Instant Fels Naptha, a little experiment

[launderess]

Persil

Actually just removed the boxes from the shipping crate and put them into a very heavy bin liner for storage. No, haven't tried them yet as there are so many products already open.

Did you try the soaps and Persil I sent in the goodie box?

White King,

IIRC they were one of the last holdouts as one cannot remember if they closed before or after P&G discontinued Ivory Snow.

Basically the fine wash segment of the market was so dominated by Woolite and similar surfactant based products White King soap's sales went off a cliff. IIRC Huish owns the rights to the brand name.

http://articles.latimes.com/1987-12-14/business/fi-19280_1_los-angeles-soap-s-home/2

 

[vintagekitchen]

Launderess

The goodie box hasn't arrived yet, but I am eagerly anticipating it.

 

[launderess]

Not You Son, *LOL*

Stan and I did a swap a few weeks back!

 

[stan]

Laundress

Have not used the Persil or others you sent, have them on display! And did'nt want to open the old Lux as it was still sealed, and in pristine condition (ThankYou)

But did an autopsy on the P&G White *LOL*
" P&G White Naptha" prior WWII.

As with soaps of this age I found it interesting to see how much of the soap converted back to a simple compound of soda ash, and also wanted to investigate, and test for what would have been used during WWII as a replacement for the naptha ( P&G)

I Use a small keyhole saw to remove a section of the center of the soap, where I felt it would still likely be.. well... soap! Then proceeded to the center of that! My tests results pointed to a small % of mineral spirits for the P&G White.
I'm only guessing, but the naptha solvent ( little more volatile than mineral spirits) may have been a more valued commodity for the war effort? Hence the temporary switch ?

I'm going to dissolve the pieces that are left of that bar, in a solution to see if the fatty acids can be identified. Basically trying to find out, or guess what fats were used in the creation, and in what percents. Fun Fun *LOL*
What's left will get thrown into the Maytag E with some dirty clothes!
Waste not want not!

 

[launderess]

@stan

Yes indeed, naptha was in short supply during the duration of WWII so P&G had to switch to other chemicals for their "naptha" soap. One assumes Fels and others had to make do as well or ceased production for the duration.

P&G marketed the soap produced during the war as "P&G "White" Laundry Soap and the wrapper had wording explaining the reason behind the switch.

http://deannamoyers.ecrater.com/p/14150094/war-time-pg-laundry-soap

 

[launderess]

Another Word On Naptha

While many naptha soaps came on the market after the sucess of Fels, Mr. Fels invented and IIRC patented the method of binding the stuff in soap so it remained stable and didn't evaporate quickly. Not sure how or even if P&G and others got around this.

In it's time naptha soaps were the bees knees for cleaning for heavy duty laundry and housework. The petrol chemicals did the work of dealing with grease and oil removal without all the harsh rubbing. Prior or even during this period housewives, laundreses and others would add a bit of gasoline or similar substance to the boiling pot of soapy water. One can only imagine how many serious burns and or deaths that method caused if the stuff was added too close to an open flame. Then there was all the rinsing required to get the stench of petrol off one's laundry.

Benzine could be purchased in hardware or similar stores right up through the 1970's or 1980's IIRC. It was used for a variety of household purposes including stain removal.

 

[stan]

Don't think

Fels ceased production..

I did see a war time ad (by Fels) that showed a solider over seas washing some article of clothing with a bar of Fels

however the women in the ad (back at the home front) was being told to conserve her usage of Fels, as best she could, and to be patient if her grocer was out of it! "the boys over seas came first)

This type of ad would be unheard of today *LOL

 

[launderess]

@vintagekitchen

Did you receive the box of soap?

L.

 

[vintagekitchen]

Yes luv, I replied in the other thread, lol.. It was very very sweet of you to share with me. Both bars are on the shelf next to the vintage box of Instant Fels I found this weekend. ^__^

 

[launderess]

Ok, Just Wanted To Be Sure

Must have missed the *other* posting.

 

[beekeyknee]

Dingy, dirty people.

Kevin,

I do agree with what you said earlier up the thread. The things one can see people wearing these days is atrocious. It's enough to give one sinkin' spells.

I believe people who work in hospitals should be required to wear white, as in former days, so one can see how clean or dirty they are. If their clothes aren't clean one can surely bet their bodies aren't either. And if their bodies aren't clean then everything they touch becomes contaminated. A hospital is the best place to go these days if you want an infection. I don't agree completely with the theory that it's all because of the over use of antibiotics.

Not trying to hijack the thread; just a sidetracked observation.

Speaking of old cleaners, remember carbon tetrachloride?