The cactus was used by Native Americans for therapeutic purposes but it has also proven to have incredible thermal properties, making it a good waterproofing agent. The use of cactus as paint for walls and interiors has not been so popular, curiously, although making one of these homemade mixtures is very simple and is an addition that will also protect your house. The indigenous people mixed the cactus with sand to paint their temples, while the Spanish waterproofed the convents with it, mixing it with quicksilver.
How to make homemade cactus painting?
Ingredients
5 large cactus
2 1/2 kg of salt
2 cups of table salt
Cement dye of the desired color
6 liters of water
Utensils
Glass bowl with a capacity of 3 to 4 liters
large strainer
Bucket or container with a capacity of 8 liters
Clean 50 cm stick Knife and cutting board Rubber gloves Face mask
Empty paint cans with lids, clean and dry, enough to pack 7 liters of paint (you can recycle jugs and bottles)
Procedure
Cut the nopales into small pieces and put them in the bowl. Add 2 liters of and let them sit overnight to “release the slime.”
The next day, pour the lime, salt and the remaining 4 liters of water into the bucket, stirring the ingredients very well with the wooden stick.
Add the previously strained nopal slime. Stir thoroughly until you achieve a uniform mixture.
Little by little add the coloring; Remember that the amount depends on the tone you want to obtain. If you want to get white paint, it is not necessary to use colorant.
Packaging and Conservation
Pour the paint into the containers. Don’t forget to place a label with the name of the product, the manufacturing date and the expiration date.
The paint remains in good condition for up to a year if kept tightly closed in a dry, dark place.
If you don’t have buckets with lids, you can store it in a jug.