Try this at home

Frost your photo frames

YOU NEED:

Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate heptahydrate, MgSO₄^.7H₂O – look for it in garden supplies or with bath products), water and washing up liquid – preferably a pale colour.

METHOD:

In a bowl or glass, add Epsom salts to water and stir until no more will dissolve.  This may take some time so alternatively, you could add 1/3 cup Epsom salts to 1/2 cup hot water and stir until the salts dissolve.  Next, add one tablespoon of washing up liquid and stir gently.  If you’ve used hot water, allow the liquid to cool to room temperature.  Using a paintbrush or paper towel, apply some of the liquid to your window and leave it for 5-10 minutes.  Try brushing, dabbing or other techniques to see which gives the best result.

RESULT:

5-10 minutes after application, crystals will begin to form, giving the appearance of frost on the window.  By adding the Epsom salts to the water until no more would dissolve, you made a saturated solution, which means the water could not ‘hold’ any more Epsom salts. The solution is applied to the glass and as the water evaporates the Epsom salts recrystallize, returning to their solid form.  The addition of the washing up liquid reduces the surface tension of the water and helps you to form a film of your solution on the glass, giving an even appearance of ‘frost’.  The crystals are easily removed with water.

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