Why the emphasis on the order of adding the two?
Bud Washing
- Thread starter Hiker
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It may not make any difference. It just works better for me. The soda dissolves better/faster in the weak lemon water.
Fredwak
Well-Known Member
I definitely never see foaming action. Maybe because im using treated (softened) water. I mix water and lemon juice then add the soda. I've always used the two together as one wash.Thanks.
The 1/4 cup per 5 gals (4 gals) is appropriate. We found that higher concentrations didn't help.
We've visually tested many times for trichomes and found no significant loss. We also tested for final THC% and found no significant difference. In fact, one batch of tests showed higher THC in the washed bud.
No worries about *gasp* dunking your harvest in water and vigorously swishing it around.
One thing that I want to offer is my reluctance to separate the lemon and soda buckets. That doesn't sound like a good idea. They should be mixed first into just one bucket. Juice first, then soda, mix it up, dunk your buds.
[Edit] I also don't believe that any foaming action has much benefit. Any foaming is gone in seconds. We're not trying to remove anything with kinetic action. It works on a much smaller scale, loosening water soluble bonds. The dunking and swishing itself removes as many stuck insects as any foaming would.
I am not sure what you want to test. Have you done internet searches looking for info on the process that takes place when the lemon juice (acid) is mixed with the baking soda (base)? Science says that the reaction that takes place will create carbon dioxide (bubbles and foaming) and that some of the baking soda turns into a salt. If enough lemon juice is used then eventually it will turn all the soda into a salt and if enough water is in the bucket all the salt will dissolve.
Can you contact other scientists? I am thinking that some of the tests have already been done and the published results should be available. Those might give explanations of why the mix works as a cleaner if that is the info you are looking for.
I know we're talking about very small quantities of Dawn here (if any!), but I did want to add this piece of information if anyone thinks it might be relevant:
"What the company doesn't advertise -- and these days is reluctant to admit -- is that the grease-cutting part of the potion is made from petroleum. "To make the best product out there, you have to have some in there," says Ian Tholking of Procter & Gamble. He says less than one-seventh of Dawn comes from petroleum."
Source
"What the company doesn't advertise -- and these days is reluctant to admit -- is that the grease-cutting part of the potion is made from petroleum. "To make the best product out there, you have to have some in there," says Ian Tholking of Procter & Gamble. He says less than one-seventh of Dawn comes from petroleum."
Source
Fredwak
Well-Known Member
Wow! I wasn't thinking of putting a detergent in my wash. Something that cuts grease and oil doesn't sound good for trichome retention. This outdoor White Widow was washed this morning after harvest and I don't see any trichomes disturbed. I hope.
Stay stoneder
Scuse the angle, they're hanging.
Stay stoneder
Scuse the angle, they're hanging.
Well, to be fair, most growers react the same way to the idea of dumping their fresh harvest in water.
But yeah, I'm thinking of the waterfowl after an oil spill? Seems like Dawn dissolves fatty structures pretty well, or they'd be using something stronger.
Maybe we could find just the right threshold where it would dissolve the bonds that hold the contaminants but not the trichome structures. Dunno. Seems like a delicate balance.But I'd be fascinated to see someone try it. Why mess with lemon juice and baking soda when you could just use Dawn, right? Not sure I grasp the benefit though.
I was thinkiing more of a true soap, not a detergent. Safers Soap is safe to use against bugs right up to harvest so trichomes are safe from that. So maybe Dr Bonners Organic Soap as was suggested earler.Well, to be fair, most growers react the same way to the idea of dumping their fresh harvest in water.
But yeah, I'm thinking of the waterfowl after an oil spill? Seems like Dawn dissolves fatty structures pretty well, or they'd be using something stronger.
But I'd be fascinated to see someone try it. Why mess with lemon juice and water when you could just use Dawn, right? Not sure I grasp the benefit though.
Just in case someone is interested, here is the list of ingredients for Dr Bronners liquid unscented castille soap:
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Palm Kernel Oil*, Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Hemp Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
*CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
**None remains after saponifying oils into soap & glycerin.
Source
If i use 3 buckets
1-room temp water/peroxide
2-Hot water lemon/baking soda
3-Cold water rinse
Will this be good?
1-room temp water/peroxide
2-Hot water lemon/baking soda
3-Cold water rinse
Will this be good?
Thank you..Go with warm water rather than hot and you're spot on!
with the harvest.
Yup.
But be careful with the "hot" water. I used to use hot out of the tap and it turned out ok, but in retrospect that seemed like a useless risk.
"Warm" is better. Like 100 degrees? Not 140.
Will the lemon juice and baking soda kill any leftover aphids that may be on my bud?
ThanksYup.
But be careful with the "hot" water. I used to use hot out of the tap and it turned out ok, but in retrospect that seemed like a useless risk.
"Warm" is better. Like 100 degrees? Not 140.
greenjeans
Well-Known Member
A few times I think I have seen an aphid or two after the wash. I figure everything is going to get drier and they will bugger off or you get to smoke them - they are clean - you just washed them!!!
I don't think aphids like dead leaves so they'll either die or piss off on their own!
Room temperature or body temperature should be safe. Problem with hot water is that it can change the texture of the vegetative material in the buds that are being washed. Kind of like what happens to spinach, kale or other green materials that are quickly heated up in a frying pan. Cold water will do the same.
Another thing that can happen is that the hot or cold water will change the color of the buds. That light green color that a lot of people like to see becomes a darker green. If the buds are naturally reddish color already the temperature of the water can make them almost a black color.
After trying different water temperatures I gave up experimenting and settled on 70F to 75F. Those temps seem to produce the least amount of color change. Plus it is the temperature often recommended for typical tropical fish aquariums so I have become used to adjusting the faucet handles to give that temp range.
I like doing two room temperature rinses. Sometimes once is not enough and the second does show that there was still some dust or loose bits of plant material that was not rinsed out. If the second rinse comes out clear all I am out is another gallon or two of water and several minutes of time. And the water can be used on houseplants so it does not get wasted if someone is worried.
A few times I think I have seen an aphid or two after the wash. I figure everything is going to get drier and they will bugger off or you get to smoke them - they are clean - you just washed them!!!
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