Soaps and Detergents

All soap products come from homemade lye soap consisting of Tallow, (or Lard) Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Lye, and Water. Making a block of soap is usually an all-weekend process. The block of soap, once set, is cut to cure. Milled soap is grated and then hand formed into a shape, typically a round disk, with other things mixed into it.

Soap will last a very long time, when used correctly. Use any soap, (not just soap bought here) with a wet brush, wet washcloth, or wet your hands and making a lather. With these methods, a 1 oz. bar can last several weeks, and a 4 oz. facial bar can last several months. (Going on 10 months, with mine.) Never sit soap in water or expose it to running water, as it will dissolve quickly.

Laundry Detergents

This is more of an economic convenience and gift to the planet, than anything else. The active ingredient in the detergent is dissolved lye soap, with washing soda and borax. A 5 oz bar of lye soap, (grated to dissolve easily), one cup of washing soda and ½ Cup of borax will yield 5 GALLONS of concentrated liquid laundry detergent. Liquid soap, compared to powdered washing soap, has more evenly distributed soap molecules. What lifts the soap (attached to dirt and grime) out of clothes is fresh water, so adding extra soap to the wash is a waste. This is High Efficiency (HE), low sudsing detergent. This recipe comes from a website/blog called “My Kitchen Escapades”

But who wants a 5 gallon bucket of laundry detergent, when you can scale it down? Just save a glass bottle to contain your own, homemade batch. You can do the arithmetic to scale the above ratios. Or you could buy refill packets, to mix it up at your convenience. The pint and quart refills sell in groups of 5, because it is just not worth the trouble and expense to ship one or two refills, at a time.

One tbsp. of liquid detergent is used per full load. A 16/16.9 oz. bottle will yield 32 loads of wash, and a quart yields 64 loads.

The ratios to make liquid laundry detergent in smaller quantities are as follows:

A U.S. gallon (128 fl oz) requires 28 grams of grated lye soap in a solution of 3 cups filtered water, combined with a solution of 3 cups filtered water with 1/4 cup Washing Soda and 2 Tbsp Borax Cleaning powder. It is critically important that these two solutions are clear liquid before they are combined in a glass jug. Once each container is added to the glass jug, use filtered water to rinse the two mixing containers and add to the jug. Add 20-30 drops of Essential oil of Lavendar or an equal split of Peppermint and Eucalyptus for a fresh fragrance that does not overpower. Shake the closed jug vigorously, and after 24 hours it will look like the gloopy-gloppy stuff you can buy in the store. Just a Tbsp of detergent per 18 lb load of wash is needed. Can use to pre-spot stains just before washing.

16 /16.9 oz. use 3.5 grams grated lye soap in solution combined with 1 Tsp washing soda and 1/2 Tsp Borax
32/33.8oz. use 7 grams grated lye soap in solution combined with 2 Tsp washing soda and 1 Tsp Borax
Half Gal (64 fl oz) 14 grams grated lye soap in solution combined with 2 Tbsp washing soda and 1 Tbsp Borax in solution.

Most health food stores carry an extensive line of essential oils at reasonable prices, to fragrance your detergent.

Happy washing, and the Planet thanks us for caring!

Candles

Powdered Eggshells

Powdered egg shell prices:
Unbaked = 8oz for $12.00, 16 Oz $22.00
Baked* = 8oz for $14.00, $16oz for $25.00

*Rinsed and baked at 300 Deg F for 20 min
Unbaked = just rinsed