We should all have a small bag of soil from Sommières on hand. This 100% natural product of mineral origin is non-toxic and can be very useful in the home. Here are the different ways to use the land of Sommières.
Where does the land of Sommières come from?
It is in the Gard, in Sommières, a small village located about thirty kilometers west of Nîmes, that the history of the eponymous land, discovered in the 19th century, begins. The land of Sommières is in fact a clay powder of great finesse obtained from a mineral: the montmorillonite.
This name comes from another place, Montmorillon, in the department of Vienne, where there was then another deposit of this clay. But there are many veins in the world, which is why the composition of montmorillonites varies significantly. Each can therefore be named differently either according to its place of deposit, or according to its majority component. For examples, kaolinite, bentonite, vermiculite, chlorite, clay, smectite, illite are montmorillonites.
Generally, Sommières powder is ocher in color, but it can also be green or beige.
Main properties of Terre de Sommières
If Sommières soil is used in various fields, it is for its many properties, namely:
- Very high absorbency (fat, water, odors),
- Great impermeability,
- Ininflammable,
- Without toxicity.
This 100% powder is used for example by industry, in pharmacies, by dry cleaners for dry cleaning, in the mechanical or DIY sector and also at home.
Uses of Sommières earth or powder
Originally, the land of Sommières was mainly used for its high absorbency. At the time, it made it possible to eliminate fatty substances from raw sheep’s wool. This degreasing of the fibers can still be carried out in this way today, but the soil of Sommières is now used for many other purposes.
At home she is versatile since it can be used for various reasons.
stain remover
It is quite possible to create your own natural stain remover soap from a tablespoon of Marseille soap and 5 tablespoons of Sommières powder that is mixed with a little hot water. By drying in the open air, this paste solidifies and can be used to wash dirty floors, remove stubborn stains on non-fragile clothes before putting them in the washing machine.
Dry clean delicate fabrics and materials
Sommières earth is used dry to clean or detach:
- Cabinetmaking,
- Marble,
- The tiling,
- The floor,
- Leather (jacket, belt, car seats, sofa, etc.),
- furnishing fabrics,
- The rugs,
- Clothing in fragile fabrics (pure wool, silk, lamé…).
For a greater efficiency, it is recommended to intervene quickly on a stain so that it does not have time to soak up. We start by placing an absorbent paper on the stain, then we sprinkle the soil of Sommières generously so as to cover the area to be treated and we wait between 2 and 3 hours or overnight if the dirt is old. It is only afterwards that we dab gently. Finally, the powder is removed with the vacuum cleaner.
By proceeding in this way, Sommières earth is therefore used to dry-clean a textile that cannot withstand washing with water. Be careful, however, to always carry out a preliminary teston an inconspicuous part.
What stains can be treated with Sommières earth?
You can remove everything with this powder:
- Parfum,
- nail polish,
- Face powder,
- Lipstick,
- Vin,
- Sauce,
- drink,
- Oil,
- Fruit juice,
- Sludge,
- gazol,
- Sang…
It is also very effective in removing halos.
Deodorize an interior space
The land of Sommières absorbs all bad odors. To deodorize your home, you can sprinkle this natural powder in different places such as the cat litter, the hamster or even in the bird cage, in the ashtrays. Small glass jars are also filled with soil from Sommières which can then be placed in the fridge, in the toilet or any other place in the house.
Finally, do not hesitate to spread this Sommières powder directly on the duvet, the carpet, the dog’s or cat’s basket in order to eliminate urine odors in the event of an accident.