How to get stearin from laundry soap. Is it possible to put a soap candle on a baby if he is constipated? Signs of constipation in a baby

Soap as a laxative is considered an effective alternative to pharmaceutical medications and drugs that have side effects. However, this method of relieving constipation can be addictive.

Soap

There is a lot of discussion about the use of soap candles both among doctors and among patients: the issues of the benefits and harms of this method are being resolved. However, its effectiveness has been proven in practice more than once, due to which this product is considered the most accessible assistant when constipation occurs.

Will laundry soap really help with constipation?

Soap began to be used in the fight against constipation back in the Soviet years, when there were few laxatives in pharmacies. At that time, the “soap” method was considered safe and universal, but modern doctors constantly dispute this statement. To prevent soap from harming the body, it is worth understanding exactly how it acts when it gets into the anus.

In case of constipation, a bar of soap can effectively soften stool, which will ensure rapid bowel movement. Soap is used as the main ingredient for the preparation of enemas to cleanse the intestines and laxative rectal suppositories.

The effect of a soap bar on the body is similar to the result of the action of well-known suspensions that are used rectally. Due to the direct contact of soap with the mucous membrane, only natural varieties are used to facilitate the process of defecation.

Laundry soap for constipation in an adult will give the fastest effect. And baby products act gently, slowly stimulating the intestinal system. Tar soap is completely prohibited for use. It acts too actively on intestinal receptors and can provoke serious inflammation in the intestines.

You should not make candles from moisturizing soap cream. Despite the fact that this product provides skin hydration, it takes away moisture from the mucous membrane, which can cause cracks in the anus. In addition, such a mass contains a large list of additives that cause fat imbalance.

Making a candle from soap

You need to immediately find out which soap is best for constipation in a baby or an adult. Many people believe that there is nothing better than laundry soap. But it is characterized by the highest alkalinity, which is so harmful to the intestines. Therefore, for a child, it is best to choose a mild baby soap that will not harm the delicate skin of newborns.

Having decided on the choice of soap, you need to cut off a small part from it, shape it in the form of a candle and smooth the edges under a stream of water. The diameter of a piece for an infant should be the size of two match heads.

The child is placed on his side and a candle is carefully inserted. After about 10 minutes, the baby should poop.

Folk recipe

To reduce the negative effect of alkali on the intestinal mucosa, you can make soap yourself at home. You will need:

Crushed dark soap – 50 grams;
Olive oil or Vaseline oil – 10 grams;
Small baking dish;
Water – 100 grams.

All ingredients need to be mixed and steamed for about two hours. To prevent the liquid from boiling away, cover the mixture with a lid. Then the mixture must be poured into a mold and placed in the refrigerator so that the soap hardens. When it has completely hardened, you can make candles from the soap composition.

Attention! Homemade soap has a milder effect, does not lead to irritation of the rectum, and the passage of feces occurs no later than 30 minutes after the introduction of a piece of soap. The ingredients of pure natural soap have a stimulating effect on peristalsis, and thanks to the oil, hardened fecal particles soften.

Helping a child

You cannot use any soap product during constipation due to inflammation in the rectum. This can lead to exacerbation of the disease and bleeding.

It is worth keeping in mind that soap is not a medicine, but only an irritant that provokes the release of the intestines. If the body is not able to independently remove food from the body, it is not necessary to suppress the natural functions of the digestive system. In this case, you need to go to an appointment with a gastroenterologist to solve the root of the problem, and not just the symptom in the form of constipation.

Experience has shown that using soap too often during constipation is not a good idea. Many patients too often resort to this method of dealing with problematic stool, which causes irreversible consequences. In addition, soap has long been replaced by a wide selection of available rectal suppositories. Even when you urgently need to empty your intestines, it is better to use safer and gentler folk recipes.

What complications can there be?

If constipation occurs once over a long period, then soap can be used to relieve the condition, but you need to be sure that the condition is not associated with a specific serious illness. And when constipation occurs frequently, you should definitely talk to a doctor, undergo an examination, and understand what the cause of the pathology is.

Complications

It must be remembered that frequent use of the method with soap candles causes irritation and damage to the mucous membrane, which leads to the appearance of cracks and ulcers.

Alkali, which constantly affects the intestine from the inside, simply corrodes its walls. After frequent use of soap, tenesmus develops - a false urge to defecate, accompanied by pain, even if there is no feces in the rectum.

When and how often can it be used?

The “soap” method is used for constipation. But for the following diseases it should be used in combination with soothing herbs and oils:

Indigestion, dyspepsia;
Dysbacteriosis;
Ulcerative diseases;
Irritable bowel syndrome.

The frequency of use should not exceed 1 time every 2 months.

The resulting suppository must be carefully inserted into the anal passage. You don't have to push it deep. The procedure is not accompanied by painful feelings, since at body temperature the soap melts in the intestine and lubricates its walls to make feces easier to pass out. The relief effect, depending on the duration of constipation, occurs after 20 minutes.

Important! For elderly patients, this method is not recommended for hard stools without the permission of a doctor.

Are there any risks?

It is not without reason that medicine takes the side of medicinal methods of combating frequent constipation in infants, in adult patients, during pregnancy and lactation. Doctors explain this by saying that the soap contains alkaline substances that corrode and irritate the sensitive walls of the intestines.

Much safer and healthier are natural oil candles, which are sold in pharmacies. In addition, constant use of soap candles can lead to addiction. The intestines will no longer cope with their task on their own.

Few people have thought about it, but there is a direct connection between a candle - not a car candle, but one used for lighting - and soap. Life experience allows us to use the chemical composition of these substances in such a way that, through a simple reaction carried out at home, it is easy to transform one into the other. And vice versa.

What experience and skills do you need, for example, to make a candle from a bar of soap? The most basic ones. You need to take a piece of laundry soap. It has the simplest composition and does not contain numerous additives that are found in other types of soap. For example, aromatic additives.

Then you need to grind the soap - cut it into cubes with a sharp knife, like sausage. Or just sharpen it like a pencil. The resulting small pieces of soap need to be marked in a container. For example, a tin can. Pour water into the soap until it completely covers the soap.

The jar is placed on low heat. But it is best to place it in a larger pan filled with water. When the water in the pan boils, its temperature does not rise above the boiling point of water. This means that the contents of the jar will also not heat up too much, as can happen even over low heat. This design, when one container is heated in another container filled with water and standing on fire, is called a water bath.

When heating the jar in a water bath, you need to stir its contents all the time. Soon the soap pieces will begin to dissolve in the water. When they all dissolve, remove the jar from the water bath and pour vinegar into it. The acid will release a thick white foam from the melted laundry soap. This is stearin - a material from which candles were previously made.

Stearine was obtained from animal fat by removing its glycerol. But with the invention of a method for producing paraffin from unfiltered oil, the latter completely replaced stearin. The main argument was the low cost of paraffin compared to stearin.

When the jar has cooled, it is not difficult to scrape off the surface of the liquid with a wooden stick or false stearin. Then the collected stearin must be washed with water and spread on paper or a rag to absorb excess moisture.

The next step is to make a candle from the resulting stearin. Experience and skill in making a wick will be required. Previously, the wick was made from reed or cotton, fibers of durable plants. Today, for the wick, you can use a thread extracted from a wide strip of fabric - a filter for a kerosene stove.

It is better to soak the wick with the resulting stearin. After this operation the candle will burn better. To impregnate the wick, dip it in slightly melted stearin. Then pull it out and straighten it. You need to keep the wick straight until the stearin hardens.

In China and Japan, candles were made from wax. The melted wax was placed on paper, a wick was passed through and the candle was rolled up. You can use this method today.

Life experience provides a different way of making a candle. It consists of repeatedly pouring molten stearin over the wick. Layers of stearin, superimposed on each other, gradually give the candle the desired thickness.

The candle can also be cast in a mold. Which can be wooden, clay, gypsum, sand. When the mold is ready, melted stearin is poured into it. Once the candle has completely hardened, it can be removed from the mold.

It is not difficult to make soap from a stearin candle by performing a simple reverse reaction. But it is important to be sure that the candle is really stearic and not paraffin. Because you can't get soap from a paraffin candle. You can also make soap using this method using beeswax.

Stearin or beeswax must be heated in a water bath so that the substance is completely melted. There is no need to bring it to a boil. When the stearin melts, a solution of washing (soda ash) is added to it. A white viscous mass is formed - laundry soap. It needs to be warmed up a little more. And then pour into a pre-prepared mold. For example, a hole in the ground or an empty tin can. Once the soap has hardened, it can be removed from the mold.

Few people have thought that skills and abilities allow you to prepare soap exactly at the moment and in the place where it is most needed - right in the dishes, which are washed from food residues. This situation can happen in a garden or on a summer cottage, if a holiday village is just being organized, but you have to live and build a house in the field - literally in an open field. So, we found water in a spring or river nearby, there is plenty to make a fire from - there is a forest nearby, where finding dead wood is not a problem.

Of course, the easiest way to clean dishes is to simply wipe off the dirt with a napkin or rag. You can also wipe it with a mixture of earth and sand. You can also boil water in a metal container, thus disinfecting it. You can heat a bucket of water or a large pan filled with water over a fire and boil the cutlery in it. But it's not fast. In addition, a suitable large container may simply not be at hand.

I also don’t want to risk my health, since there is a danger of catching an intestinal infection. Then you will have to forget about dacha construction or outdoor recreation, since all your energy will go into fighting the disease.

How can you get out of a situation where there is no soap? Life experience suggests that source of soap in the field - fire ash. Because the lye contained in the ash is involved in the reaction to produce soap. If you mix lye with fats, a chemical reaction occurs and you get soap. The fat present in leftover food is found on the walls of dirty, greasy dishes left over from lunch or dinner. All that remains is to add lye to the fat and prepare soap directly where it is needed most- in dishes washed from grease. Directly while washing it.

To obtain lye, the ash must first be infused in water. To do this, ash is placed in a bucket, approximately two-thirds of its volume, and filled to the top with water. The solution is thoroughly mixed. Large debris and floating particles must be removed. Let the ash sit for three days. There is no need to stir the solution anymore. After three days, a lye forms - a soapy, transparent liquid.

It is important to understand that for Not all ash is suitable for making lye. But only ash obtained by burning wood. Various household waste, plastic bottles that were burned in a fire, can turn out to be toxic material. And therefore, skills and abilities clearly say: such ash should not be used to prepare lye. And better lye is obtained from the ash of deciduous trees than from the coniferous family.

To properly use the resulting lye, you need to follow some simple rules. Firstly, you should not wash clothes with undiluted lye. Because it will quickly become unusable. Therefore, it is correct to wash with lye diluted with water (10 parts water to 1 part lye). You need to dilute the lye even more if you need to wash your hair or body.

Do not throw away water used after washing near a body of water. This can be done no closer than 80 meters from the water. Lye is a rather aggressive substance. Therefore, it is better to wash dishes using rubber gloves. Or immediately after the procedure, wash your hands in clean water. Life experience says that you should not wash wardrobe items with lye that are not designed to withstand such aggressive solutions.

To wash dishes, you need to put several glasses of ash in a saucepan or kettle. If the food was not very fatty, you can add a little fat to the pot - butter, margarine, animal fat, etc. It's also better to add a few hot coals. Then a little warm water is added to the pot. If the water was cold, the coals will help warm it up even more. You need to mix the ash and water thoroughly to get “semolina porridge”. The high temperature of the resulting cleaning paste will help destroy various bacteria that may be contained in the water. In addition, hot water will allow the formation of potassium salt. It mixes with fat to form soap. This will clear the pot of food residues.

The cooled paste can also be spread on the walls of the dish and left for a few minutes. This helps clean the dishes better. Then the dishes should be rinsed with clean water.

Soap is used by many to treat constipation in infants, since the method does not require visiting a doctor, does not require large financial expenditures, and is also easy to use. The main component used is always at hand in the bathroom and has a quick effect. Soap should not be the main method of treatment, since the main cause of the disease must be eliminated. The product is used once as a mild irritant, and safety precautions should be observed.

Important! Improper actions can lead to burns of the mucous membrane, an allergic reaction and worsening of the condition caused by constipation. In addition, soap does not help get rid of the main problem; it promotes a single bowel movement.

Soap for constipation in a baby has a simple mechanism - the active components of the product promote irritation of intestinal motility, causing rapid bowel movements. The components also help soften fecal stasis, quickly and painlessly moving them to the intestinal exit.

Noted! The action of soap is comparable to the mechanism of many rectal drugs, which is achieved when the mucous membrane comes into contact with the substance.

How to choose soap for constipation for babies

But not all types of products can be used, especially for young children. Before choosing soap for constipation in children, you need to carefully read its contents. Preference should be given to a type with a natural composition without the use of additives - this includes household ones. It does not provoke the development of allergies and rarely causes harm to health. You can also use moisturizing soap, it is best to give preference to children's soap.

Laundry soap for constipation in newborns

The traditional method of emptying is used only in case of a one-time problem related to the improvement of the functioning of the baby’s digestive organs. Chronic disorders may indicate the presence of certain diseases with the excretory system. Laundry soap for constipation in children can worsen the course and cause a number of negative consequences.

If the problem has arisen for the first time, then you should be careful when using soap. There is no need to use a whole piece; for a newborn, it is enough to rub the anorectal area with soap or a lubricated finger. The remaining particles or small pieces will come out of the anus during bowel movements.

Liquid soap for constipation in infants

Using liquid soap to establish the process of colon cleansing in infancy is extremely undesirable. Most of these types contain aggressive components, dyes, additives and fragrances, which, on the contrary, dry the surface of the intestinal mucosa. Liquid soap, with constant use, provokes the appearance of fissures in the anus, and together with constipation, it often causes bleeding. Therefore, if soap is chosen as a laxative rather than pharmaceutical preparations, then preference should be given to baby soap in solid form, containing a minimum of impurities.

How to use soap to help your child with constipation

If your baby experiences constipation for the first time, you can turn to soap for help. Take the soap and cut off a small piece, form a small candle, first smoothing the sharp edges with water. Lay the baby comfortably, insert or pass a piece along the inner surface and wait for emptying. If the soap slips out and remains inside, there is no need to worry, it will come out along with the feces, the effect begins in 10-15 minutes. Depending on the age, in addition to capsules from soap remnants, enemas with various decoctions are used. For example, a system based on chamomile decoction has a quick action and anti-inflammatory effect. Defecation is provoked within a couple of minutes.

Important! Any types of capsules prepared on the basis of soap are prohibited for use in chronic forms of fecal stagnation, accompanied by additional symptoms and diseases.

Soap for constipation in newborns

Before using soap on a newly born baby, you need to understand the causes of bowel dysfunction. A newly born baby has no microflora in the intestines, which is formed over time by the ingress of beneficial and harmful bacteria during passage through the birth canal and during feeding. At this time, the work of the intestines is just starting, which leads to a series of constipation with diarrhea. At such times, it is best to avoid using additional bowel stimulation measures, as this can lead to chronic bowel failure later on.

But if it was decided to use traditional treatment, then preference should be given to children's treatment. Lay the newborn on his back, wet his finger in water and lubricate him with a small amount of soap. Treat the opening of the anus in a newborn with several movements; this is enough to stimulate defecation.

Important to remember! Pieces may be unsafe to use. An incompletely formed body may react negatively to a foreign body with an allergic reaction, irritation or even a burn.

Soap for constipation in babies

Despite the fact that infant nutrition is based only on the consumption of mother's milk, there is a risk of constipation. This condition is usually provoked by new foods introduced as complementary foods or consumed by the mother. If an ingredient is identified, then it is enough to remove it for a while.

Soap for constipation in a baby is allowed to be used if the problem has arisen for the first time, the diet of the mother and baby has not changed, and there are no other symptoms. The product is chosen in the same way as for a baby, you need to use a baby product, without harmful impurities. Also, children after one year are allowed to use laundry soap. To establish bowel movements, the baby should be placed on his side. Pre-prepare a candle from soap or lubricate your finger. Insert the capsule into the anus or treat the entrance, the effect occurs after 10-20 minutes.

Important! To avoid irritation or serious consequences, it is not recommended to leave a homemade capsule in the anus; it should be passed along the walls of the mucous membrane. The remaining substance will be excreted along with the feces.

Soap for constipation in a child aged 3 years

The occurrence of fecal stagnation in children over three years of age is usually associated with abnormal nutrition and non-compliance with the water regime. It is possible to get rid of the problem by adjusting your diet and eliminating harmful and astringent foods. In the absence of additional diseases and a problem arises, for the first time it is allowed to use products intended for a baby up to one year old. In addition, it is allowed to use weak solutions of soap and herbal decoction as an enema. To do this, you need to brew a herb, such as chamomile, add shavings of baby or laundry soap and wait until it cools to room temperature. Lay the child on his side, pour in a soap solution using a small medical bulb, the effect begins in 2-5 minutes.

How to use soap for constipation in a newborn

It takes time to establish bowel movements in a newborn; in addition, you need to use safe elimination methods: massage, stroking the tummy, and improving the mother’s nutrition. But if there is no bowel movement for several days, you can help the baby with soap.

How to use soap for bowel dysfunction (safe and effective methods):

Homemade candle. Separate a small piece from household soap (with the lowest percentage of alkali) or baby soap. Wet your fingers with water and smooth out the sharp edges, forming a smooth capsule. Lubricate the entrance to the anus or insert a candle and wait for 5-10 minutes.
Enema. Brew a teaspoon of chamomile with boiling water, grate a piece of soap on a fine grater and add to the broth. Wait until the shavings are completely dissolved and the composition is ready for use. The action begins in a couple of minutes.

Important to remember! Soap in any form should not be used to relieve constipation if there is constant stagnation of feces, the presence of diseases of the digestive system and the presence of additional symptoms.

How to make a candle from soap for a child for constipation

Making a candle from soap is quite simple. Cut a small slice from the block that does not have sharp edges. Wet your fingers, shaping the soap into a candle shape. To eliminate stagnation of feces, the capsule should be small and oblong. Then you should insert it into the anus or lubricate the intestinal mucosa with several movements. Even a small piece of soap for constipation in a newborn can empty the intestines in a few minutes.

Important! The use of soap capsules is a rare and extreme case. Stagnation is often caused by a number of diseases that require drug treatment.

How to insert soap for constipation in a newborn

If there were no other ways to empty the newborn’s bowels, and a decision was made to use homemade candles, it is important to know all the nuances of how to insert soap. Before the procedure you need to do the following:

Remove the packaging from the soap.
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Using a knife or other clean object, break off a small piece the size of a match head.
Give the fragment a rounded shape, without any sharp edges.

Before using a soap suppository for constipation, you need to know:

The introduction of a homemade capsule is not deep, 0.5 cm.
The piece of soap should be small.
The introduction is carried out with dry, clean hands.
Pushing into the anus is soft and effortless.

After preparation, lay the baby on his side and insert the formed capsule shallowly into the anus. Sometimes, to cleanse the intestines, it is enough to lubricate your finger with soap or make several movements along the mucous membrane. If a piece accidentally remains inside, it’s okay; it will come out along with the feces during a bowel movement. There is no need to try to get it out; this can only cause injury and pain to the newborn.

Important! If during the procedure the baby experiences discomfort and noticeably resists the process, you need to stop the action.

Instant emptying indicates the correctness of the action and the effectiveness of the method. But you shouldn’t resort to it more than once every few months. If there is no result, you should not re-insert the soap or use a larger piece, as this increases the risk of complications.

Contraindications and warnings, possible risks

Before using soap for constipation in a child, it is important to familiarize yourself with the following contraindications:

Irritable bowel syndrome.
Presence of elevated temperature.
Constipation for more than three days.
Chronic form of the disease.
Anal fissures.
If an allergic reaction was observed when using soap candles.
Intestinal diseases.

If there are contraindications and the baby does not have bowel movements, you need to consult a doctor for examination and proper treatment. Otherwise, there is a risk of worsening the condition.

Also, when constipation and using folk remedies with soap, it is important to know about the possible risks of:

Intestinal disorders.
Irritations.
False urge to defecate.
Formation of ulcers.
Allergic reaction.
Anal fissures.
Burns of the mucous membrane.
With regular administration, there is no spontaneous emptying.

Despite the first glance at the safety of using soap and its effectiveness, treatment of constipation in children should only be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Self-medication does not always lead to a positive result, and what’s even worse is that it worsens the baby’s condition and increases constipation. Therefore, homemade preparations for fecal stagnation should be used once, in the form of an adjuvant.

A small child often behaves restlessly, from which parents conclude that something hurts. If he has recently been fed, given water, and is dry, then there is a problem with the tummy; this is how the whole range of problems that a baby may have is most often classified. But they somehow don’t remember that he still has a head and all the other organs.

What could be wrong with your tummy? There are two extremes: diarrhea or constipation. If the first one is not diagnosed, then the problem is the second one. The problem has been found, we will treat it, and quite often in these cases, young mothers put soap in the child’s butt instead of a candle. How safe the remedy is, why it helps and what can be considered a worthy analogue, we will talk to you now.

What can be considered constipation?

Every mother should start with this. Before giving your baby drugs or performing certain manipulations on him, you need to find out what’s wrong with him. Maybe you're trying to treat the wrong symptom. You can put soap in the butt a little later, if it is really necessary. There are criteria and certain signs by which you can tell whether everything is okay with the baby.

Main criteria

First of all, you need to assess the frequency of stool. To do this, you can keep a record so as not to panic ahead of time. It is normal for a breastfed baby to have a bowel movement every 1-5 days. And here everything is individual. You need to monitor the condition and behavior of your baby. If he is cheerful, eats normally, and his tummy is soft, then there is no need to take any additional measures. As soon as a fecal sausage of sufficient size is formed, it will leave the intestines on its own.

Constipation in a newborn with artificial feeding is a more common occurrence. At the same time, the timing of the act of defecation here is from 1 to 3 days. Less often, this is already a reason to consult a doctor. The fact is that mixtures are absorbed worse, which means there are more substances left for disposal. As we have already noted, everything is individual. If a child has not gone to the toilet every other day, but at the same time systematically cries, strains heavily, and grunts without any visible result, then this may well indicate constipation.

Additional factors

What to consider

Only a few of the listed factors indicate that the child is constipated. Therefore, if feces appear in the form of hard balls, with a delay of 1-2 days, and the baby cries a lot, this is constipation. If bowel movements do not occur every day, but the consistency of the stool is within normal limits and the child grunts and strains, this is normal. Most babies kick their legs and strain their whole body, pushing feces out. For the first year of life, this is the norm, since intestinal functions are just developing. Therefore, if a child behaves calmly and smiles, eats and farts regularly, then he does not need any additional stimulation, and even more so there is no need to put soap in his butt.

Possible causes of constipation

In small and large children, intestinal function can sometimes be disrupted, as a result of which episodic constipation develops, which then also goes away on its own. In this case, children look healthy, develop correctly and gain weight well. Changes in the nature of intestinal function that are not associated with any diseases can be caused by the following reasons:

Insufficient fluid. This point is especially important for artificial people. It’s not for nothing that when complaining about rare bowel movements, pediatricians recommend giving children more water.
Maternal malnutrition. Sometimes the same principle forms the basis of baby food. From the age of six months, the baby begins to receive semolina porridge, buns, rich, thick broths. Abuse of baked goods, rice, processed meats and refined foods provokes constipation in children and adults.
Taking medications. These can be antibiotics and anticonvulsants, antispasmodics and NSAIDs.
Constipation in a newborn with artificial feeding may be due to the incorrect selection of a formula that is not suitable for him.

Soft stools and constipation

This also happens. The child constantly feels anxious, cries, but cannot go to the toilet. After stimulation, parents find that the stool is very soft and even runny. Is the child really constipated and what should I do? Yes, this happens with congenital diseases, defects in intestinal development, diabetes mellitus and adrenal insufficiency. This also includes disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs, most often the pancreas and liver or gall bladder.

If the stool remains soft, and the child is apathetic and lethargic, and at the same time he experiences difficulty during bowel movements, rickets and lactose deficiency, hypothyroidism and some other problems can be assumed. Do not forget that only a qualified doctor should pronounce a verdict that the child is constipated. What to do will become clear during the examination.

How can you help?

Soap for constipation is a reliable measure, but has long been outdated. Today there are many much more effective methods that will help cope with the problem. An examination by a pediatrician is the first thing you will need. At the same time, try one of several methods:

Emergency relief of constipation

The first thing you must remember is that you need to eliminate the cause, and not fight the effects. Delay in bowel movements for more than a day, accompanied by anxiety and crying, should be a reason to call your local doctor. All recommendations regarding the need to introduce soap into a child’s bottom should be immediately rejected. At the very least, consider consulting with a specialist first.

Make your own candle!

Complexity:

Danger:

Reagents

Safety

Wear gloves before starting the experiment.

Conduct the experiment on a tray.

Remove gloves before lighting a candle.

General safety rules

Do not allow chemicals to come into contact with your eyes or mouth.
Keep people away from the experiment site without protective glasses, as well as small children and animals.
Keep the experimental kit out of the reach of children under 12 years of age.
Wash or clean all equipment and fixtures after use.
Ensure that all reagent containers are tightly closed and stored properly after use.
Make sure all disposable containers are disposed of correctly.
Use only the equipment and reagents provided in the kit or recommended by current instructions.
If you have used a food container or glassware for experiments, throw it away immediately. They are no longer suitable for storing food.

First aid information

If reagents come into contact with your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water, keeping the eye open if necessary. Contact your doctor immediately.
If swallowed, rinse mouth with water and drink some clean water. Do not induce vomiting. Contact your doctor immediately.
If reagents are inhaled, remove the victim to fresh air.
In case of skin contact or burns, flush the affected area with plenty of water for 10 minutes or longer.
If in doubt, consult a doctor immediately. Take the chemical reagent and its container with you.
In case of injury, always seek medical attention.

Improper use of chemicals can cause injury and damage to health. Carry out only the experiments specified in the instructions.
This set of experiences is intended for children 12 years and older only.
Children's abilities vary significantly even within age groups. Therefore, parents conducting experiments with their children should use their own discretion to decide which experiments are appropriate and safe for their children.
Parents should discuss safety rules with their child or children before experimenting. Particular attention should be paid to the safe handling of acids, alkalis and flammable liquids.
Before starting experiments, clear the experiment site of objects that may interfere with you. Avoid storing food near the test site. The testing area should be well ventilated and close to a tap or other water source. To conduct experiments you will need a stable table.
Substances in disposable packaging must be used completely or disposed of after one experiment, i.e. after opening the package.

Other experiments

Step by step instructions

Take regular laundry soap (a medium-sized bar weighs about 200 g). Toilet soap is also suitable for the experiment. However, the fewer additives and fragrances in the soap you use, the better. Make notches on a piece of soap, dividing it into 6-8 equal parts. Grind about 30 grams of soap (one part) with a knife or grater.

Pour soap shavings into a beaker up to the 75 mark. If you don't have enough soap shavings, grind a little more.

Pour water into the glass up to the “75” mark. It is better to use warm water.

Now you need to get the soap to dissolve in water. As a result, you will get a homogeneous thick soap mass. To do this, place a glass with soap shavings and water in a heated water bath. Mix the soap using a plastic stick.

It is easy to make a water bath from a deep plate or small saucepan. To do this, just place them on a heat-resistant surface and pour boiling water over them so that when you put a glass of soap in the container, the water level outside is slightly below the “75” mark.

If the water bath has cooled down and the soap has not yet dissolved, remove the beaker from the bath (only hold it by the top part, which was not immersed in water!). Carefully drain the cooled water from the bath and pour in fresh boiling water.

You will need 30-40 minutes for the soap to completely dissolve.

Attention! Take precautions when working with boiling water.

Once the soap has dissolved, wipe the plastic stick with a paper towel, which will be useful in the next steps.

Take the plastic cup from the starter kit. Pour the contents of a jar of anhydrous citric acid C 6 H 8 O 7 (10 g) into it.

Fill the glass with citric acid halfway with water.

Stir the contents of the glass with a plastic stick for 1–2 minutes until the citric acid is completely dissolved.

Pour the contents of the plastic cup into a glass glass with dissolved soap.

Stir the mixture for 2-3 minutes using a plastic stick.

Leave the mixture for 10 minutes. Then carefully drain the water from the glass. If the mixture does not separate, wait another 10–15 minutes, then drain the water.

Use a plastic skewer to drain the contents of the glass onto paper towels. Leave the workpiece to dry for 1 day.

Make sure the workpiece is dry. First treat the wick with the resulting substance: apply a small amount of the mixture to the wick. Fill the candle mold with the resulting substance, inserting the wick as shown in the picture. Compact the substance in the mold.

Attention! Remove protective gloves before lighting a candle.

Light the candle.

Expected result

By isolating stearic acid from soap, you have a homemade candle.

Disposal

Dispose of experiment waste with household waste.

What happened

What is soap and what does it consist of?

Soap is a well-known solid or liquid detergent. What does it consist of and why does it help cleanse the skin of dirt? No matter how strange it may sound, soap is a mixture of quite complex molecules. One such molecule contains the already well-known positively charged sodium ion Na + (potassium K + in the case of liquid soap) and a large negatively charged organic fragment (anion).

These anions are structured almost like tadpoles: at one end they have a negative charge, and the rest is a long chain of carbon atoms (15-20 atoms), a kind of tail. When soap is dissolved in water, the charged tips of these anions are easily immersed in water and take on the same “water coat” as, for example, some Cl - .

But the long tail of the molecule feels very uncomfortable in the water and tries to slip out of it. It turns out that most of the dirt is structured in much the same way as this tail, and therefore is so difficult to wash off with water. When dirt gets into a soap solution, like is attracted to like: anions from the soap turn their tails towards small pieces of dirt, and leave the charged “head” in the water. Thanks to this mediation, dirt is washed off much better with a soap solution than with ordinary water.

Molecules similar to those described above, along with the familiar copper sulfate CuSO 4 or ammonium chloride NH 4 Cl, are called salts by chemists. Salts usually easily disintegrate in solution into positively and negatively charged fragments:

NH 4 Cl → NH 4 + + Cl -

CuSO 4 → Cu 2+ + SO 4 2-

NaCl → Na + + Cl -

It's funny that ordinary table salt, the very substance that we used to call salt (and not some copper sulfate!) is sodium chloride NaCl, which also belongs to the class of salts. It's not easy not to get confused!

And the complex molecules that make up soap are called fatty acid salts. But more on that a little later.

What is stearin?

In our case, stearin is the base for the candle. If you replace sodium ions Na + with H + protons, then the mixture of those same complex organic molecules from the previous question will turn into ... stearin - a mixture of so-called fatty acids! They are arranged as follows: at the end of the molecule of such an acid there is a group of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms, which, in fact, makes it an acid. And the rest of the molecule is a long chain of carbon atoms, similar to a tail. By changing just one atom in each of the large molecules, we got two very different substances: one is capable of washing away dirt, and the second, after a little processing, turned into a candle!

Why do we use citric acid?

Soap is salts of fatty acids, and the candle should consist of stearin, that is, of these acids themselves. This means that to create a candle we need to act on the soap solution with some kind of acid. In this case, the following reaction occurs: citric acid takes Na + from fatty acid salts and gives them H + in return, converting their fatty acids (in other words, into stearin). It dissolves very poorly in water and forms a thick sticky mass. After the stearin is dried, you can make a candle out of it.

Why is it important to dissolve the soap before adding citric acid?

In order for citric acid to turn into salt, and salts of fatty acids into these acids themselves, it is necessary that nothing prevents them from reaching each other. If the soap is poorly dissolved, then part of it in large pieces will not be able to come into contact with citric acid and will remain unchanged. After all, stearin forms on the surface of such pieces. And it is insoluble in water and isolates the remaining soap, stopping the reaction. This is why it is so important to dissolve all the soap before adding the citric acid solution.

By the way, the heating and stirring carried out in the experiment are precisely necessary to ensure that the soap dissolves in water faster.