Have you ever tried adding a bit of honey or xylitol to a rinse that was too bitter? I’ve found it can really help balance out strong flavors, especially if you’re making something for sensitive gums.
Yeah, I’ve actually done this a couple times—mostly out of desperation when I made a batch of sage rinse that tasted like straight-up lawn clippings. I usually go for xylitol since it’s cheaper in bulk and doesn’t mess with my blood sugar, but honey does make things smoother and a little thicker. I noticed the honey version left a bit of a coating on my teeth, which wasn’t terrible, just different. The xylitol one felt cleaner but sometimes gave me a weird cooling aftertaste? Not sure if that’s just me.
I totally get wanting to balance out those strong flavors, especially for sensitive gums. My partner can’t handle anything too harsh, so sweetening it up a bit has saved us from tossing out whole batches. Honestly, I’m all about making do with what’s in the pantry, especially if it means not wasting stuff that’s already paid for. If the rinse still smells funky, though, I usually just call it a loss... not worth the risk.
You’re not alone on the “lawn clippings” front—herbal rinses can go sideways fast. Xylitol’s cooling aftertaste is totally normal, by the way. It’s just how it dissolves, kind of like those weirdly minty sugar-free gums. I like your approach to not wasting stuff, but yeah, if it smells off, I’d bail too. No shame in a failed experiment... sometimes you just gotta cut your losses and laugh about it.
No shame in a failed experiment... sometimes you just gotta cut your losses and laugh about it.
Honestly, I’ve had my share of “lawn clippings” moments too—tried making a sage mouth rinse once and my whole kitchen smelled like a wet field. I thought adding a drop of peppermint oil would fix it, but it just made the whole thing taste like minty grass. Ever try diluting a failed batch, or do you just toss it? I usually give it one more shot before calling it quits.
That “minty grass” combo made me laugh—been there with a thyme rinse that ended up tasting like garden mulch. I usually try diluting too, but sometimes, it’s just not salvageable. Still, experimenting is half the fun, right? No harm in a do-over.
That thyme rinse story hits home—I've definitely had “herbal adventures” go sideways. Have you ever tried adding a bit of baking soda to tone down a strong flavor? Sometimes it helps, sometimes... not so much. Do you ever worry about the pH balance with all these experiments? I’ve seen some folks end up with sensitive teeth after a few too many homemade concoctions, so I always wonder if it’s worth tweaking or just starting fresh.
