Rice Water is a starchy water that is left after the rice is either cooked or is left to soak. It is commonly used as hair treatment to make the hair grow faster and makes the hair smooth and shiny as well. There have been questions and people have been expressing questions and concerns regarding the proper storage of Fermented rice water. Let us talk more details about how to store rice water. Read on below to know more.
How To Store Rice Water
Unlike regular or normal water, fermented rice water can actually go bad that is why it is important to know how to store it properly. Most of the time, rice water is home made therefore there are no preservatives added to it which makes it easier to get spoiled and will no longer be usable.
If you are wondering how long does fermented rice water usually lasts, it really depends on certain factors: how it was stored, where it is placed and store and the container used to store rice water. Generally, Rice water usually lasts for 3 or 4 weeks when properly stored, but there are some who says rice water can lasts up to to a week when kept in the refrigerator according to USDA.
How long does rice last when placed in the pantry?
Rice should also be stored properly for it to last, and it also depends on the type of rice. White rice will normally last at least 4 to 5 years while with brown rice on the other hand usually last for about 2-3 years. Though most of the time, the longer the rice is stored in the pantry the more chances of insects infests the rice if there are no precautionary measures.
Typically, a 40°F or below is the ideal temperature for storing rice grains, but with oxygen absorbers a 70°F temperature will also do and could last rice for up to 10 years. When kept in a cold storage facility, rice could last for 30 years.
How to make rice water and store it the proper way
A step by step guide on how to make and properly store fermented rice water:
Supplies needed:
- half cup uncooked rice
- 1 cup water
- colander
- Sieve
- Mixing bowl
- Mason Jar with lid
Directions:
- Put uncooked rice in the colander. Rinse rice with water to clean rice. This is to remove rice impurities and dirt.
- In a mixing bowl, add water and the cleaned rice. Stir well.
- Cover the bowl. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours for rice to be fermented well (fermentation process).
Optional: add orange peels to the washed rice.
- The following day, strain prepare rice water in a airtight mason jar with a sieve or strainer.
You can now begin to apply it to your hair as hair mask. You can also store remaining rice water in a plastic container and or a covered bottle and place it in the fridge. If you do not like the smell of rice water, you can also your favorite essential oil.
There are also other methods in Making rice water: soaking rice water and boiling rice water. You can choose these methods if you do not have time and wants to use rice water right away.
Soaking Rice Water
With this method, you can already use prepared rice water in less than an hour. To do this, simply clean rice with water. Using a glass water, pour in 1 cup of rice. Leave for at least 30 minutes. Strain water using s strainer or a sieve. Hair is now ready for the rice water treatment.
Boiled Rice water
Another faster way to make home made rice water is by boiling it. To do this, simply wash the rice with water to remove dirt and impurities on the uncooked rice. Boil one cup of rice with 3 cups of water (1:3 ratio) for 30 minutes. Using a sieve, strain rice water into a bowl or jar. Set aside to cool down and apply rice water.
How to use Rice water on hair?
Rice water is used to make the hair grow shiny and smooth. To use rice water on hair, first you have to shampoo to your hair and apply conditioner as well. Now you can the prepared fermented rice water to rinse it off.
For best results, you can leave rice water on the hair and scalp and allow to stay there for at least 3 or 5 minutes. Then rinse it off using cold water.
There are individuals who are curious to know whether or not rice water can be leave on the hair for longer period of time. Although it is possible to allow the rice water on the hair overnight but it is not advisable. You see, as mentioned, rice water could go bad and if left in the hair for a longer period of time there is a possibility of bacterial growth in rice water that could also go to your hair and scalp that can result to irritation. That is why, for safety, make sure not to leave the rice water on the hair for more than 20 minutes.
Rice Water Benefits
Aside from using rice water for hair care, there are also other rice water benefits that you can get from using rice water that could benefit both the skin and hair.
Soothes Skin Conditions
If you are experiencing skin conditions such as redness on the skin, dermatitis, acne and pimples, using rice water at least 2 time a day can help sooth the skin. It is believed that the high starch content of rice water is responsible for this benefit.
Prevents Dandruff
Rice water does not only make your hair grow faster, shiny and smooth but it can also help get rid of dandruff. With using rice water on dry scalp, getting rid of dandruff is possible because the growth of fungi that is causing the dandruff is controlled. For best result, you can apply rice water on the scalp daily until you get rid of dandruff.
Anti aging properties
Because of the anti oxidant properties on rice water, it can help with the skin becomes smooth. You can simply dip a cotton ball to the rice water and apply to the face on a daily basis. There have been reports that doing this for at least 2 or 3 weeks makes the skin supple, smooth and younger looking.
Prevents Hair Frizz
For better elasticity of the hair and less friction brought about by dry hair, using rice water helps detangles hair. Applying prepared rice water to the hair and combing hair strands will prevent hair fizziness.
Rice Water For Hair Treatment
Rice water is commonly used for the hair, to make it grow faster and growing shiny and smooth. But we also have to keep in mind that hair growth does not usually happen overtime or after a single use. It’ll probably take at least 2 weeks before you will notice a change in the growth of your hair.
So how long should you probably use rice water on your hair? Using rice water for hair treatment should be once in 2 weeks, or depending on the hair. Although there are some that uses rice water on their hair on a weekly basis and there are some that uses it on a 2-week basis. Again, usage varies depending on the type of hair you have.
You have to keep in mind that rice water a protein treatment, and it is actually recommended to get protein treatment for the hair at least once every month because protein overload could damage the structure of the hair and will break it easily.
How to know if Rice water has gone bad
It was mentioned that storing rice water in the fridge could make it last longer. Ideally, rice water that are kept well in the fridge can last up to 3 days if not it could go bad. There are signs that you can check to tell if the fermented rice water goes bad.
- Essential oils or orange peels are usually added to make to have a pleasant smell on the rice but if after some time when the smell starts to go bad it simply means it can no longer be used for your hair or other uses. This is the first sign that the fermented rice water has already gone bad.
- Another sign that fermented rice water has gone bad is a change it its color. If the storage container is not covered tightly, rice water could be exposed to the air and it could easily make rice water go bad earlier than usual.
- An obvious sign that fermented rice water has already gone bad is when molds can already be seen. This usually happens when fermented water is kept at room temperature for a longer period of time and not properly stored.