You must have heard about activated charcoal as not long ago, it was treated as one of the best universal antidotes and was also being used as a cure for many diseases. Not to be surprised, it is still being used for countless reasons, together with medical.
The long list of benefits of activated charcoal compels you to search for how you make activated charcoal at home. Still, not everything you find on the internet is correct and applicable. However, now you have reached a place where you will receive 100 percent accurate information, following which you will be able to make activated charcoal at home without any problem.
But before that, there is more that will help you in the whole process, knowing all about the activated charcoal. So, before discussing how you make it at home, let’s get a brief overview of what activated charcoal is and its main benefits.
Activated Charcoal
People often get confused between the charcoal you used to heat your barbecue and the activated charcoal. It is not at all the same.
Activated charcoal is a processed form that you get by heating at a very high temperature. It is generally made from coconut shells, bamboo, olive pits, coal, wood, or sawdust. It is black, odorless, and usually, you will get it in powder form. However, it is available in other states as well.
Why not explore some of the trades where it is being utilized as the main element or ingredient.
Uses of Activated Charcoal
From medical, industrial to the environment, you will see the use of activated charcoal almost everywhere, and at some places, it holds significant importance. You will see some of the primary benefits below.
When you consume it through the mouth, the activated charcoal attracts toxins, drugs, and chemicals. As the body does not consume it, it expels from the body carrying the pollutants, and thus it is used for extracting the poison from the body. Though, it may not work for all types of toxins.
Similarly, it is also used to eliminate the effects of a drug overdose.
It is also being used for people who are affected by kidney diseases. It helps in filtering out the substances, creating hurdles in the kidney’s functionality. Nevertheless, the research is still being carried out to declare it as the cure for kidney diseases.
Are you getting a hangover? Try a bit of activated charcoal, and you will see the results yourself.
One of the most common uses of activated charcoal is seen as the agent for tooth whitening, and it is proved as the best considering the results it shows. It absorbs plaque and other compounds and makes the teeth look white.
Water filtration is required in our day-to-day life, and when you have activated charcoal, it is not a problem anymore. Other than that, you will also see the use of activated charcoal for air purification, groundwater treatment, and spill cleanup.
Got a bite on your skin or a wound, apply some activated charcoal, and you will see its effects within hours.
Besides all of these, activated charcoal is also being used as the main ingredient for deodorant. It absorbs harmful gases, smells, and other substances, making it perfect for this purpose.
How to Make Activated Charcoal at Home
After going through the benefits, you will surely want to know how you make activated charcoal at home to use it whenever required.
As mentioned earlier, you need a high temperature to make the activated charcoal and how we can do it at home, let’s see it here.
Set a fire
We already know the material we can use for making the activated charcoal; if you don’t know about it, it is mentioned earlier in the article, give it a read.
We need to set up a fire area, probably outside, for safety purposes as we need to burn the material.
Use a metal pot
Once the fire is set and you the material, you will make the activated charcoal; now is the time to start the process. Place the source material in a large metal pot with a loose-fitting lid. Make sure that the material is dehydrated.
Let it cook
Place the metal pot on the fire and let it be there for 5 to 6 hours as the material in the pot will take time to make charcoal. You will notice the smoke and gas coming out from the lid. Do not try to lift the lid during the process, as the material might catch fire.
Clean the charcoal
When you see that smoke or gas is not coming out of the lid, it means that you are done with the first landmark. Remove the lid carefully and see whether the charcoal is made or not.
If you have got what you are looking for, now is the time to clean the charcoal, but before that, let it cool down. All you need is to rinse it with water and then leave it to let it dry completely.
Grinding
As the charcoal is dried up, you will need to grind it into powder form. It’s up to you to use mortar and pestle or put it into the plastic bag and crush it with a hammer. Whatever suits you the best, the goal is to make it in powder form. Once you have got it, please leave it to air dry in a clean pot.
Activating the charcoal
For this process, you need to mix calcium chloride with water with a ratio of 1:3. Use only as much as required to cover the charcoal. If you don’t have the calcium chloride, you can use lemon juice or bleach for this purpose. The critic acid in the juice will react as the same as calcium chloride.
Mix it well together and do it carefully as the combination is going to be very hot.
The minute you are done with it, mix it well with charcoal powder. Stir it as long as it forms a paste.
The process does not end here; after the paste is created, cover the bowl and let it untouched for at least one day, and after that, drain any remaining moistness from it.
Again you need to place it on fire in a clean pot for at least three hours so that the water boils and you get the activated charcoal at the end.
This is all you need to do; make sure that you take safety precautions before doing any of the steps above.