Name: Elisheva
Message: Can I save soda ash mixtures for other tie dying batches in the future? If so, how long can I save it for, and in what conditions?

Yes, you can save soda ash solutions indefinitely. Soda ash never goes bad. Mold will not grow in it, and it does not degrade chemically to something else. You can reuse it for presoaking your clothes for tie-dyeing until there is no more left in the bucket.

If you store your soda ash mixture in an open bucket, you have to be aware of two possible problems. One is rain, if you leave it outdoors. If rain falls in the soda ash mixture, then obviously it will be weaker than you want, so you should cover it to prevent this from happening. (This will also protect animals from trying to take a drink.) The other issue is evaporation, which will concentrate your soda ash solution and make it too strong. You can draw a line on the outside of the bucket, showing the current level of soda ash, then add water back before using it again, but of course you have to draw a new line after each use.

Your choice in storage containers does matter, a little. More than one dyer has reported that storing soda ash mixtures in thin plastic gallon-sized milk jugs is a big mistake. The plastic is so thin and weak that eventually the soda ash will eat through, creating an unwelcome mess. The same plastic that is used in milk bottles is okay if it is in the form of a thick, solid bucket. There is no problem with the empty jugs sold by some dye suppliers, nor with the plastic jugs that vinegar is sold in.

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