| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Bugs |
bars of soap versus squirty soapSally_in_wales, take a bow, you've helped break a habit of ten years standing. Have just dispatched a bar of your oatmeal and honey soap (very nice) and started on rose and almond (nicer still - the scent wasn't strong in the packet you can smell it when you use it, without it being too girly).I'm very glad about this because for years I've refused to use bar soap because it's icky. Scientific mind, me. I still have a bottle of "antibacterial" handwash because I wear contact lenses and am paranoid, although I imagine the soap is probably more antibacterial than the handwash! And I still remove the soap dish (a wire one so the soap doesn't sit and stay wet  when visitors come (did I mention I'm paranoid  ).
But it's a step in the right direction and I will definitely be having a go at making my own sometime soon before I run out of Sally's  (would be a pity to come all this way and then go back to shop stuff of unknown origins!)
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| cab |
Why do you remove the soap dish when guests are coming?
I don't think I've ever bought liquid handwash stuff. I've never quite got the point? One tip that might seem a bit sad is that we've started using inserts from chocolate boxes as molds for making mini-soaps, good for house guests or when you need to take a bar of soap on holiday. |
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| judith |
Oooh. What a good idea. And what a good excuse to buy some chocolates! |
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| Bugs |
Soap dish - paranoia - not logic - eeeooo strange people's hands on my lovely soap  - and yes, I know that if I go outside my front door I'm probably exchanging far more and with complete strangers than I do from a self-cleaning (!) bar of soap, but as I say, it's not logical. I'm stepping in the right direction though so don't pick on me 
liquid handwash - as far as I can remember I have mainly bought it because (a) it seemed so nice (got over that now) (b) various opticians told me to use Carex etc to wash hands before putting in contact lenses (and I'm not downsizing my contact lenses so nah). Just in case, I am going to keep buying that, for now at least, but I'm hardly using it at all. |
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| cab |
Soap isn't clean. There, I've said it! Soap is also NOT dirty. The thing to remember about soap is that it isn't a powerful bactericide, but it's a marvellous way of ensuring that harmful bacteria on your skin don't get a grip. We are plastered with, utterly coated with, totally and massively covered by bacteria. Try as you might, you won't kill them all off. But wash your hands with a bar of soap, and you get rid of the dirt, grease and grime in which harmful bacteria might get a hold. Something like 90-95% of pathogenic bacteria die quite quickly if you wsh your hands with soap and water, and that's pretty good. Whether more die with an antibacterial hand scrub I don't know, but I DO know that a bigger problem than people not washing their hands effectively is people not washing their hands at all! Personally, I tend to avoid using anti-bacterial agents wherever I can. I believe strongly in working with your microflora, rather than against it. That said, I'd be curious to know whether there's anything in your opticians advice; he may have a point., when it comes to sticking a lump of hydrogel on your eye. |
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| tawny owl |
Sally, out of interest, is there a way to make liquid soap? I have to admit to sharing a certain amount of Bugs' dislike of other people sharing soap, and also I do find that since I've switched to liquid soap, the bathroom's easier to clean (no soap scum), so I guess using less cleaning stuff sort of balances out the handwash, but it would be nice to have a more environmentally friendly version. Failing that, is there a commercial brand that's better?
Tawny |
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| cab |
There are lots of recipes for liquid soap, mostly using potassium hydroxide rather than sodium hydroxide, and the right mix of oils to get the liquid finish you want. I've never made it, but it doesn't look hard. Anyone else made any? Sally? |
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| wellington womble |
Proper handwashing (I had to have a lecture on it!) removes 99 percent of bacteria, using anti-bac stuff doesn't improve it much - unless you're doing surgery, I reckon antibac stuff is unessecsary.
Proper handwashing includes between your fingers (put your hands on top of one another as though you were doing CPR and rub) your thumb (make a butterfly shape and then grip) palms and fingernails (put your fingers in the opposite palms and scratch) and round your wrists. It sounds a lot of bother, and a quick rinse with antibac stuff might sound easier, but won't be any better than a quick rinse with soap. when everyone around the place is getting sickness and dirrorhea, you take time to bother, in my experience! |
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| Behemoth |
Part of the appeal of liquid soaps in marketing terms is that the product itself is clean, i.e. nice tidy bottle in your pristing bathroom or a scummy part used bar leaving soap marks on the sink where it sits. I think the liquid soap now outsells old bars. | ||||
| sally_in_wales |
Yep, I've made liquid soap, usually I make a thick soap paste for my 'historic' range but its easy to use a similar recipe and just dilute further to give a liquid soap. It does take a bit of cooking out though, not quite as simple to do as cold process | ||||
| cab |
Sally, do you use potassium hydroxide for making liquid soap, or is it all done with sodium hydroxide? | ||||
| tawny owl |
[quote="Behemoth"]Part of the appeal of liquid soaps in marketing terms is that the product itself is clean, i.e. nice tidy bottle in your pristing bathroom or a scummy part used bar leaving soap marks on the sink where it sits./quote]
Exactly, and you can use the very last bits of it, rather than trying to shove bits of soap in a net bag or save them up to melt down. Inspired to find a better alternative, I've come across www.ecotopia.co.uk, which sells liquid aloe veral handwash, and the Biosis site (www.ecolifeshop.co.uk/) sells organic handwash. Ecover also does a liquid hand soap, which they also do in 5-litre containers, so less plastic waste. I wonder why they don't do that with their laundry detergent? I'd much rather refill a 5-litre container less often. As usual, of course, they're all much more expensive than 'normal' products, which is a pity. |
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| Jonnyboy |
I have liquid soap in the kitchen purely becasue it's easier to dispense with an elbow when I have really dirty/oily hands! | ||||
| Bugs |
You can get laundry detergent, both Ecover and Bio D, which I've switched to, in 5 litre bottles from Suma. They supply a lot of independent health food shops (which often do refills) so if you have one nearby you might be able to get them to order one in for you and you could refill that - they're like oil containers for cars and a much more convenient size/shape to store than normal bottles. If you don't have such a shop nearby you could consider ordering direct although you need to make up an order of £250+ depending on where you are in the country...remarkably, depressingly easy if you have a liking for organic cider and beer
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| tawny owl |
Thanks, Bugs - useful info. Funny Ecover don't mention that on their own site; they only show the small bottles. V. odd. | ||||
| sally_in_wales |
Potassium hydroxide. If it was made with sodium hydroxide it would do its best to go solid as it ages, even with loads of extra water in it! |
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| Daydreaming |
There, you've said it. That's exactly why I use liquid soap, the bathroom is easier to clean. We live in a horrible hard water area and the bathroom is awful to clean anyway. |
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| Daydreaming |
Sally - Bugs sells your soap very well. How might I get some?
I'm sure dh would love it too as I have unable to convert him to liquid soap 
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| cab |
Cheers Sally. Why does it make such a big difference? I haven't wrapped my head around the chemistry of that yet. |
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| sally_in_wales |
Its a sodium bond that does it- thats why the early soapmakers working with woodash lye used salt to convert the soft curds to hard soap if they wanted it to come out solid, must admit I don't fully understand the chemistry bit myself though. |
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| sally_in_wales |
Have a look at my website www.sallypointer.com and you will see the soap listed there- I can always send you a sample bar if you aren't sure whether you'll get on with it or not |
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| wellington womble |
Your website's fab sally - I just love that red dress (you don't fancy quoting for a wedding dress do you?) and I'm sure the pointy hat instructions will come in very handy (i'm not being sarcastic, lots of occasions I go cry out for a pointy hat - It would have gone down perfectly at the ascot fundraiser!) | ||||
| sally_in_wales |
Everyone needs a pointy hat in their life... would love to do a wedding dress but am seriously up to my ears in stuff at the moment, so best not to commit to anything! | ||||
| wellington womble |
Damn - it won't be for ages anyway! Know what youu mean about the ears though! |