back to school - simple tip from chemistry class

[Manchy]

you know that "i'm so stupid, i can't believe i didn't think of it before" moments?!
well, it happened to me few weeks ago. i had always had big trouble with pouring eo's, they'd always spill all around, or a few drops would stay on the bottle - and i'd have mess again.
the solution is very simple - glass stick (maybe not a correct translation)! that's what we used on chemistry classes for pouring liquid. it's easy-peasy and no mess anymore

i thought i'd post this in case there's someone like me here
it doesn't work for very thick liquids, but those aren't such a big trouble anyway

 

[carebear]

yep - good thinking.

we have glass stirring rods at work, but some folks who don't have those use swizzle sticks or straws.

 

[krissy]

i make a big mess with my FO's too, but i am not understanding what you mean by glass stick. i was thinking of switching out all my lids with dropper lids.

 

[carebear]

krissy, you lay a stirring rod or the like across the opening of the bottle and as you pour the liquid runs down the rod and so doesn't dribble. you have to try it to understand, really.

kinda like this: http://www.robinsonschools.com/rhs/teac ... technq.pdf

I do it more like this, though - p 24

whatever technique works for you.

 

[Sunkawakan]

Now you gave me a DUH moment! How about using a straw by putting it in, putting your finger over the top to create a vaccum and then lifting out and into your soap? I always make a mess when pouring eo/fos and its such a simple fix (100 straws from Dollar Tree). I like the idea of pouring it down a straw as well, never thought of that one. Thanks for the idea.

 

[carebear]

that will work for a few drops, but would be a royal pain for an ounce!

 

[dagmar88]

I was thinking of using a syringe and attach 1 to every bottle of FO with removable stickytape... They're real cheap in larger quantities and they'd be amazing for accurate measurements.
:? I always make such a mess with FO/EO's dripping all over the bottle most of my labels aren't readable anymore and I have to smell every bottle to get the right scent

 

[leilaninoel]

I've been dealing with this same issue, but had a stroke of luck! I adopted a cat from the humane society, and the first vet visit he was prescribed some dewormer (just in case) that came in 3 doses, premeasured into what was essentially a plastic syringe sans needle. I cleaned them out thoroughly, and then tested with plain water to make sure it wouldn't dribble like my droppers seem to do - it totally worked! I'm so excited to be able to accurately measure my oils without spilling next soap batch

 

[cinnamaldehyde]

I was thinking of using a syringe and attach 1 to every bottle of FO with removable stickytape... They're real cheap in larger quantities and they'd be amazing for accurate measurements.
:? I always make such a mess with FO/EO's dripping all over the bottle most of my labels aren't readable anymore and I have to smell every bottle to get the right scent

A plastic syringe is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[dixiedragon]

Good idea on the syringes. Check out a vet supply catalogue - such as valley vet - and they have LOTS of sizes. From teensy to horse sized.

 

[Muskette]

They sell individual plastic syringes at most pharmacies, or you can buy them in a pack of 100 at Amazon for about $16.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQDFGBS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Seawolfe]

Just be careful of the TYPE of plastic the syringes are made from. Remember that EO's melt most cheap plastics.

 

[CoolSuds]

Great ideas! Thanks!

 

[DeeAnna]

The syringes for veterinary and medical use are made of plastic that is fine with EOs, but the "rubber" seal on the plunger might not be too happy with some EOs and will begin to soften and stick to the syringe barrel. If you use a syringe, just understand it might be a single use deal.

You might want to consider a plastic pipette instead. These are made to be disposable, but they can be reused for the same EO. The cost can be pretty low if you shop around. I use the 3 mL size as a hobbyist, but they come in larger 10 mL sizes too. Some soap-lotion-B&B suppliers sell these, but here are some other sources:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011R1HPDU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
http://www.michaels.com/10212997.html
http://www.globescientific.com/transfer-pipets-c-32.html?gclid=CIqj3t7Cu8oCFQesaQod8UgMTQ

***

That said, I don't use pipettes often. I mostly use a "pour stick". If you have been having poor luck with this technique, try using a larger and/or smoother item, not a rougher smaller item. If a toothpick doesn't work for those tiny EO bottles, try a chopstick (larger item) or use the side of a plastic drinking straw (large, smooth item) as if it's a chopstick. If a chopstick doesn't work for a larger bottle, try the flat of a butter knife or the edge of a spatula held against the mouth of the bottle. It's also good to experiment with a bottle of water first to get the hang of it.

There are different ways to pour with a pour stick. The classic single-handed method used by many chemists looks like this:

But a single-handed approach can be difficult to coordinate. Sometimes two hands work better:

And sometimes it can be helpful to angle the pour stick backwards a bit to encourage the liquid to flow down the stick:

 

[snappyllama]

I started pouring FOs with a stick (wooden craft sticks that I buy in boxes of a gazillion- they come in really handy). It was like a revelation the first time I got it to work! No more dribbled mess.

 

[TwoHippies]

I use graduated cylinder beakers and bromite beakers..never used the stir rod to pour though lol. I wouldn't use syringes unless they are the glass kind. It's not the cheap plastic that's cause for worry, it's the rubber plunger that creates the seal. I used them for mixing ejuice and had hundreds of them, but I had black floaties in all my EO mixes I made with them. Even pipettes held up better.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

My EOs come in hard to use bottles (by design, unthinkably evil supplier, maybe) but the pour stick really helps. I use a kebab skewer, myself.

 

[amd]

Ditto TEG. I fought it for a long time, tried it once and never looked back.

 

[leilaninoel]

I'm convinced. Next time I'm using EOs in soap, I'm going to try the pour stick method, and will save the plastic syringes for another project.

I'm curious - are FOs generally as destructive as EOs as well, or do they tend to play nicer with this like rubber gaskets in plastic syringes?

 

[MySoapyHeart]

I'm convinced. Next time I'm using EOs in soap, I'm going to try the pour stick method, and will save the plastic syringes for another project.

I'm curious - are FOs generally as destructive as EOs as well, or do they tend to play nicer with this like rubber gaskets in plastic syringes?

Well, I can only speak for myself, but I suppose that really depends on the fragranceoil itself. But I find them MUCH gentler than essential oils.
There are fragrance oils that use a higher ammount of essential oils in them - which can eat into your rubber gaskets. But the ones I have used have not messed up my syringes so far, so I have been able to use, and re-use them maaaaaany times.

But my essential oils on the other hand...oh-boy are they nomming on the rubber inserts, I can practically hear them chew on it like chewing gum...:razz: So I use other methods to pour those.