The guilt stings for a second, but stomach issues last way longer.
That’s the truth. I used to get all stingy about tossing out failed batches—felt like throwing away money, and I’d try to salvage stuff that probably shouldn’t have been salvaged. Learned my lesson after one too many... “adventures” in the bathroom. Not worth it, trust me.
I do get tempted sometimes if it’s just a weird smell and not a full-on “this has gone bad” situation. If it’s just too strong, I’ll usually try diluting it with a fresh batch or mixing it into something else (like adding a super-strong tincture into a plain carrier oil). But honestly, if my nose or gut says nope, I’m not arguing anymore. That little voice is there for a reason.
Funny thing is, the couple times I tried to “fix” something that was off, it ended up costing more in supplies and time than just starting over. Plus you end up paranoid every time you use it—like, is this going to make me sick? Not really worth the stress.
I figure if you’re doing DIY stuff to save money or be healthier, risking your health (and maybe spending more fixing mistakes) kind of defeats the purpose. Now I just chalk it up as a learning fee and move on. At least next time I’m more careful about sterilizing jars and following the recipe.
Sometimes being cheap doesn’t pay off... especially when your stomach is involved.
Funny thing is, the couple times I tried to “fix” something that was off, it ended up costing more in supplies and time than just starting over.
That hits home. I’ve tried to rescue a botched mouth rinse before—kept adding stuff to mask the taste, and it just got worse. Now if it seems off, I just start fresh. My stomach and my nerves thank me later.
Totally get this. I once tried making a clove-infused oil for a toothache and it ended up so overpowering, my whole kitchen smelled like a spice factory for days. Tried diluting it with more carrier oil, but it just turned into a giant, greasy mess. Ever had something go so sideways you wondered if it was even worth trying to fix, or do you just toss it and move on? I sometimes wonder if I give up too fast, but man, some things just can’t be saved…
That sounds so familiar—I tried making a chamomile tincture once for my kid’s teething, and it ended up tasting like bitter grass mixed with rubbing alcohol. I fiddled with adding honey, diluting, even letting it sit longer, but honestly, nothing helped. At some point, I just had to admit defeat and toss it. Sometimes it’s just not worth salvaging... especially when the smell takes over the whole house.
At some point, I just had to admit defeat and toss it. Sometimes it’s just not worth salvaging... especially when the smell takes over the whole house.
I totally get this. I once tried making a clove oil rinse (supposed to help with braces pain) and the whole kitchen reeked for days. No amount of diluting or adding mint helped—it just got worse. I kept worrying the smell would stick to my aligners. Sometimes, it’s safer to just let go and open a window.
