Cornstarch vs. Baking Soda?

[donna4909]

I've seen various milk bath & bath salt recipes using cornstarch and baking soda. Some have only one listed and some use both. Why is this? What are the benefits of each, if any?

Also, I read somewhere on a site that "when I combined the wrong ingredient with baking soda, the result was a chemical reaction that blew the top right out of my packaging!"

Of course, she's trying to sell an eBook, so she doesn't say what the ingredient is. Anybody know what would make it explode? I know vinegar can cause that to happen, but why would you have vinegar in a bath salt recipe? Edit - did a little more reading, and I'm guessing she was talking about citric acid...

[luckygemini]

Baking soda helps soften the water, I don't know about the cornstarch as I don't use it in my milk baths.

You need to be careful how you package products made with cirtic acid and baking soda. Either one used alone will be fine but when combined they cause a chemical reaction, the 2 ingredients used together in bath bombs/fizzies is what makes them fizz.

[maryann]

Cornstartch is silky smooth and helps butters and waxes feel less greasy. I luv this product and I don't know of any negative results/effects from it (please anyone correct me if I'm wrong.)

[RobinInOR]

Baking soda + citric acid + water gives off carbon dioxide. That's why you shouldn't use that combo in a very tightly sealed container - it *will* blow it apart if it starts to react.

In my bath bombs I use both. The bakiing soda for the fizz, the cornstarch for the feel.

[Purple Lilac]

In dry form I have the same mixture - baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch and it is fine it's not until you introduce the liquid when you get the reaction.

[RobinInOR]

Still need to be careful with a dry product - it can react with moisture from the air as well if you have any kind of humidity. That's usually what's so surprising if you've got a dry mix recipe that blows its top.