase. If you add it to the cool down phase it should be predissolved in a portion of the water prior to adding to the product. In some products NeoDefend has been found to cause a downward ph drift.If this occurs
sodium citrate or phosphate buffers can be used to raise the ph back up.
If your product is going bad make sure you are using it at the proper usage rate and within the effective ph range. Also proper procedures regarding making sure everything is clean and sanitized. A preservative will not preserve a product that is contaminated fro the start it will only prevent bacteria and mold from growing in a clean uncontaminated product.
These sites give good info and ratios on natural preservatives!!
http://lotionsecrets.com/preservativechart.html
https://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/library/preservatives.asp
http://crafts.tutsplus.com/articles/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-using-preservatives-in-skin-care–craft-11630
Hello, I am a bartender in downtown Seattle, I create my own craft cocktails and menu and love infusing my passion for culinary skills with my mixology. I am having troubles finding actual information for how to make?/ shelf life of rosemary water used for my bourbon cocktails. I was just gonna use fresh rosemary every time, but I think adding 1oz rosemary water to my bourbon apple cider cocktail would maybe be easier and more cost efficient. Rosemary grows on our street corners, but could use dried with boiling water if needed. Just want to be sure it’d last at least, 2 weeks? For dried rosemary, while taking precautions of boiling the bottle and water.
Thanks
Hello, I am a bartender in downtown Seattle, I create my own craft cocktails and menu and love infusing my passion for culinary skills with my mixology. I am having troubles finding actual information for how to make?/ shelf life of rosemary water used for my bourbon cocktails. I was just gonna use fresh rosemary every time, but I think adding 1oz rosemary water to my bourbon apple cider cocktail would maybe be easier and more cost efficient. Rosemary grows on our street corners, but could use dried with boiling water if needed. Just want to be sure it’d last at least, 2 weeks? For dried rosemary, while taking precautions of boiling the bottle and water.
Thanjs
I have a water filter, is it ok to use that, when I’m out of distilled water, and if so, should I boil it also? I make a spray with epsom salt and make the water pretty hot before I mix the stuff and it seems to last a good two weeks.
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I was thinking about this when I came across a DIY skin care recipe that contained water, but it was stated that it should be distilled. Because I’m interested to try this I researched a lot around this. So after I bought Vitamin E I heard people talking about how it helps preserve oil from becoming rancid, but not water!
I’ve also heard that many essential oils can preserve, but since you just use the tiniest amount, they can’t function as that. The only things that actually seems reliable are parabens, which is unconventional to get and also questionable to use.
So now I’m stuck in this situation where I don’t want to create a creme that will last me a week, and not using water will make it way to thick for me because it consists of mostly oils (and my glycerin contains a few procent water so it’s unavoidable unless I buy a new bottle).
Help very appreciated!
I couldn’t resist commenting. Perfectly written!
Do you know what amount of Rosemary and/or Grapefruit Seed Essential Oil would be enough to be effective?
https://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/library/preservatives.asp
This site gives good info and ratios on natural preservatives!!
No amount of Rosemary, Grapefruit seed, Essential Oil will be enough to preserve a water based product effectively. Rosemary and Grapefruit seed are antioxidants. Antioxidants do not preserve anything. They will not prevent mold or bacteria from growing. They will extend the shelf life of your oils by preventing them from going rancid more quickly. Essential oils would have to be used at such a high usage rate to possibly prevent any bacteria or mold from growing that it would be unsafe amount to use.
Agree. There is a distinct difference in purpose for antioxidants and preservatives. One does not perform the job of the other.
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I have a water dispenser that has a built in kettle which boils water in three minutes I use alkaline water. is this water ok use in recipies
I am wondering what you think about sterile water (medical grade)? Would this water remain bacteria free? You can make it your self or buy it.
Excellent post! This info of using ONLY distilled or boiled water water is also necessary when using a Neti Pot. While the instructions that come with a Neti pot say to do this, I’ve recently read of a case of someone getting a brain-eating bacteria that they believe was caused from using a Neti pot with regular tap water.
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I am making a batch of diy body wash and it makes about a gallons worth. How much alcohol should I add to add to the shelf life, should I store this in fridge, how long would it last? Im new to all this diy stuff and so happy I came across this.
Thanks so much for this kind of scary, but very necessary post! I have been adding water to my
Dr. Bronner’s Castille soap (to make a foaming hand soap) for a while now without even thinking about it – although I should have! — It makes perfect sense since I know that water contains all kinds of bacteria. I guess I just assumed that the soap would stop any problems from forming. I have never noticed a bad smell, but I have been developing some allergies over the past few years, and am now wondering if this bad habit may have been exasperating some other problems that I have been having.
Please keep your important posts, and helpful information coming! I appreciate it so much!
Darn it Dr.Bronner and your
“dilute, dilute, dilute…”
I store everything in the fridge and also use fermented radish root (aka leucidal). If one is really making a lot of things with a lot of ingredients that include water, there are microbial test kits available–they usually run around 50.00, but would be worth it to be sure if one is going to be making a LOT of stuff.
What great advice!
Regarding: “Using distilled or filtered (and we’re talking high-quality Berkey-type filter, not, say, Brita) and then boiled water really cuts down on the chance that you’re introducing a contaminant to your recipe.”
1) Is store bought distilled water okay to use? 2) Should one also boil distilled or filtered water? 3) Is it okay to make homemade cosmetics with just boiled tap water?
Thank goodness someone finally tackled this! I love to make my own stuff but I have an auto-immune condition and since my body spends more time attacking me than microbes I have to be extra cautious. It drives me bonkers when i get mocked for adding little alcohol to things when other people just add tap water and think its fine for everyone to use. I dont appreciate getting a rash from your diluted hand soap thank you very much! Glad to have some sensibility added to the conversation 🙂 Thank you.
Thank you for this post. While I sterilize everything I use to make my face lotion, I am wondering about rose water. As it is still water, do the same rules apply? I make a lotion with jojoba, rose water and beeswax for emulsifier. I keep half in the fridge and the rest in the bathroom in a pump bottle. So far so good, no creatures but now I am concerned….
What about using good bacteria eg water kefir, whey, to extend shelf life? Just a thought. Also my water bottles my doctor told me to add iodine as in Lugol’s iodine solution and also to keep them in the dark
Could someone let me know if there is a way to preserve homemade rose water to carry in a spritzer for your purse? I’m trying to figure out what the proportions would be and how long it would last, etc.
As you say, “clean” ingredients aren’t the only concern . . . as with home canning, it is just as important to have sanitized containers and/or utensils. The sanitize cycle on your dishwasher is wonderful for this! Thanks for all the great info. 8)
I love your blog! And thank you for stating what I have been thinking for months! When I started finding things growing in my water bottle (usually when left in the car for weeks at a time), I started to wonder how to stop it! Thank you!
I have attempted to make my own body wash with Betty’s recipe. It was recommended to me to try using colloidal silver as a preservative. Any comments on that?
Thars a really good idea actually. It has amazing properties.
I think it is best to be careful with using colloidal silver in homemade cosmetics. Colloidal silver is deemed as “likely unsafe” by the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database and may interact with other medications (if you are on them). It can also possibly increase the chances of skin discoloration with exposure to the sun. Read about the risks and benefits here to make an informed decision before using in your home preparations: http://naturaldatabaseconsumer.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/Search.aspx?cs=KAISER&s=NDC&pt=100&id=779&fs=NDC&searchid=36691203
You would have to take a lot of colloidal silver to cause a problem. Its actually almost impossible. You’d have to be taking it constantly and not drinking any water.
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Question! I make an apple cider vinegar toner with distilled water and keep it in the fridge. How long will this last?
I’ve kept mine for weeks and it still seems fine, but my fridge is very cold (my water freezes in there sometimes) and I only take it out for like 2 minutes once a day.
I never would have thought of this, so I’m SO glad you posted it. I think I’m going to have to bookmark this page for future reference!
So, when using GSE oil as a preservative how much does one use? I’be been meaning to make some body scrubs and although they don’t contain water (I know, this post is about water :p) but can a ‘natural preservative’ be added to extend their shelf life or my brown sugar/olive oil mixture will not go bad if left out a couple weeks? Thanks!
Great info – thanks a heap 🙂
This was really interesting to read. I’ve never tried making my own, but now I know what I need to watch out for! I’m a new follower here, would love a follow back at http://sassyshopperreviews.blogspot.com/ when you have time! 😀 Have a great week.
Thank you for posting this! I have been concerned about the growing number of water based home recipes also.
Regarding preservatives, I know that Grapefruit seed extract is actually NOT a natural preservative. It does have anti-microbial properties, but it is due to processing, not the natural seed. Take a look;
http://www.terressentials.com/truthaboutgse.html
Ammonium Chloride, Benzethonium Chloride, Triclosan, Methyl Paraben. Yum!
Tea Tree as mentioned by another commentor below does have strong anti-bacterial properties.
But my favorite has to be the four thieves blend. Full spectrum anti-microbial; kills bacteria, fungi, viruses, and yeast, and it’s just essential oils; clove, lemon, cinnamon (bark), eucalyptus and rosemary. Here’s the science;
http://www.secretofthieves.com/bacteria.cfm
http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm
(scroll down a bit on the second link)
However, as great as this is, I would still be very cautious about any product with water in it, as essential oils are oils, and oil does not like to mix with water very well.
I have tried asking a couple of people who are more synthetic chemical advocates what the science is on using essential oils as a preservative in a product that is properly emulsified, but none of them seem to want to answer, so we’re left guessing for now.
I hope this helps! Thanks again for a very important and topical post.
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Help? Thanks!
I use Dr Bronners with essential oils in a foam pump for hand soap, but I have reverse osmosis so I’m not sure that makes it ok so maybe I’ll add vinegar or grapeseed extract to be safe. Thanks for your awesome posts! Love love your blog! Informative and funny… can’t beat that!
Reverse osmosis does not take out many of the “impurities” in water. Distilled and then boiled on top of that once you add your other ingredients is the way to go.
I love love this post. 🙂
My crunchy daughter made a hair conditioner last month with water and coconut oil as the 2 main ingredients and when I borrowed it earlier this week, it smelled like cheese…. She said it was ok. I guess she’ll change her mind after reading this. Thank you.
What about tea tree oil and lavender EO? I thought these were antibacterials.
Great advice!
I have a bunch of leftover SmartWater* and the bottle says it’s vapor
distilled. Is it okay to use that in recipes that require water?
*I know, I know, I avoid bottled water as much as possible but when we
went up to Tahoe last summer, the water at the cabin was okay for
showering but not drinking or cooking so we bought a case of bottled
water and brought back the leftovers with us.
Wow I’m so impressed! I saw a few comments on one of your recent posts, warning you not to add water to your recipes. I got worried for a few minutes, remembered I hadn’t made anything in large batches that require water, and calmed down. 🙂 Anyway, here you are just a few days later, writing a whole post about it. I like and respect you more every time I visit this blog! 😀
I do have a question though; I’ve been steeping some herbs in vinegar, all ready to make a cleaning spray. I’ve seen versions where you should add just as much water as you have vinegar, and I’ve seen recipes that are 100% vinegar. Which is best to use? Does the water dilute the vinegar and render it a little ineffective as a cleaner, and, most important, will it spoil before I use it all up?
Thanks anyone who provides me with some insight!
Ashley Strachey, I used dried herbs and fresh lemon peel in my vinegar
and then after it was done infusing I added some fresh vinegar – no
water needed!
Alright thank you! I put dried herbs in mine, and meant to go back and put in some lemon peel when I bought some the next day…. but forgot. 🙂 I’ll just add some fresh vinegar to top it off, too. Thanks again!
Like Daisy, I add fresh vinegar (same volume as the infused one) and store it in a glass bottle. It is supposed to be good for 6 months. Then, I use it in many recipes, some that contain water.
Vitamin E is not a preservative, it’s an anti-oxidant, meaning that, while it may help to delay rancidity in a vegetable or nut oil, it does nothing to kill bacteria/fungi.
Sugar is definitely not a preservative; just the opposite. Numerous types of bacteria utilize sugar as a food source.
well, honey is essentially made of nothing but sugar, and is bacteriostatic (it doesn’t kill the critters, but it does prevent them from making little baby bacterias!). So no, table sugar may not work, but honey may. Although the reason it’s bacteriostatic is because it is hygroscopic (it is not friends with H2O), so who knows what happens when you mix it with water….
Honey contains sugar, yes, but what makes honey antibacterial is a complex combination of enzymes (such as glucose oxidase) and proteins (bee defensin 1) that are not found in table sugar. Sugar should not be listed as a natural preservative.
With sugar it all depends on concentration. At low to moderate concentration, sugar is a nutrient and will promote bacterial and fungal growth. At very high concentrations (e.g. in jams and fruit preserves) the sugar is bacteriolytic just by making the medium really hypertonic. You could sort of use any solute for that, sugar’s just easily available. I can’t think of any outside-my-body use for something that was that sugary, though. It would be super sticky (like jam).
This makes sugar different from the other antimicrobials listed, all of which should just work less effectively at low concentrations, so I don’t think it belongs on the list.
wrong sugar is a preservative
Whoa, you’re good. I mean like, crazy “someone’s bugging my phone” kinda good. A friend and I were just talking about this today. I made a simple lotion recipe with water and thought I could be uber-crunchy and include no preservative except Vit E. Hmmm, upon comparing notes we realized they both went moldy at the same time in two different environments. Used tap water (we’re on a well) but I won’t be doing that again, no sir… just ick!
I had know idea – thanks for the thorough insight into the diy water situation 🙂
I learned the hard way by using tap water in a glycerin mixture that I was using for my skin. Found the green floaties after I had sprayed myself with the homemade brew. I was literally jumping around my bathroom gagging as I had used some on my face! Never made that mistake again! Distilled only for me now.
Dear Betty – i am writing this to THANK YOU for all you do!!! Your tips and recipes and comments make my day. You keep me thinking of ways to improve my whole life through your crunchy tips and i just love you for it. Thank you again for being such an inspirational person! If you have noticed more followers of your blog from San Diego, it’s because i tell everyone, even strangers, about your wonderful tips!
I might be mistaken, but isn’t there also a rule about not making your own oil covered edible concoctions? Like, you shouldn’t make your own flavored oils by sticking herbs in oil for example. Because it can grow botulism, which unlike other yuckies is tasteless and flavorless and killer.
I’ve always made my own and we’ve never gotten sick, knock on wood!
I really would do some more research on why this is not recommended. Botulism is paralysing, and the effects are long term, ie. being sedated and on a ventilator for 6 months while you can’t breathe for yourself. And that’s if the hospital makes the correct diagnosis in time. Botulism is serious stuff! (I’m sure there are other things that can happen too, but respiratory care is my specialty.)
Not to be a buzzkill, but if you want to take the risk, it’s your business. But I wouldn’t be giving these out as Christmas gifts unless you’re willing to tell people they could get sick…because that knowledge could mean the difference between prompt treatment and being killed.
So by infusing garlic and herbs in olive oil (something I’ve done almost 30 years as well as my grandparents) I could be getting botulism?!
Most recipes for garlic oil specify ‘use immediately or refrigerate and use in 1 week’, and also call for an added acid like lemon juice, or call for salt. Botulism is way bad news.
http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/infusing-olive-oil
Yes, like Brownladygodiva said, this isn’t something I personally would feel comfortable using a “knock on wood” philosophy about. It is just not safe, period…because even if you go 100 times without negative effects, the 1 time when something does happen is not “oh, I have an upset stomach.” It’s “oh, I might die.” For real. Botulism KILLS, and not infrequently.
Well, I know there are several food sites that encourage making flavored oils with DRIED herbs. (And that’s often a gift-giving recommendation, as well.) Honestly, I can’t say for sure, except from Wikipedia it seems like the biggest concern for botulism is in home canning. Here’s some stats.
Between 1990 and 2000, the Centers for Disease Control
reported 263 individual ‘cases’ from 160 foodborne botulism ‘events’ in
the United States with a case-fatality rate of 4%. Thirty-nine percent
(103 cases and 58 events) occurred in Alaska, all of which were
attributable to traditional Alaska aboriginal foods. In the lower 49
states, home-canned food was implicated in 70 (91%) events with canned
asparagus being the most numerous cause. Two restaurant-associated
outbreaks affected 25 persons. The median number of cases per year was
23 (range 17–43), the median number of events per year was 14 (range
9–24). The highest incidence rates occurred in Alaska, Idaho,
Washington, and Oregon. All other states had an incidence rate of 1 case
per ten million people or less.[19]
Good to know! I don’t make much with water (just a vinegar/water spray for cleaning windows and countertops), but I have never thought to boil the jars/spoons I use for making face wash and tooth powder.
I’m curious though–why would anyone use water in a cooking spray? All you need is a Misto (or similar sprayer) and some extra virgin olive oil.
I would love to get a Misto, but I won’t and here’s why:
To buy one in my area costs $20 for two of them, and I can’t seem to buy them as a single. I don’t need two, and unfortunately no one I know has an extra laying around! So I bought a small $1 spray bottle from my grocery store and filled halfway with oil and added a couple tablespoons of water so it sprays in a mist and not a thick stream.
I just have to make it in small batches that only last 5-10 days so it doesn’t start growing sentient life or something!
Well this is just genius. It never occurred to me before…so, thanks for putting this out there! 🙂 I love using Grapefruit Seed Extract – awesome stuff!
“Also, I keep noticing recipes on Pinterest that combine water with
things like oil (to make a cooking spray) or hand soap (to make a
foaming soap substitute), and typically there’s no mention of what needs
to be done to keep these things from going bad.”
AMEN! And thank you. Ultimately I look for ways to tweak my recipes as much as possible to not include water, i.e. making ointments and salves instead of lotions and creams.
It’s safe to add it to soap 🙂
Betty, your timeliness amazes me. I’ve been using an ACV hair rinse in the shower for a few years now, usually prepping it for the next time after my showers, and it’s worked great–but just 3 days ago, I found blue/green mold floating on top! EW! I didn’t even know that could happen. That was inconvenient.
So I want to point out that even adding *some* vinegar will not necessarily preserve it well. In the future I know I’ll use water from my Berkey, make sure I’m adding enough vinegar to the concoction, and maybe even boil the water if I really reaaallly want to make sure it doesn’t do that.
Thanks a million for this wonderful information!!
Betty, thank you. Really, truly, honestly, thank you! I’m one of the guilty ones who’s cooking spray went viral on Pinterest a few weeks back, and I’ll admit I didn’t even think of this. Granted, I did make a small batch, but I definitely have NOT been storing it in the fridge, and I didn’t make enough of an effort to add important disclaimers about working with water, as you so eloquently have done here. I’ll go edit the post now and link back to your post. Thanks again for giving us the smack upside the head we all needed 😉
I have a Big Berkey, and the reservoir rusted around the bottom within two months. :/
Anyway, I have been using a wipe warmer with a homemade wipe solution for the cloth baby wipes, and I thought that adding TTO would inhibit mold growth. Not so much. I had been using Bert’s Bees baby wash but then switched to Dr Bronners in the solution, and within a couple of days, I had bright green–NEON!-mold that stunk to high heaven. I think we will have to follow your guidelines the next time I make the solution. That was an unpleasant surprise.
Oh no! That is how I had planned making mine as well! What can be added to it? Now I’m worried!
Just use bottled distilled water!
I’m really glad you mentioned this, Kristen, because I TOTALLY forgot about this particular idea and how it was a little iffy. I don’t have a baby, and when mine WAS a baby I wasn’t crunchy at all, but if I did, I’d probably just use a jar with water (emptied every two or three days) and reusable cotton cloths to wipe with. Not sure why there needs to be much more when washing a bum, and if there’s ever an issue with a rash or whatnot, there are plenty of things you can make (without water) to take care of that.
This is what we did, and it was fine – just little cloth wipes (make them yourself – cut your old jersey knit sweatshirt or something similar into small squares. Done. You’re using it to wipe up poop, why make it pretty & fancy?) and a squirt bottle filled with water to moisten them individually (you know the perineal rinse bottle they give you at this hospital? Perfect for this purpose!). I never felt the need for any fancy wipe solution – but if you do, you could do it the same way.
Its possible that your mold problem is exacerbated with the wipes warmer – bacteria & molds LOVE to be warm, moist, and in the dark.
Great post! I just started trying to make as much as I can for our home and these are some very good tips to keep in mind, thanks!
If it looks weird, don’t use it. Well said. And so useful. I’m adding this to my files, because I’m making stuff all the time! Thank you!
Can one use the rosemary and grapefruit seed extract tablets? All the liquid extracts I saw contained even more water.
Great post! I have been very concerned about some of the pinterest recipes and they take off like wildfire because of pinterest. I love your point that natural isn’t supposed to last forever, we are so darned lazy though, taking something out of the fridge or whipping it up once a week has just become too much work, I think if we remember why we do these things like making them once a week becomes an act of love for our earth, ourselves and the people we care for then it doesn’t seem so hard!
Want to see something very sad? Check out some of the “organic products” on etsy! All have water, no preservatives, and a two YEAR shelf life!!
Hehe – this rings so true. I made a simple facemask/scrub combining raw cocoa powder, baking soda, and a little water a couple of weeks ago. Had some leftover and put it in the bathroom cabinet. Opened the jar this weekend to find an interesting new ecosystem :p
Very good suggestions on the preservatives, but would just like to mention that Rosemary EO would have about the same level of effectiveness as the Grapefruit seed EO…it would be an exceedingly mild preservative. You would want to use the Rosemary EXTRACT, because just like the Grapefruit seed, it is a more condensed antioxidant preservative.
Well done you! This cannot be said enough, and you said it very well. 🙂
what is the best water purifier that you recommend aside from berkey? i live in israel and am looking for a good water purifier. thanks!
Can you recommend any preservatives to use in these type of products?
Hi AndreaT, there are some better for you type preservatives. I use Optiphen at 1% of my formulations, it is a paraben and formaldehyde-free preservative.
My thoughts on the topic:
When a product doesn’t smell off or display visible mold doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t contain other bacteria/yeasts/molds. I probably wouldn’t use anything unpreserved with water in it after two or three days, even if it had been refrigerated. Anhydrous products like scrubs don’t require preservation, but it’s a good idea to keep it away from the bathroom to avoid contamination. Also, use a clean spoon to scoop out what you need into a container and bring that into the shower instead. If I were to sell scrubs I would include a preservative because most people use bare hands to scoop scrub, “double dip” and store it in humid bathrooms.The reason why grapeseed extract sometimes works as a preservative is because most of them contain upwards of 11% conventional preservatives. That is a lot!
Have you had any troubles with the optiphen? Is there an odor?
I really don’t know what you have available to you in Israel, but try googling to find recommendations/product reviews. Sorry I can’t be of more help!