What can I use to make clear dish soap thicker?

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In summary: Gelatin is used as a thickener in food and pharmaceuticals. It is soluble in water and can be made into a thick solution by mixing it with water. The Carbopol type thickening is a mixture of propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and polypropylene oxide.
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Hello this is my first post to this forum though I've lurked before.

I want to paint with something 100% clear and quite viscous. I added food coloring to transparent dish soap and that is so far the best solution to a clear paint body, but I want to make it thicker. I found a list of common ingredients in dish soap here, and I may be mistaken but I figured if I knew which ingredient is a thickening agent that doesn't increase opacity, I could simply add more of it to the dish soap and get a thicker gel.

From what I could find only the PPG (propylene glycol) and alkyl dimethyl amine oxide are thickeners. So I would like to know if any of you know the properties of these chemicals. How transparent are they and how viscous are they? And is it possible to buy in retail quantity? I found PPG on amazon but I'm not sure if it's the right thickness. I found this DOW link and I'd like to get my hands on their thickest product but of course I can't buy in bulk from DOW.

I've looked into other thickeners that are clear, stearic acid seems like my best bet and if anyone's worked with it before I'm wondering if I would have to melt it in with soap and generally how it performs generally.
 
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  • #2
You're painting with soap? Anyway, the dimethylamine oxide is one of the surfactants... not a thickener. The PPG/PEI/PEG copolymers are functional in surfactants formulations. They are wetting agents, emulsifiers and coupling agents. The real thickener wasn't given in that answer.

For thickeners, go here.
 
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  • #3
Yes I am. Thanks my bad.

I just spent about 3 hours reading from that link. The Carbopol products look perfect. Would you know where to get their products at retail? The only retailer I could find is http://www.islandartisansupply.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=414, I think I'll try them but they only have one carbopol formula, I want to try others mainly the ultrez 21 too.

The only other possibility involves making up a business name and asking the supplier for a sample (bad idea?)
 
  • #4
everywhere said:
Yes I am. Thanks my bad.

I just spent about 3 hours reading from that link. The Carbopol products look perfect. Would you know where to get their products at retail? The only retailer I could find is http://www.islandartisansupply.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=414, I think I'll try them but they only have one carbopol formula, I want to try others mainly the ultrez 21 too.

The only other possibility involves making up a business name and asking the supplier for a sample (bad idea?)

I don't think you'll find Carbopol at any retail stores. If you are limited to what you can find retail, and I include scientific supply houses as retail, I would use other polymers like polysaccharides (agar, alginate, carrageenan) or gelatin. You can make these compounds into as thick a solution as you want, even something as thick as a gummi (using gelatin). http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ma00176a029 that reports the unusual thickening of gelatin/anionic surfactant combinations. Sounds like it's right up your alley. In combination with gum arabic, gelatin can thicken in a spectacular way... all the way to gummi-like jelly. Dissolve the gum arabic in some water and combine small amounts of this dilute solution to the solution of gelatin.

I really like the Carbopol type thickening. It makes processing amazingly easy provided there aren't any multivalent metals in the formulation. Of course as a chemist I can get samples fairly easily. YMMV.
 
  • #5
Yeah okay. I still might get Carbopol from that one supplier I found if they work out but now I will definitely get some gelatin and gum arabic the next time I'm out. Thank you very much.
 
  • #6
Pectin is cheap and it is used for thickening all kinds of foods. Easy experiment.
 

1. What causes dish soap to become thin?

Dish soap can become thin due to various factors such as the type of surfactants used, the amount of water present, and the temperature of the surrounding environment. Other factors can include the type of oils or fragrances used in the soap and the length of time it has been stored.

2. Can I use cornstarch to thicken dish soap?

Yes, cornstarch can be used to thicken dish soap. Mix a small amount of cornstarch with water to create a paste, then add it to the dish soap and mix well. However, keep in mind that using too much cornstarch can make the soap too thick and difficult to use.

3. What other household items can I use to thicken dish soap?

Aside from cornstarch, you can also use salt, baking soda, or even flour to thicken dish soap. However, be careful not to use too much of these ingredients as they can make the soap too thick and difficult to use.

4. How do I know how much thickening agent to use?

The amount of thickening agent to use will vary depending on the type and brand of dish soap, as well as personal preference. It is best to start with a small amount and gradually add more until you reach the desired consistency.

5. Will thickening dish soap affect its cleaning ability?

Thickening dish soap should not significantly affect its cleaning ability. However, using too much thickening agent can make the soap too thick and difficult to spread, which may result in less effective cleaning. It is important to find the right balance between thickness and cleaning ability.

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