Ziploc bags for soaking?

[Tobikiri]

After trying several different containers for soaking my incense, I'm asking you guys if you've ever used Ziploc brand (or other brand) food storage bags to soak your incense?

I've tried the foil, but it rips. And it seems like such a waste, financially and ecologically since you can't recycle foil.

I've tried those plastic, interlocking utensil storage bins, but they're not HDPE and I can't put the oils directly into them. I tried lining with foil, but, well, see above regarding foil.

I've tried vases, but even at thrift stores and wholesale manufacturers, it gets pricey if I want to do more than several batches. And I've already got lots of jars around to store the leftover oils when not in use.

I want something inexpensive, reuseable, closeable, and won't take up much space.

I have considered the idea of using the water bottles... could soak the incense in them and then just keep the oil in them to store. But I'm having difficulty finding them tall enough. Straight sides would be nice, too. Another bonus would be a wider mouth.

That's when I thought that perhaps the larger, ziplocking food storage bags might be a possibility. I could store the oils in the bags as well as use them to soak the sticks.

My research is telling me that they're made of polyethylene. Will the oils react with that? Does it HAVE to be the high density polyethylene?

Has anyone tried it successfully?

Thanks for any help!

[nursenancy]

I haven't tried it, but I'm pretty sure the FO would eat the plastic..

I want to try the pvc tube idea as soon as I get around to it - There's a thread about it somewhere - I'll see if I can find it

[LuminousBoutique]

PVC. Its SO simple to do.

Go to homedepot or lowes. and ask them for the 1" PVC to be cut into 12" sections. (They will do it for free, or with a chop saw you can do it at home) Then, buy the caps that fit and some PVC glue. Glue one of the caps on, and save one to use for capping when you soak. Mine holds 25 sticks, 30 if I JAM them in there. I dont make incense all that often because here, they really dont sell that much. BUT- I make them for myself.

I rubberband 4-5 of them together and store them upright in a vase, thats the best way for me. You just insert your incense, fill with the FO mixture, cap, and set into something that keeps it sitting upright. It eliminates the problem of having to "turn" them too, because they sit evenly in the liquid the whole time.

Wayne and Billie (from here..) have a great video about it.. They use 1/2" but same idea.

And.. the great thing is you can use a baby bottle cleaner and some soap and clean it out to use again, or just rinse and label them, and use the same tube for the same FO... its so darn cheap I cant see why not.

Edited March 1, 2010 by LuminousBoutique

[carol k]

The heavy duty foil works for me.

[Tobikiri]

I suppose I'm willing to try the PVC pipe thing. I'd probably use a larger size than the one in the video.

But I have the same question... can you store the oil in the PVC? I guess I could assume that since the pvc (and the glue to hold the bottom cap on) would stand up to the oil during the 24-hour soaking process that it should be able to withstand long term exposure to the oil.

I just don't want to have a bunch of containers around to store the oil and then another bunch of containers to use to soak. But I suppose I don't necessarily have to have as many soaking containers as I have scents. I could just make a handful of the pvc soaking containers and wash them between uses.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your suggestions!

[carol k]

The way I do it & works perfect for me is. I mix 1 or 1 1/2oz oil to 1 or 1 1/2oz dpg. This is enough to do 100-120 sticks. I count out my sticks lay then on the foil, pour the fo/dpg mix over them, move them around to make sure they are all coated, fold up foil so no leaks occur. I just write on the foil with a marker what kind it is. You do not need to mix up bunches of oils to soak incense in. I've been doing it this way for 6yrs now with no complaints about my incense at all.

[LuminousBoutique]

I have some I use all the time, never had a problem with leaking.. and some I wash after each use. I want to say I have 12 of them? I havent really looked in awhile, I just got however many the pipe cut down to at the store. I think the pipe was 5.00. So, not a bad deal.

[xxxtennillexxx]

I was told from my supplier that FO will not eat Ziplock bags. She said that she uses them to mix all of her aroma beads.

[CandleLadyBusiness]

Yes the pvc works, that is what I used to use.. years ago..I actually forgot about this until I seen this thread..

get caps to glue to the bottom , let them dry, stand them up in a something , fill, soak as needed.. a lot of work for just incense but I guess if you can sell them .. great..

Diane

[MrsJenR]

When you soak incense in a zip lock bag, do you need only enough oil/dpg to coat the sticks or cones, or should they sit fully immersed in the liquids over night? I just made my first batch today, and used only enough to saturate the cones. Im worried these may not be strong enough, and am wondering if I should add more mixture to allow them to fully soak, but cant seem to find any answers - please help?

[carol k]

Check out my prior post. I let mine set 24-48 hours to finish soaking up the little bit of excess that is left in the foil. If it is not all soaked up I dry my incense with a paper towel, stand in a canning jar to dry.