Oh Stan? Stanley? Hey Stan! *LOL*

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Hello Sweet Lady

I left all but two in the containers, and wrappers, and have them sitting for display!

I did tests on the P&G white, mostly because I recognized it to be one that had been made during WWII, based on the written explanation on the back of the wrapper.
As you know, the naptha (stodderd solvent) was used in the former P&G White Naptha.

So I was most curious to see if I could determine what, if any replacement was used for war time production!
In order to do this, it required me to do a little autopsy on the bar itself. LOL

Wont bore you with the details of how I did that that, just that it appears that a low percentage of mineral spirits were used as the replacement!
(makes sense) I can only suspect, that naptha had become a vital commodity! May have been to expensive, or difficult, for P&G to obtain, until the war was over, but thats only a guess!

The other pieces, (the outer part of the same bar) I used as stain sticks, and of course they worked very well for that purpose!
These babies will still preform, despite their age, and the fact that some of the soap has converted back to a simpler compound.

If you want to use as a stain stick, or wash as many did then, with a scrub board, or grate up, and dissolve with hot water to add to the machine, you'll get clean clothes for sure! Since the scent has long faded, on these, the clothes come out clean smelling, without a scent, (I sort of prefer!)

Have since wondered what Dial Corp did with Fels at that same time? (stodderd solvent ) I know they don't use it now, but what did they do then? (war time)
I have seen some vintage adds posted during the war, asking the housewives to be "patient if her Grocer was out of Fels" and to try to "conserve use" One add showing a picture of a solder over seas washing out a tee shirt, using his helmet as wash basin, with a bar Fels!

The box of Lux you sent was in such pristine condition, I couldn't bring myself to break it open LOL
So it sits proudly on a shelf over the Maytag Wringer!

Have you ever used the Persil, I sent, or figured out the reason for the scent level only you and I seem to find atrocious. LOL
Have wondered what that was about, but thought you'd be the one to get to the bottom of that mystery!

Take care Dear
Stan
 
Thanks Stan!

Am trying to work my way through that case of P&G soap but have a feeling it is going to outlast me on this earth! *LOL* Perhaps time to sell some on.

Have been making soap jelly to use as either a laundry booster or pre-treater for years now using various bar soaps from my stash. Currently it's the P&G, but have also used vintage Kirkman's, Fels and French soap (savon de Marseille). The last one has a ton of purchased for bathing purposes but find it too drying, so every now and then will grate up a bit for use in the wash (mainly linens)because the scent is fantastic.

Recently came into a large box of "Stork" brand castile soap (see link) and it has to be the best soap for personal/body use one has come across to date, bar none. It is so mild and totally non-drying. One doesn't even need to apply lotion after one's bath.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Nc...VU9_J8SyQ7Cu_l_nSu8&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
Dear

The Savon De Marseille is a very lovely soap generally speaking and I would only think the bars/blocks would improve as the bars age!
(I believe they are aged and cured 9 months before sale)

I'm only filmier with one they make, the big block that is said to be unscented, sort of a greenish grey color, even though it said to be unscented, it dose have (to my nose) a very light sea fresh smell to it.
These olive oil soaps are in fact only 72% olive oil and the other 28% is a blend of coconut and palm oil. while this is a nice soap for most, you may be a little sensitive to that much coconut oil in a formula, in other words the C.O is too cleansing/ drying for your skin type.
(C.O is the highest for cleansing and sudsing)

The Stork brand may possibly be a whole other story, in so much as it could be 100% olive oil. If you have vintage bars your using in the Stork brand, then they have cured and aged. Along with that comes mildness!
If they are 100% olive oil they should feel a little more "slippery" and melt a little easier than a blend. Don't know if you have noticed this or not ? (but let me know) LOL

Another factor to consider is the soap makers idea of "super fat" when formulating a bath soap, this is sometimes referred to as "lye discount" ( they really don't mean the same thing, but I digress) it only means the % of fat that will be left, or unreacted in the finished soap upon completion. This is a very IMPORTANT % to calculate depending on the fatty acids used to create the soap in the first place, very IMPORTANT.

Are you able to buy the "Stork" or are you using the vintage one you have left ?

One of the problems is that now a days "castile' can mean vegetable oil, where as "Castile" use to mean 100% olive oil!
I've run across soaps that say "Olive Oil Soap" on the label, only to find olive oil third on the list, behind coconut and palm? And some unnecessary preservatives, and fragrance oils that can be problematic for sensitive skin.

As I'm sure you know bath soaps are wash off products, not really supposed to be "moisturizing" per see, however some well formulated "pure" soaps such as these, can clean with out drying. Leaving the skin no worse for the ware! That is the perfect formula! Even master soap makers in Europe still strive for.
Sometimes in order to achieve that "perfect" bar, it requires years of tweeking a formula, and often the use of additives, such as goats milk, coconut milk, Tussah silk, French Clay, and the list goes on and on LOL

I suspect you will need to find a good real "castile" when the Stork runs out.
I hope this helps

Stan

P.S how are you making your soap jelly?
 
Persil

No, the Persil remains still well sealed and stashed away for the moment. Am trying to use up one or two at the most containers of powdered detergent at a time before opening anything new.

Right now am working through vintage Gain (with enzymes and phosphates), and Surf (great for stinky laundry) powders so the Persil will have to wait.

Am considering opening more of the vintage stuff first because as it's already "old" don't want to leave it for too long. Have a huge box of "ALL" (with Bleach,Borax and Brighteners) that needs using as it's going on as well.
 
Gain, Surf, and All

with phosphates! now thats some cleaning going on there! LOL

What is the sudsing like on those?

And where on earth did you you find Stork (baby) soap! Do you know when it was last made?
 
Sorry If One Confused

So far only know for certain that Gain contains phosphates. The Surf detergent is from the 1980's or 1990's and according to the box is "phosphate free" but may "contain trace amounts due to processing...".

As for vintag All that large box is still sitting at the back of my stash and haven't gone over it in ages. Don't think it contains STPP but will know soon as the box of Gain is almost gone so All will be next on my list. Then again have a small box of Lemon Scented Fab that one is dying to see if the scent is still there. If so that maybe next as one doesn't want to miss that lemon fragrance and am sure as years go what is left of it will waft away.

Have so much vintage and modern detergents but have decided only the truly rare stuff like 1950's "FAB" or "Dash" and so forth are for "show" the rest have to "go" as in being used up. I mean they are in some cases already >20 years old and probably will at some point start caking up into a soild brick.

As for sudsing have to say so far both Gain and Surf have proved rather good in that respect. Both boxes give directions for front loaders that state to start with 1/2 and or enough to bring suds half way up the porthole, IMHO that would be too much. So use about 1/4 cup to two tablespoons depending upon load size and or soil. To make sure neither give me any trouble always add a few drops of silicone defoamer (same stuff used in modern "HE" detergents) just to be on the safe side. However lately haven't bothered as neither seem to cause that much froth if used properly.

Speaking of vintage Surf detergent, the adverts for the period and claims on the box seem to be true, it really does deal with "funky" smelling laundry quite well.

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