questions on several how to's

[old fashioned]

I know some of these are already posted and have several pages of responses and I'm sorry but my mind just can't wrap around that much info. Please bear with me, be patient and explain in simple terms.............

1.) Laundry soap-liquid preferably. Though I think I read somewhere that if water is added to dry powder and left to sit, will make a liquid soap. If so, I'm looking at 1 bar of soap, grated? some borax and washing soda? Where do I find these and under what names? and yes, I understand maybe some bleach, salt &/or vinegar-depending on the need

2.)Shampoo-no clue

3.)Dish soap-no clue

4.)Vinegar-my guess is fruit juice or wine, mixed with yeast or "mother" and left to ripen? I'm really curious about this one, since last week I ran some apples thru a juicer-canned the pulp as applesauce and the kids aren't so happy with the leftover juice. I only used fuji's and juice is quite tart and it's also very greenish & cloudy-not so appetizing. I don't want to just throw it out and wondering about using it for vinegar experiment but don't know where to start?

5.) cooking oil-has anyone done this at all? I'm not talking about meat fat solids (lard, suet, etc), but like corn, canola, olive, or any kind of nut oils.

Thanks to all replies and remember "I wuv ya all"

 

[big brown horse]

laundry soap: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3509


hair washing and shampoo alternatives etc: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2459

dish soap: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4251

apple cider vinegar: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4277

This will give you a good start.

(I don't know about oils.)

 

[old fashioned]

okay so let me ask this....just what the heck do ya'll mean by borax and washing soda? what is it? and where do ya get it?

and I guess I could tinker around with the laundry soap recipe to use for dishes and bath bar soap???? maybe even shampoo??? or is that a big no-no?

as for oils-I'd wonder if okay to just press the stuff and let drain? but how to seperate juice from oil?

 

[Blackbird]

You can usually get borax and washing soda in the laundry section on your local grocery store (that is where we get it)

Hand bar soap and shampoo are usually similar, but bar soap uses sodium hydroxide (lye) and the shampoo uses sodium lauryl (sulfate?) which makes it more of a liquid.

Of course you can always grind a bar of hand soap down and mix with water for shampoo too, I would guess.

The laundry soup recipe, I don't think that is tinker-able around-er enough to use for hand soap.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Borax, at least fere, is called Mule Brand, and washing soda is arm and hammer. You find it in the laundry section, usuall either on the top or bottom shelves. The laundry bar soap will be there too. I wouldn't use laundry soap for your dishes, but I have heard of just using washing soda for dishes, although it is said to be very drying on your skin. For oils, I would just stick to animals fats. I know the method that they express oils out of vegetables is very labour intensive, uses chemicals etc.

 

[old fashioned]

great and thank you both. I was beginning to wonder if it was all some secret code.

As for the oils, yeah I was thinking it would be something like that-too labor intensive/complicated for the lay-person.

BB-The laundry "soup"(?) recipe, I don't think that is "tinker-able around-er"(?) enough to use for hand soap. Okay, I know what you meant, but I just had to laugh . You think like I do!

eta-BBH, again thanks for the links and I did print them out just so I have a hard copy and won't have to ask again.

 

[Blackbird]

Oops! Yes well.. they do make edible clothes these days...

Glad you understood! LOL

I have never heard of using borax or washing soda in making bar soap, so that is why I said that. I would think it might be a little harsh on the skin. I don't think it is possible and yet.. safe/practical to use

I have yet to make shampoo, I usually use the ACV and BS method or just use one of my homemade bars and rub it in good, but I would love to try making real shampoo one day.

I also have not made dish washing soap, so I'm no help there but it appears to be similar to laundry soap.

We use a dry method for our laundry soap, one of the ones on the link BBH posted.

There are some good recipes on the soap making 101 thread for bar soap, and I just made a thread with my instructions earlier today.

 

[old fashioned]

I just read your other thread and have to say those are great step by step instructions and pics to boot! thanks

 

[Morgaine]

Borax is Sodium Borate, The name brand I get is 30 Mule Team Borax.

Washing Soda is Sodium Carbonate, and I get the Arm and Hammer Brand.

You can get these on line but add shipping costs and it can get rather expensive. Try your smaller, more local grocery stores instead of a super walmart. I can get both at Kroger, HEB, and Brookshire Brothers.

I prefered to use the powdered version of the laundry soap simply because it took up a lot less space than the liquid. Now I have been using soap nuts and they work great! Here is a link http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/soapnuts.html

Shampoo- You can make your own shampoo using either Potassium Hydroxide or detergents and surfacants.

Here is a link for liquid soap that you can adapt to make into shampoo. Catherine Failor book is like the bible on liquid soap making.

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/liquidsoap/ss/basicliquidsoap.htm

Here is a link to where you can surfacants and a recipe
http://www.theherbarie.com/The-Formulary-p-7.html

I have found that my own handmade soap makes a great dish soap if doing them by hand. I have not and I would not put it in the dishwasher.

As far as vinegar and pressing your own oils, sorry I'm no help.

 

[old fashioned]

I started using liquid soaps years ago. We used to live in a trailer park that was on septic (2 trailers hooked to one tank). We noticed that things weren't draining well, then on Thanksgiving Day everything came back up into the house-toilet, tub, sinks. When we dug and opened the baffle it was clogged with powder soap buildup and had to clean it out. I don't know if all powder soap (commercial anyway) cakes up like this, but I swore off powder forever. At the time I was using Costco's "Kirkland" brand powder. But never again will I spend Thanksgiving in the sh*t hole.
But thanks for the info, I'll check that out!