Whenever the word cyanide is mentioned, people get the grim picture of people seizing up and dying because it is a powerful poison. This is true because cyanide comes in a variety of different forms that are mostly lethal to the human body. However, there is on type that isn’t that isn’t as dangerous as other forms. This compound is known as sodium ferrocyanide.

This variety of cyanide can be detrimental to health if ingested but is far less dangerous than the other kinds of this poison. Sodium ferrocyanide has the chemical makeup of Na4Fe(CN)6 -10H20. This compound mixes with water but is not soluble in alcohol. This kind of cyanide has a wide variety of practical uses and can be found around the house.

Identifying this kind substance is easy because it is a yellow powder, salt-like substance in its base composition. One of the ways that this compound is used is in dyes because it can turn anything it touches blue. It is also used in snow salts used to dissolve ice on roadways, driveways, and other areas around the house.

A variety of cleaning agents use this compound as the active ingredient in removing dirt from floors and countertops. This is because this compound dissolves dirt and other materials by breaking them down when it is applied. Like other forms of cyanide, this compound is also useful in developing photographs and in galvanizing silver and pewter.

Sodium ferrocyanide is not completely safe to just ingest as it is not food. Ingesting this compound in large quantities is not a good idea because while it is not as lethal as other forms of cyanide, it still can harm the human body. It has a variety of uses both on the industrial level, in home and road maintenance, and in photography.