Soap Making
- Thread starter toggleswitch
- Start date
Help Support :
My wash is cleaner than yours
Except
There is an interesting legend surrounding the discovery of soap making. This legend accords the discovery of soap to the Romans so it must be a Roman legend to confront the Celtic claim to soap making. Probably both of these inventive peoples discovered soap making independently. The legend says soap was first discovered by women washing clothes along the Tiber River at the bottom of Sapo Hill. The women noticed the clothes became cleaner with far less effort at that particular location. What was happening? The ashes and the grease of animals from the sacrificial fires of the temples situated on the top of Sapo Hill mixed with the rain, making soap which ran down the slope in the streams of rain water giving the women a wash day bonus. You can see at a glance saponification, the chemical name for the soap making reaction, bears the name of that hill in Rome long ago, which caused one Roman washer women to comment to another, "My wash is cleaner than yours".
Except
There is an interesting legend surrounding the discovery of soap making. This legend accords the discovery of soap to the Romans so it must be a Roman legend to confront the Celtic claim to soap making. Probably both of these inventive peoples discovered soap making independently. The legend says soap was first discovered by women washing clothes along the Tiber River at the bottom of Sapo Hill. The women noticed the clothes became cleaner with far less effort at that particular location. What was happening? The ashes and the grease of animals from the sacrificial fires of the temples situated on the top of Sapo Hill mixed with the rain, making soap which ran down the slope in the streams of rain water giving the women a wash day bonus. You can see at a glance saponification, the chemical name for the soap making reaction, bears the name of that hill in Rome long ago, which caused one Roman washer women to comment to another, "My wash is cleaner than yours".
Soap appears to be a corruption of the word.Name Sapo.
"SAPOUNI" in Greek is anothe corruption/variation.
"SAPOUNI" in Greek is anothe corruption/variation.
GRIN!
Excerpt.
Phosphate compounds used as builders in these detergents vastly improved performance, making them suitable for cleaning heavily soiled laundry.
Excerpt.
Phosphate compounds used as builders in these detergents vastly improved performance, making them suitable for cleaning heavily soiled laundry.
Nice link, Togg. I like the "Mt. Sapo - Saponification" connection, as well.
As was discussed in another thread, soap and "detergent" share one quality - they are both surfactants. A surfactant lowers surface tension. It does this by being "bipolar". No, not manic/depressive, but having a hydrophobic (water hating) group on one end of the molecule (the fatty acid part) and hydrophilic (water loving) group on the other end (the salt part). Soap goes detergent one better: it is also a water softener.
Unfortunately, soap's ability to soften water also is its Achilles heel. As it binds up hard water minerals, it falls out of solution (precipitates) and forms a soap scum. A synthetic detergent doesn't bind up minerals, so it doesn't get inactivated by hard water the way soap will.
This difference has to do with the different hydrophilic (water loving) end on the soap molecule vs. that of the detergent molecule. Which is better? It depends on what you want to do. For some things - like washing hands - a plain soap is often better. For laundry, a detergent is usually better. But it all depends on so many variables that any blanket statement is likely to elicit anectdotal evidence to the contrary.
As was discussed in another thread, soap and "detergent" share one quality - they are both surfactants. A surfactant lowers surface tension. It does this by being "bipolar". No, not manic/depressive, but having a hydrophobic (water hating) group on one end of the molecule (the fatty acid part) and hydrophilic (water loving) group on the other end (the salt part). Soap goes detergent one better: it is also a water softener.
Unfortunately, soap's ability to soften water also is its Achilles heel. As it binds up hard water minerals, it falls out of solution (precipitates) and forms a soap scum. A synthetic detergent doesn't bind up minerals, so it doesn't get inactivated by hard water the way soap will.
This difference has to do with the different hydrophilic (water loving) end on the soap molecule vs. that of the detergent molecule. Which is better? It depends on what you want to do. For some things - like washing hands - a plain soap is often better. For laundry, a detergent is usually better. But it all depends on so many variables that any blanket statement is likely to elicit anectdotal evidence to the contrary.
I have taken to putting a bar of Ivory SOAP in the kitchen. the feel of it is nice. Wash some dishes in it. Very different than detergent.Still, I like my DAWN (Fairy in the UK) brand detergent for pots and pans.
Cleaning 101
oooh chillins. Go back to the home page in above link. A good read!
oooh chillins. Go back to the home page in above link. A good read!
"LABEL ALERT! Some detergent manufacturers label their
detergents “HE Compatible.” Many of these detergents are
regular sudsing detergents that should not be used in your
HE washer. Be sure to read detergent labels carefully!"
detergents “HE Compatible.” Many of these detergents are
regular sudsing detergents that should not be used in your
HE washer. Be sure to read detergent labels carefully!"
pturo
New member
Interesting link! Mt Sopa! Love it.
oxydolfan1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,764
My grandmother would NEVER use anything but plain Ivory bar soap to wash the dishes with! To her way of thinking, the bottled dish liquid was wasteful...
I know castile soaps are in vogue right now, but they just don't get me clean in the shower...for that, I need old-school Ivory or aque Zest (although they have CHANGED the Zest formula from synthetic to soap ingredients, grrrr....)
Since you mention Dawn, and speaking of changes...P&G recently superconcentrated the original Dawn formula, and changed the little bottle. For what it's worth, the new bottle is horrible to hold on to, when your hands are wet and sloppy from cooking, they put this ginormous new flip-top cap on the bottle that only catches the excess when you pour it out, and, even though the bottle is marked "Original Scent", they have engaged in revisionist marketing, because that ain't the scent I remember.
Sorry, rant over
...I just don't get why they keep "improving" my Holy Grail products to a point where I can't stand them anymore!
Years ago, they had a "Dawn Free" unscented, colorless dish liquid...I'm usually not one for such variants, but it was PHENOMENAL and kicked every other Dawn format behind, hands down...and, of course, they discontinued it!
CR recently recommended the Ecover dish liquid product....I tried it, and have to admit, I was impressed with it.
I know castile soaps are in vogue right now, but they just don't get me clean in the shower...for that, I need old-school Ivory or aque Zest (although they have CHANGED the Zest formula from synthetic to soap ingredients, grrrr....)
Since you mention Dawn, and speaking of changes...P&G recently superconcentrated the original Dawn formula, and changed the little bottle. For what it's worth, the new bottle is horrible to hold on to, when your hands are wet and sloppy from cooking, they put this ginormous new flip-top cap on the bottle that only catches the excess when you pour it out, and, even though the bottle is marked "Original Scent", they have engaged in revisionist marketing, because that ain't the scent I remember.
Sorry, rant over
...I just don't get why they keep "improving" my Holy Grail products to a point where I can't stand them anymore!Years ago, they had a "Dawn Free" unscented, colorless dish liquid...I'm usually not one for such variants, but it was PHENOMENAL and kicked every other Dawn format behind, hands down...and, of course, they discontinued it!
CR recently recommended the Ecover dish liquid product....I tried it, and have to admit, I was impressed with it.
lederstiefel1
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 18, 2006
- Messages
- 484
bar soap and soda
Except in the dishwasher, of course, I use also only soda and, for fatty items, added grated bar-soap for washing up items that cannot go into the dishwasher for any reason! I don't like dishwashing-liquid at all!
Ralf
Except in the dishwasher, of course, I use also only soda and, for fatty items, added grated bar-soap for washing up items that cannot go into the dishwasher for any reason! I don't like dishwashing-liquid at all!
Ralf
oldhouseman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 838
made at home
My grandmother made soap at home. We didn't buy soap. Lye soap was used to clean everything but was made in different strengths depending on it's use. I still make soap the way my grandmother taught me. I buy some modern soaps from time to time but always end up going back to the traditional soap. I remember granny shaving off soap in the wash water of her ringer machine. It was also great for washing dishes and mopping the floors. I have made a point to avoid petroleum based soaps. The only change I made in how I make the soap is using olive oil in place of animal fat for bath soap. I seem to have an allergy to Ivory soap, it makes me brake out in a rash. I agree with the viewpoint of modern dish soap being expensive and wasteful but I have to admit I like Dawn. It comes closest to cleaning the way my granny's soap did.
My grandmother made soap at home. We didn't buy soap. Lye soap was used to clean everything but was made in different strengths depending on it's use. I still make soap the way my grandmother taught me. I buy some modern soaps from time to time but always end up going back to the traditional soap. I remember granny shaving off soap in the wash water of her ringer machine. It was also great for washing dishes and mopping the floors. I have made a point to avoid petroleum based soaps. The only change I made in how I make the soap is using olive oil in place of animal fat for bath soap. I seem to have an allergy to Ivory soap, it makes me brake out in a rash. I agree with the viewpoint of modern dish soap being expensive and wasteful but I have to admit I like Dawn. It comes closest to cleaning the way my granny's soap did.
mrcleanjeans
New member
Wouldn't a soap scum film be all over everything?
Well Greg, of course, now we need a recipe and instructions.....
If you please!
If you please!
I don't know about the recipe, but here are the instructions for soap:
1) Run hot water tap until the water is hot.
2) Temper the water with cold until it feels good.
3) Work up a rich lather with the soap with both hands.
4) Apply judiciously to those parts of the body in need of soap.
5) Rinse.
6) Repeat, as needed.
;-)
1) Run hot water tap until the water is hot.
2) Temper the water with cold until it feels good.
3) Work up a rich lather with the soap with both hands.
4) Apply judiciously to those parts of the body in need of soap.
5) Rinse.
6) Repeat, as needed.
;-)
oldhouseman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 838
Soap making
Here is a link for some bascic information and instructions. There are many different recipes and methods. There is a link on the page called "The way Al makes soap" which is pretty much my method also. TAKE NOTE:Follow safety instructions carefully as you are dealing with lye which can be dangerous. No, mrcleanjeans, no soap film. I have never had any on my glassware. Most of my everyday dishware was made between 1790's and 1860's (mostly Old Paris China)and I am very particular about its cleaning and care. I have found that rinsing with extremely hot water and drying with a soft cotton towel leave a nice sparkle to the dishes and glassware. These are items I would never venture to put in a dishwasher because they have gold trim and machine washing would errode the gold over time.
I encourage folks to explore some of the soap recipes. There is alot of personal preference involved also. In the antebellum period most yeomnan farm homes had unfinished floors that were scrubbed with lye soap which kept the floors white and clean. The floors in my house (circa 1797) were unfinished until 1982 when the then owner decided to stain and seal them. I am in process of refinishing them and returning to the 19th century appearence and care. The varnish makes the heart pines floors look orange and a good cleaning only brightens the orange glow.
Give Al's recipe a try and let us know what you think! By the way, there is a great picture on the website of a yound woman standing over a wash tub with a scrub board. "Waiting for Automation" Check it out!
Greg
Here is a link for some bascic information and instructions. There are many different recipes and methods. There is a link on the page called "The way Al makes soap" which is pretty much my method also. TAKE NOTE:Follow safety instructions carefully as you are dealing with lye which can be dangerous. No, mrcleanjeans, no soap film. I have never had any on my glassware. Most of my everyday dishware was made between 1790's and 1860's (mostly Old Paris China)and I am very particular about its cleaning and care. I have found that rinsing with extremely hot water and drying with a soft cotton towel leave a nice sparkle to the dishes and glassware. These are items I would never venture to put in a dishwasher because they have gold trim and machine washing would errode the gold over time.
I encourage folks to explore some of the soap recipes. There is alot of personal preference involved also. In the antebellum period most yeomnan farm homes had unfinished floors that were scrubbed with lye soap which kept the floors white and clean. The floors in my house (circa 1797) were unfinished until 1982 when the then owner decided to stain and seal them. I am in process of refinishing them and returning to the 19th century appearence and care. The varnish makes the heart pines floors look orange and a good cleaning only brightens the orange glow.
Give Al's recipe a try and let us know what you think! By the way, there is a great picture on the website of a yound woman standing over a wash tub with a scrub board. "Waiting for Automation" Check it out!
Greg
oldhouseman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 838
One more thing....WARNING!!!
You can't buy lye in the general marketplave anymore. Old fashioned "Red Devil Lye" was taken off the shelves several years ago because of something to do with meth.labs. I get mine from "Texas Natural Supply Company" through mail order. Should anyone decide to give this a try I urge you to not use the lye sold in the grocery stores to open clogged drains. It contains small metal particles (that thwart the meth makers)which you will find very harmful in a batch of soap.
You will also find many great products from TNSC.
You can't buy lye in the general marketplave anymore. Old fashioned "Red Devil Lye" was taken off the shelves several years ago because of something to do with meth.labs. I get mine from "Texas Natural Supply Company" through mail order. Should anyone decide to give this a try I urge you to not use the lye sold in the grocery stores to open clogged drains. It contains small metal particles (that thwart the meth makers)which you will find very harmful in a batch of soap.
You will also find many great products from TNSC.
Great, now ordering this raises a red flag as well!
No wonder I haven't seen liquid, brush-on Easy-Off brand lye oven-cleaner for a while.
No wonder I haven't seen liquid, brush-on Easy-Off brand lye oven-cleaner for a while.
