Making soap?

[jerrey]

No problem. They are my favorite source to purchase candle and soap making supplies from. They ship out extremely fast too, it's great!

We started making our own soap this year. We make it from coconut oil mostly. I just purchased Lye from Bulk Apothecary (in OH) and it came in nice bottles, crystallized. Making lye from ashes is, from what I heard, where lye soap gets it's bad name. Every species of tree produces different ashes with different levels of sodium hydroxide. So, if done incorrectly, the soap can burn the skin. Since we are using commercial lye, it's really standardized and make the process much easier. Being a potter, I've come in contact with straight up ashes in water and it's not pleasant (we used them for glazes), so I prefer the commercial lye.

There are lots of recipes out there and soap is a ton of fun to make. It's also 100x better than bar soap from the store. Good luck and have fun!!

I agree I also make home made soap it is so much easer to make why use ashes when you can get lye, I also make my laundry dert.

 

[2boys1homestead]

I agree I also make home made soap it is so much easer to make why use ashes when you can get lye, I also make my laundry dert.

We make our own laundry detergent too. I think I'm going to start gelling it, we've noticed some of our whites are getting a little dingy and I'm worried it's not fully activating in the washer. It's the Borax/Washing Soda/Fels Naptha mix. Any suggestions??

 

[jerrey]

We make our own laundry detergent too. I think I'm going to start gelling it, we've noticed some of our whites are getting a little dingy and I'm worried it's not fully activating in the washer. It's the Borax/Washing Soda/Fels Naptha mix. Any suggestions




if you like the dry laundry detergent you can dry out what you have grated then put in a food processor to get it very fine I have done both I like the liquid better if I wash white clothes I like soak them over night I work out side a lot hope this helps

 

[2boys1homestead]

Thank you!

 

[Arielle]

THere are additives and super "cleaners" in the commercial soaps. Some are whiteners just to make the laundry look whiter. One of my solutions has been to buy grey or white socks. NO more white socks. lol

Playing on the farm as my kids do, the whites don't get white wven with commercial laundry soaps. Maybe it is the brand I'm using, bu that has been my experience

 

[2boys1homestead]

THere are additives and super "cleaners" in the commercial soaps. Some are whiteners just to make the laundry look whiter. One of my solutions has been to buy grey or white socks. NO more white socks. lol

Playing on the farm as my kids do, the whites don't get white wven with commercial laundry soaps. Maybe it is the brand I'm using, bu that has been my experience

Ours were white with commercial soaps, but they have been getting dingy. I'm thinking about soaking them, adding oxi-clean, or just replacing them. We have been living in apartments, so their washers suck, that could also be the cause.

 

[Arielle]

lol, my washer is not any better.

 

[2boys1homestead]

lol, my washer is not any better.

I think the best course of action is to just phase out white clothing then. Lol.

 

[sunflour]

I think the best course of action is to just phase out white clothing then. Lol.

I agree…white makes us look fat!

 

[Arielle]

I dont have white clothes!!! I would spill something on it the first time worn!!! lol The white socks are gone as mentioned before . . black or preferably grey socks for the whole family. Makes matching easier, too.

Long ago white fibers didnt exist until white cotton became favored as a crop and the white wool was favored in the sheep-- mostly because both could be dyed . I have wondered how many people favored white clothing in the years before washing machines.