Alum uses facts

Alum

Alum can be found in the many different forms, including: potashalum, chrome alum, ammonium alum, and aluminum sulfate and selenate alums.

Potash alum is a chemical substance used for itsantibacterial, astringent, deodorant and some other properties. It is commonlyobtained from bauxite, but can also be found in the mineral form, as kalunite, kaliniteand alunite minerals. It can be used in variety of forms (powder, cube, crystal…)but the most common is crystal alum.

Potash Alum Use

Many personal hygiene and styling products contain crystal potashalum. Toothpastes and tooth powders always contain potash alum. If you ever usedskin whitening products, you had a contact with potash alum.

Male aftershave and deodorants often have crystal potashalum as one of the ingredients. Men use the rock of potash alum on the freshlyshaved face, to stop the bleeding of shaving cuts. Also, they use rock potashalum to solve excessive sweating. Potash alum crystal has some deodorantproperties, but is also beneficial in suppressing the bacteria under the arm.

While ago, in the 50’s, men used potash alum as gel whichmade their hair stay straight all day exactly as they wanted it.

Potash alum can also be used to treat certain medicalconditions. It is a known home remedy for canker sores. All you need it a smallamount of potash alum powder, which should be applied to the affected skin andthe problem is easily solved.

Hemorrhoids can also be treated with potash alum, and herethe substance is also used to reduce the bleeding caused by this medicalproblem.

In the kitchen products, especially in baking powders andplay doughs there is also some potash alum. Most baking powders contain someamount of potash alum. It gives the fine metal taste to baking powder. Play clayor play doughs for kids can’t be made without some alum.

Another common use of this substance is for the purificationof water. Alum crystals in water have the cleaning property. It forms a gelaround all particles in the water and then sinks to the bottom of the tank, soit can be easily picked and removed.

Objects that need to be flame resistant are treated with potashalum. That way, even some paper, wood and clothes become resistant tofire. Product used in fire extinguishers known as foamite also contains potashalum.

Photographers who prefer traditional techniques ofdeveloping their photographs use alum to harden their gelatin films. The samesubstance was used for laugh in the old movies. Usually, they will put it insomebody’s food, just for laughs.