Potassium aluminum sulphate, also known as 'alum', is often used medically as it contains antibacterial qualities. It is commonly used to pickle food such as vegetables. It is also used in tanning and as a water treatment as it can absorb many times its own weight in water so can be used as an extinguishing agent or expanding agent.
Alum can be purchased in either a lump form or a powdered form. Often lump form can be more difficult to find but it can be bought online at Apple Scientific for around $2.00 for 3 oz but it it is much more economical to buy it in bulk form.
Alum is used in numerous industrial processes. Ferric alum lumps have a sweet taste and are non-toxic and non-combustible so they can be used in cooking. Sometimes alum comes in the form of crystals and these are often used in the production of things like pulp and paper, water treatment and purification as well as in dying processes. Alum lumps are soluble in water which is why they are so useful for processes like dying.
Alum is often used in alternative practices and those who practice witchcraft believe it has magical powers. Some people believe that alum can bring luck in gambling if it is carried together with pyrite and saltpetre in a red flannel bag and if the bag is sprayed with Hoyt's cologne. Alum is also believed the fix a jinxed rental property if alum and camphor are placed in the corners of the house with a sugar cube on the front porch.
When buying alum, ensure that it has gone through all of the rigorous testing to ensure it is safe to use in cooking and purification of water.
Alum can be purchased in either a lump form or a powdered form. Often lump form can be more difficult to find but it can be bought online at Apple Scientific for around $2.00 for 3 oz but it it is much more economical to buy it in bulk form.
Alum is used in numerous industrial processes. Ferric alum lumps have a sweet taste and are non-toxic and non-combustible so they can be used in cooking. Sometimes alum comes in the form of crystals and these are often used in the production of things like pulp and paper, water treatment and purification as well as in dying processes. Alum lumps are soluble in water which is why they are so useful for processes like dying.
Alum is often used in alternative practices and those who practice witchcraft believe it has magical powers. Some people believe that alum can bring luck in gambling if it is carried together with pyrite and saltpetre in a red flannel bag and if the bag is sprayed with Hoyt's cologne. Alum is also believed the fix a jinxed rental property if alum and camphor are placed in the corners of the house with a sugar cube on the front porch.
When buying alum, ensure that it has gone through all of the rigorous testing to ensure it is safe to use in cooking and purification of water.