Name: Ana

Message: How long does soda ash stay good once mixed with water: hours, days...?
Can I reuse the same mixture days or weeks later and have the pH desired?

thank you so much, I love your site!!

Soda ash is unusual in that it stays good practically forever, even after being mixed with water. The sodium carbonate will not degrade into another chemical, and mold will not grow in a strong solution of soda ash. If evaporation lowers the level of water in the bucket, the soda ash will become more concentrated; just add more water to bring it back to the original level. 

One problem that dyers sometimes complain of is the weakness of repurposed plastic milk jugs, when soda ash is stored in them. The plastic in milk bottles is very thin and weak, so the jug is apt to develop leaks within a few months or even weeks. There is no problem in storing soda ash in a sturdy plastic bucket or in sturdier plastic jugs, such as the ones vinegar is sold in.

In contrast to soda ash, fiber reactive dyes will have their reactivity used up within an hour or so, once even a single drop of soda ash has become mixed with the dye. In the absence of soda ash, if the dyes are mixed up in pH-neutral water, the dyes will stay good for at least a week at room temperature, and longer at refrigerator temperature.

Also see "What is soda ash, and what's it for in dyeing?".

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