I copied part of an article on the use of baking soda vs. washing soda in laundry from URL: http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_bakingsoda.asp "The Baking Soda/Washing Soda question pondered . . . A definition from Dr. Dan Berger (Faculty- Chemistry/Science dept. at Bluffton College) gives a bit of understanding regarding the primary difference between Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate) and Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate). ". . . washing soda will consume two equivalents of acid, while baking soda will only consume one equivalent." So, what does this mean for those of us concerned about laundering our cloth diapers and family laundry? Well, basically that Washing Soda is a stronger base than baking soda, and is in fact, CAUSTIC. This is one reason why it isn't used for baking! Washing Soda is caustic/alkaline with a pH of 11 (with 7 being neutral). Though it does not give off harmful fumes, you do still need to use/wear gloves when handling it directly as a cleansing agent. In reading about safe household cleaners, it always is recommended to save the Washing Soda for the stubborn stains that you are going to tackle by making a paste. For instance, if speaks about petroleum spills on garage floors . . . grease build-up in your oven . . . y'know, truly STUBBORN STAINS! Baking Soda is only slightly alkaline with a pH around 8.1 (again, 7 being neutral). What exactly is PH? I personally prefer Baking Soda to Washing Soda for my laundry because it is a much milder alkali and yet, still can lift dirt/grease/urine/poopies off my diapers/laundry effectively to dissolve easily in the wash water. Because it is so very water soluable, it dissolves before its soft crystalline molecules can scratch or damage a surface. The same is NOT TRUE of Washing Soda - because of its extra alkaline, it can eat away at elastic and cloth over time and is also used to rough-up fabric for dying. In fact, Washing Soda has just enough alkaline content to fall short of being labeled non-toxic. Baking Soda and Washing Soda have the power to neutralize odors, instead of just covering them up. Most unpleasant odors come from either strong acids (like our baby's urine) or strong bases (fish oils - which we find in some of our mainstream diaper rash ointments). The Baking Soda and Washing Soda deodorizes by bringing both acidic and basic odor molecules into a neutral state. Robert Barefoot - Medical Journalist - cites from Nobel Prize Winner, Otto Warburg's work in his article, "Why is our pH Balance So Important . . ?" He substantiates that all body fluids are supposed to be mildly alkaline at pH 7.4, EXCEPT for stomach and urine fluids. Stomach fluids must remain acidic to digest food and urine must remain acidic to remove wastes from the body. Drawing from what we know of Baking Soda's neutralizing properties and the acidic levels naturally present in our baby's urine, we can see how Baking Soda would help restore pH balance in our washing routines. We know that our body also produces a form of sodium bicarbonate (Baking Soda) and utilizes it much like we do with our laundry. For instance . . . our body's naturally produced sodium bicarbonate neutralizes the stomach acids mentioned above (helping to prevent ulcers) and neutralizes plaque acids (helping to prevent tooth decay). So, this 'like' substance that even our bodies produce is most definitely a safe alternative for stain removal and pH balance in our laundry/for our diapers." Lorna

What a cute idea! Could be used for lots of different holidays but especially Halloween and Valentines Day. TFS. Luvs

Karen, thanks, but you are able to do things on the computer that amaze me. I told one of the people at my work that I can work with power tools, but computers just frustrate me! I had actually been looking for a rickety old chair and then I thought of making the bench out of a pallet. Probably because I am such a cheapskate, LOL. Jeanne, I found the labels on the computer under a free site, and when I found the one that said coffin nails, I realized that the ones I had pulled out of the pallet would be perfect! They were too hard to pull out to pound them in again, LOL. Minnie, I am saving pictures in my computer, but not much into scrapbooking. I will however, be saving the bench for using in many more Halloweens to come. I used screws to assemble it so it is actually quite sturdy. Punk, part of my love of thrift stores is I find items that are not in every store on the block, then I figure out how I am going to use them. I have been having lots of fun creating them this year. Jeanne, I don't mind at all. Would you like me to email it to you or can you use this site? If I had used a better pallet, and actually measured it, it could be a lot nicer, but I was going for the rickety look. Marlene, thank you. The Spell book is actually a political book that I bought for its black cover. The hinges I used were so old, the price on the package was 39C!! Since I attached the hinges with upholstery tacks, the book won't actually open and if it did, it would be just a book about politics, which some might say is a bunch of hocus pocus, LOL. Thanks again everybody!! How do you fix a broken Jack O'Lantern? You use a pumpkin patch! Keep calm and scary on, Candy

Are you using golden raisins? I remember the pushing of the fact they should be golden raisins. I did it in hopes of it working so I wouldn't have to eat such a restrictive diet. I am back on track with my diet so all my joint pain is pretty much gone now. I was desperate to get tomatoes back - oh well. Enjoy and I hope it works for you! Probably the only remedy that I tried that I didn't gag on.