# Homemade cold process soap and plumbing



## sarasvati (Aug 13, 2018)

I started making soap on Mother’s Day this year. It was a Mother’s Day gift for myself. It had been my dream to make soap for almost 20 years but just couldn’t take the first step for a lot of different reasons. Now, I am so hooked on soaping that I can’t stop thinking about it!

But here is my question. After I make soap, I wipe every soap-making tool, pot and bowl with paper towel to limit the amount of oil that I pour down the kitchen drain as much as possible because I am afraid that it might end up clogging the plumbing in the future.

However, what about using the homemade soap to wash hands in bathroom sinks or to shower? Will that cause the plumbing to get clogged because homemade soap is superfatted? I make coconut oil soap that is superfatted at 20%. Is that a lot of oil going down the drain if we keep using it, enough to clog the plumbing? I don’t know if soap bars you can buy at drugstores are made differently but is homemade soap better or worse for plumbing than mass-produced soap like Ivory, Dove, Irish Spring and so on?

Many thanks in advance for any advice!


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## lsg (Aug 13, 2018)

I have been making cold process soap for years, and we use my hand soap exclusively. We have not yet had a problem with our plumbing or septic tank.


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## DeeAnna (Aug 13, 2018)

sarasvati said:


> ...I make coconut oil soap that is superfatted at 20%. Is that a lot of oil going down the drain if we keep using it, enough to clog the plumbing...



It can be too much oil if you have older plumbing and hard water. Apparently the superfat and the hard water scum stick to the pipes and build up over time. Carolyn (cmzaha) has had that problem. She uses a lower superfat (about 2% if I remember right) and also uses a chelator to reduce soap scum formation.

You couldn't use 2% superfat with your 100% CO recipe -- it would be far too harsh. If the high % of superfat is a concern for you, maybe it's time to try other recipes that are mild with less superfat?

Most brands of commercial cleansing bars and soap sold in the US have under 1% superfat. They also use chelators to reduce soap scum and increase shelf life.

Check the labels of the "soap" you are familiar with -- if the packaging says the product is a "cleansing bar" or some other term that does not include the actual word "soap," then the product is most likely not true lye-based soap. Dove is an example. Many "soap" bars nowadasys are mostly or all made of synthetic detergents, so they don't make soap scum.


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## dixiedragon (Aug 13, 2018)

I use homemade soap exclusively and also have never had a problem. If you are concerned, once a month or so, run hot water and washing soda down your drains. It's a mildly caustic (milder than lye, but more caustic than baking soda.) I get mine from WalMart. Yellow box, Arm & Hammer brand, with the clothes detergents. You can also run lye and water down the drains, but I don't like to mix lye and hot water.

If you have a septic tank, pour your sour dairy products - milk, sour cream, etc - down the drain. It's basically yogurt for your septic tank. Helps to replenish the good bacteria in there.


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## cmzaha (Aug 13, 2018)

DeeAnna said:


> It can be too much oil if you have older plumbing and hard water. Apparently the superfat and the hard water scum stick to the pipes and build up over time. Carolyn (cmzaha) has had that problem. She uses a lower superfat (about 2% if I remember right) and also uses a chelator to reduce soap scum formation.
> 
> You couldn't use 2% superfat with your 100% CO recipe -- it would be far too harsh. If the high % of superfat is a concern for you, maybe it's time to try other recipes that are mild with less superfat?
> 
> ...


DeeAnna is very correct, I cannot use a high superfat exclusively because of my plumbing issues. I live on a hillside below street level without proper fall to my lines so nothing flushes through my drains well. My one exception is my salt bars which I superfat salt bars for myself at 15% and only use them when showering and my shower is next to my main line. My plumbing bills show that it helps. I also do not clean my soaping utensils and throw it down the drain. I clean in a 5 gallon bucket and dump the soapy water over the bank. Plus side of this is white flies are not under control in the bushes below me and the bamboo gets watered


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## Holly8991 (Aug 13, 2018)

Well this is something I never thought of..........I toss it all down the drain
I even put it in the dishwasher...


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## DeeAnna (Aug 13, 2018)

Huh. How do you keep the suds from making a major mess when using soap in the dishwasher?


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## Holly8991 (Aug 13, 2018)

I rinse 1st in sink then just chunk it in.  Never had a problem.


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## earlene (Aug 13, 2018)

*DeeAnna*, I have had soap suds from a dishwasher all over the kitchen and it's a real mess to clean up.  It wasn't from soap I made, though.  If I remember correctly it was liquid dish soap.  Dumb move!  I have made some dumb moves in my time, but won't tell all as some are too totally embarrassing!



Holly8991 said:


> Well this is something I never thought of..........I toss it all down the drain
> I even put it in the dishwasher...



You even put what in the dishwasher?  When I first read this I thought you meant you put lye in the dishwasher.  That can't be what you meant, right?  It would eventually cause deterioration of the gaskets inside the dishwasher.

I see your response to *DeeAnna* and think it indicates you're talking about your soapmaking utensils?   Personally I don't see a problem with that, since they are pre-washed anyway.  That is if I understand your most recent post correctly.


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## DeeAnna (Aug 13, 2018)

Okay, I thought Holly was saying she puts _soap _in the dishwasher. Am I'm wrong about that? The sentence wasn't too clear, and I'm confused about what "it" is. The topic is soap and plumbing, but maybe the discussion has evolved away from that and I missed the shift?


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## earlene (Aug 13, 2018)

I know, I'm confused myself.


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## sarasvati (Aug 13, 2018)

lsg said:


> I have been making cold process soap for years, and we use my hand soap exclusively. We have not yet had a problem with our plumbing or septic tank.



That's great to hear! Thank you for letting me know about your experience!



DeeAnna said:


> It can be too much oil if you have older plumbing and hard water. Apparently the superfat and the hard water scum stick to the pipes and build up over time. Carolyn (cmzaha) has had that problem. She uses a lower superfat (about 2% if I remember right) and also uses a chelator to reduce soap scum formation.
> 
> You couldn't use 2% superfat with your 100% CO recipe -- it would be far too harsh. If the high % of superfat is a concern for you, maybe it's time to try other recipes that are mild with less superfat?
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for the very detailed advice, DeeAnna! I had never heard of chelators. I will be checking into that. I make other types of soap beside 100% coconut oil soap and their superfat rate ranges from 3% to 10%. I think I will try to stick to lower superfat rates in the future. Many thanks again!



dixiedragon said:


> I use homemade soap exclusively and also have never had a problem. If you are concerned, once a month or so, run hot water and washing soda down your drains. It's a mildly caustic (milder than lye, but more caustic than baking soda.) I get mine from WalMart. Yellow box, Arm & Hammer brand, with the clothes detergents. You can also run lye and water down the drains, but I don't like to mix lye and hot water.
> 
> If you have a septic tank, pour your sour dairy products - milk, sour cream, etc - down the drain. It's basically yogurt for your septic tank. Helps to replenish the good bacteria in there.



Thank you very much for sharing your experience and giving me the specific and concrete advice! I will definitely try your method!


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## sarasvati (Aug 14, 2018)

Holly8991 said:


> I rinse 1st in sink then just chunk it in.  Never had a problem.



It's great to hear that you have never had a problem even if you rinse your tools in the sink and put them in the dishwasher! My house is more than 80 years old with old concrete plumbing under the ground so I would hesitate to do the same but maybe all that oil from soapmaking clean-up doesn't cause as much clogging as I imagine it does


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## Lin19687 (Aug 14, 2018)

I lightly wipe out my buckets and spatuals and put in dishwasher.
ONLY issue I had with over flow bubbles was putting a full dishwashing soap tab in the soap dispenser.  Now I put just a pinch of powdered dishwashing soap in and no more issue.

If I had a septic tank I would wash in a big bucket and dump outside, not in sink


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## NsMar42111 (Aug 14, 2018)

When I do CP , I do the wipe it all out method then wash with lots of dawn. For HP, I just add water and viola soap! LOL

FYI, for your septic tank, don't put any of the stuff you buy on the shelves in it-my septic inspector said that only builds up sludge. Instead, once a month, put one packet of yeast in each toilet over night then flush. Just the regular bread yeast, so like a tablespoon each toilet if you don't have packets....it feeds the "good" stuff in the septic tank and no sludge! And def. dump the sour milks down, same idea. Do it in the toilet furthest from the septic tank so it gets in the pipes too. I had asked about soap etc, he told me not a huge deal and you can use lye (hahah) to clear it if needed -the amount of lye wouldn't hurt the septic tank. 

Ahhhhh the fun stuff!


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## DeeAnna (Aug 14, 2018)

I am certain putting yeast and spoiled dairy into your septic system won't hurt it, but it's not likely to do a lot to improve the function of your septic system either. The micro-organisms that digest fecal matter and urine aren't necessarily the same as those that we use to make bread, beer, and fermented dairy. I agree it's 100% a myth about the commercial additives -- it's a waste of money to use 'em.

The normal digestive microbes you supply every time you use the toilet are all that are needed to maintain a healthy septic tank. Avoid putting things down the drain such as paint, solvents, pesticides, fat/oil, and other liquids that are flammable, toxic, or don't mix with water, as well as non-digestible or slowly digestible solids such as tampons, baby wipes, condoms, etc.

A septic system can tolerate a little bit of NaOH or KOH from time to time, but be sure to dilute, dilute, dilute with lots of water as you do it. Don't discard large amounts of alkali down the drain, whether you have a septic system or city plumbing. Dispose of that at your local hazardous waste facility if available or give it to another soaper to use or use it up yourself by making soap.

Also, schedule regular pumping to remove the inevitable buildup of solids.

Here's a sensible guide to taking good care of a septic system: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/ww/septic/septic_tank2.pdf

_"...commercial septic tank additives do not eliminate the need for periodic pumping and may be harmful to the absorption field.... Be sure when the septic tank is pumped that it is completely emptied. It is not necessary to retain any of the solids to restart the digestive process. You do not need biological or chemical additives for successful restart or continuous operation of your septic system..."_


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## Holly8991 (Aug 14, 2018)

Sorry!  I meant utensils and bowls etc....not the soap itself


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## amd (Aug 14, 2018)

Before Chris and I lived together, we didn't have problems with homemade soap and plumbing - my house was 70-ish years old but the plumbing was completely redone in the 90's. Chris had his (house!) plumbing redone in the early 2000's. We moved into a 100 year old house last summer, much of the plumbing is still old cast iron. The basement bathroom was added about 5 years ago, so we've had no problems with that. Chris redid the main floor bathroom this spring - it was always clogging up. The upstairs bathroom still needs to be done, we have to clean it out about every 3 weeks. I superfat at 3%, with the exception of Chris' salt bars at 15%. My soap is used at all the sinks and in both showers, although the basement shower probably sees less usage because only one of the two kids uses it. Upstairs, three of us use handmade soap. I don't always use my soap, I keep 3-4 bars in rotation. Right now I'm using one of mine, two from the Home Sweet Home swap, and one from my friend at Brazos Valley Soaps... so I can't really say that I still have problems with a low SF because I'm not sure what other soapers use! I will say... if you have old plumbing, be prepared for maintenance! My husband and I love using handmade soap and agreed the maintenance is worth it.


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## redhead1226 (Aug 14, 2018)

I stopped wiping off my soaping pots, utensils etc with paper towels. As I was going through so many rolls as I make a lot of soap. So I purchased at Costco a pack of hand towels, I think its 25  towels and I wipe off everything including the stick blender with one towel per batch sometimes 2. I throw them into a bag in the laundry room and when I have a lot of them I throw them in the washer. At this point they are no longer oils they are soap as it takes a while before I wash them. They come out great to use again and again. I do throw a cup of washing soda in with them as I was worried about the plumbing and my mom had told me that this works to reduce scum.  After the utensils and pots are wiped out with the towels there really is not any oil on them anymore so I just wash them with dawn in the regular sink.  After almost 11 years I have had zero plumbing issues and my house is 25 years old so the plumbing isnt really new. Who knows, Ill deal with it if it happens.


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## DeeAnna (Aug 14, 2018)

@[SIZE=4][URL='https://www.soapmakingforum.com/members/holly8991.26837/'][COLOR=#000000]Holly8991[/COLOR][/URL][/SIZE] -- Ah, thanks for setting me straight! 

@redhead1226 -- Your mom is a smart cookie.  A cup of washing soda definitely helps to get those soaping towels cleaner and reduce soap scum. I also use cheap terry cloth squares (aka "dairy towels" if you live in dairy country) to clean my soaping equipment. I've noticed sometimes the residues on the towels doesn't always fully turn into soap -- some of the fats stay as fats. The washing soda helps get rid of the oily residues.


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## sarasvati (Aug 15, 2018)

cmzaha said:


> DeeAnna is very correct, I cannot use a high superfat exclusively because of my plumbing issues. I live on a hillside below street level without proper fall to my lines so nothing flushes through my drains well. My one exception is my salt bars which I superfat salt bars for myself at 15% and only use them when showering and my shower is next to my main line. My plumbing bills show that it helps. I also do not clean my soaping utensils and throw it down the drain. I clean in a 5 gallon bucket and dump the soapy water over the bank. Plus side of this is white flies are not under control in the bushes below me and the bamboo gets watered



Thank you very much for sharing your experience! Is a salt bar very different from other types of cold process soap? I would be interested in trying making it 



redhead1226 said:


> I stopped wiping off my soaping pots, utensils etc with paper towels. As I was going through so many rolls as I make a lot of soap. So I purchased at Costco a pack of hand towels, I think its 25  towels and I wipe off everything including the stick blender with one towel per batch sometimes 2. I throw them into a bag in the laundry room and when I have a lot of them I throw them in the washer. At this point they are no longer oils they are soap as it takes a while before I wash them. They come out great to use again and again. I do throw a cup of washing soda in with them as I was worried about the plumbing and my mom had told me that this works to reduce scum.  After the utensils and pots are wiped out with the towels there really is not any oil on them anymore so I just wash them with dawn in the regular sink.  After almost 11 years I have had zero plumbing issues and my house is 25 years old so the plumbing isnt really new. Who knows, Ill deal with it if it happens.



Thank you very much for sharing your experience and tricks! It's good to hear that some people have never had plumbing issues caused by superfatted homemade soap. My house is over 80 years old and the plumbing under the ground is old and concrete so I probably need to be more careful. I will be interested to try your washing soda trick!



amd said:


> Before Chris and I lived together, we didn't have problems with homemade soap and plumbing - my house was 70-ish years old but the plumbing was completely redone in the 90's. Chris had his (house!) plumbing redone in the early 2000's. We moved into a 100 year old house last summer, much of the plumbing is still old cast iron. The basement bathroom was added about 5 years ago, so we've had no problems with that. Chris redid the main floor bathroom this spring - it was always clogging up. The upstairs bathroom still needs to be done, we have to clean it out about every 3 weeks. I superfat at 3%, with the exception of Chris' salt bars at 15%. My soap is used at all the sinks and in both showers, although the basement shower probably sees less usage because only one of the two kids uses it. Upstairs, three of us use handmade soap. I don't always use my soap, I keep 3-4 bars in rotation. Right now I'm using one of mine, two from the Home Sweet Home swap, and one from my friend at Brazos Valley Soaps... so I can't really say that I still have problems with a low SF because I'm not sure what other soapers use! I will say... if you have old plumbing, be prepared for maintenance! My husband and I love using handmade soap and agreed the maintenance is worth it.



Thank you for your advice! Yes, our house is over 80 years old with old plumbing. I worry about the worst case scenario all the time! That the maintenance is worth homemade soap is a good to way to look at it!


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## redhead1226 (Aug 15, 2018)

DeeAnna said:


> @[SIZE=4][URL='https://www.soapmakingforum.com/members/holly8991.26837/'][COLOR=#000000]Holly8991[/COLOR][/URL][/SIZE] -- Ah, thanks for setting me straight!
> 
> @redhead1226 -- Your mom is a smart cookie.  A cup of washing soda definitely helps to get those soaping towels cleaner and reduce soap scum. I also use cheap terry cloth squares (aka "dairy towels" if you live in dairy country) to clean my soaping equipment. I've noticed sometimes the residues on the towels doesn't always fully turn into soap -- some of the fats stay as fats. The washing soda helps get rid of the oily residues.



Oh DeeAnna you are so right! Some does not turn to soap - some are just fat lol! But yes, the washing soda works.


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## sarasvati (Aug 15, 2018)

NsMar42111 said:


> When I do CP , I do the wipe it all out method then wash with lots of dawn. For HP, I just add water and viola soap! LOL
> 
> FYI, for your septic tank, don't put any of the stuff you buy on the shelves in it-my septic inspector said that only builds up sludge. Instead, once a month, put one packet of yeast in each toilet over night then flush. Just the regular bread yeast, so like a tablespoon each toilet if you don't have packets....it feeds the "good" stuff in the septic tank and no sludge! And def. dump the sour milks down, same idea. Do it in the toilet furthest from the septic tank so it gets in the pipes too. I had asked about soap etc, he told me not a huge deal and you can use lye (hahah) to clear it if needed -the amount of lye wouldn't hurt the septic tank.
> 
> Ahhhhh the fun stuff!



How interesting about feeding yeast to the septic tank! I had never heard of that trick! We don't have a septic tank but I will definitely tell my inlaws who have one about this trick


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## Lin19687 (Aug 16, 2018)

FYI, forgot to say that when I run the pots in the dishwasher it is a few days later ... aka turned to soap   what little is left in then.


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## clownking99 (Aug 16, 2018)

Wipe the inside of bowls and stick blender? Nonsense. I just clean it all out at work the next day ^_^so far they haven’t had problems ^_^


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## earlene (Aug 16, 2018)

I do sometimes leave my bowls for the next day, but never my stick blender.  Lye can eat away at the rubber and I don't want another one losing the rubber seal.  It happened to me once and I posted about it here, but the photos links probably don't work anymore (photobucket disabled free 3rd party links so all those are broken).  So I never leave it covered in raw soap overnight anymore.  I value my SB too much to let the lye eat away at the rubber seal.

ETA:  
I attached a photo below from my files.  The epoxy didn't last very long to hold the rubber at the bottom.  You can see the bubbles that formed when I mixed the 2 parts together to make the epoxy active.  I had to replace that SB, which I did with the exact same model because I liked it so much.  I have never had trouble with the replacement.


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## Lin19687 (Aug 16, 2018)

Good to know !!
I usually wipe and rinse off the blender part after each use and put it back in the bowl on the soap counter.  I don't want to lose it


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## redhead1226 (Aug 16, 2018)

clownking99 said:


> Wipe the inside of bowls and stick blender? Nonsense. I just clean it all out at work the next day ^_^so far they haven’t had problems ^_^



And how long have you been doing that? I all depends on how much soa you make and how many times you do that. But it is far from nonsense. At work? You do it somewhere else?


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## Lin19687 (Aug 17, 2018)

Maybe she works in a big kitchen  

You know I have not used Lye in the sink for like 40 years when I watched my Dad do it.
I wouldn't mind cleaning out my upstairs sink drain.  Off to google how to do that... funny the things you never do when you have the tools


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## NsMar42111 (Aug 17, 2018)

DeeAnna said:


> I am certain putting yeast and spoiled dairy into your septic system won't hurt it, but it's not likely to do a lot to improve the function of your septic system either. The micro-organisms that digest fecal matter and urine aren't necessarily the same as those that we use to make bread, beer, and fermented dairy. I agree it's 100% a myth about the commercial additives -- it's a waste of money to use 'em.
> 
> The normal digestive microbes you supply every time you use the toilet are all that are needed to maintain a healthy septic tank. Avoid putting things down the drain such as paint, solvents, pesticides, fat/oil, and other liquids that are flammable, toxic, or don't mix with water, as well as non-digestible or slowly digestible solids such as tampons, baby wipes, condoms, etc."
> 
> ...


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## Lin19687 (Aug 17, 2018)

I NEVER understood why anyone would put ANYTHING OTHER then toilet paper in the toilet.  Tampons ?  Really why ?  

Of course my sister was having her kids use those stupid butt wipes and flushing them on a septic -  READ THE BACK DOPE.  Even after I told her they should NOT be flushed even with Sewer system  The sink is right there, wet some TP duh.


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## Dennis (Aug 18, 2018)

I use our old Braun SB from the 90s that was given to us as a wedding gift.   We have two, both with avocado green trim. Ugh!    Regardless, it has been a great SB.  After using to make soap I wipe it off then run it in a small bowl with water and Dawn, then run it in plain water, wipe it dry and put it away.  The whole process might take 5 minutes.  If it gives up the ghost I'll drag out the backup and carry on, hoping to replace the old with a new that is just as good but not avocado green.


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## Dennis (Aug 18, 2018)

Lin19687 said:


> I NEVER understood why anyone would put ANYTHING OTHER then toilet paper in the toilet.  Tampons ?  Really why ?
> 
> Of course my sister was having her kids use those stupid butt wipes and flushing them on a septic -  READ THE BACK DOPE.  Even after I told her they should NOT be flushed even with Sewer system  The sink is right there, wet some TP duh.


After 30+ years in the water reclamation industry I can answer your question.  Humans are a strange bunch.  I operated and later managed the smallest and largest water reclamation facilities.  Oh, the stories I could tell!  It is amazing what people and companies will flush.  Everything from golf balls, action figures (kids will be kids) thousands of gallons of syrup (sorry, it was an accident!) to  QUEEN SIZE SHEETS coming into the plant in ONE PIECE.  How do they do that???  Some care, some don't.  It's all a matter of out of sight, out of mind.  Realizing that there are delicate and sensitive folks  here, I will leave it at that and just say that I believe the planet will be fine in the long run, not so much the humans. In my humble opinion.


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## Lin19687 (Aug 18, 2018)

Wow, just wow a whole queen sheet. SMH


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## DeeAnna (Aug 18, 2018)

In the same vein as Dennis, I used to work in an industrial wastewater treatment plant that was part of a large agricultural chemical production facility in Kansas City, Missouri. The treatment plant processed all the industrial wastewater as well as the sanitary wastewater from the restroom facilities on site. Some of the things that came down the pipe to get caught in our equipment included ball bearings, condoms (!), and even dead chickens. The scariest was the flammable solvents that would get dumped on occasion. People really do have an "outta sight, outta mind" mentality sometimes.


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## LiLiSoapz (Aug 20, 2018)

How in the world did someone get a whole sheet down the toilet.  That sounds very deliberate and suspicious.  

The action figures make sense because they have super powers to power through.


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## BattleGnome (Aug 20, 2018)

I wonder if the sheet was part of a commercial washer breaking, like from a hotel. Just a rush of suds down a large drain and the sheet was just the color or depth to not get noticed


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## amd (Aug 20, 2018)

In college I did a two week internship at a waste treatment facility (it was supposed to the whole summer, but I could only stomach two weeks). It was ridiculous the amount of pills that come through the sewer system! Completely intact! I stopped buying pill vitamins and switched to chewables. About the only thing of value that I took away from that internship, lol. The other thing I saw a lot of (that I remember) was disposable diapers. How the heck do you even get them to flush??


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## shunt2011 (Aug 20, 2018)

Yep, my grandson flushed 5 matchbox cars down the toilet a few weeks ago.  950.00 later two are still in the drain pipe to the street.  The plumber could see the tow truck and fire engine on the camera.   He thought it was funny.  Happened with a babysitter and him being quiet.


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## LiLiSoapz (Aug 20, 2018)

BattleGnome said:


> I wonder if the sheet was part of a commercial washer breaking, like from a hotel. Just a rush of suds down a large drain and the sheet was just the color or depth to not get noticed



That makes so much more sense than what my mind conjured up.



amd said:


> In college I did a two week internship at a waste treatment facility (it was supposed to the whole summer, but I could only stomach two weeks). It was ridiculous the amount of pills that come through the sewer system! Completely intact! I stopped buying pill vitamins and switched to chewables. About the only thing of value that I took away from that internship, lol. The other thing I saw a lot of (that I remember) was disposable diapers. How the heck do you even get them to flush??



Thank you for the reminder, I need to make the switch as well.  What a waste of money these pills are if our bodies cannot digest them.


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## Dennis (Aug 20, 2018)

BattleGnome said:


> I wonder if the sheet was part of a commercial washer breaking, like from a hotel. Just a rush of suds down a drain and the sheet was just the color or depth to not get noticed


Commercial in a sense.  They were marked with the name of a hospital that was several miles away and went went through at least 3 lift stations.  How did they get through the pumps?
Another interesting item was the thousands (maybe hundreds) of ramen noodle bags  that came into the plant on Sunday nights. We finally figured out that the timing pretty much coincided with the visiting hours ending at the county jail.


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## DeeAnna (Aug 20, 2018)

Amazing, Dennis. Wow.... or I should say ... Eww!!!!


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## earlene (Aug 21, 2018)

Pills get flushed (or used to anyway) all the time.  Straight from the bottles.  Just because they showed up intact doesn't mean they went through someone's intestinal system first.  Although that can happen under certain situations, but it's not with a normal healthy intestinal system doing all it's work as designed.

But in hospitals, nursing homes, private homes even, folks toss pills down toilets when they either don't want to take them (hidden from who-ever administered the pills) or decide to discard them because they didn't like them, the date has past, or they are purging the medicine cabinet or cleaning out a deceased family members home.  Oh, lest I forget... The drug dealers being raided by the police, rushing quickly to the bathroom to flush everything before they get caught with the goods - a common occurrence, not just something you see on television or in the movies.

Granted, that's not what is recommended.  It is recommended to drop off expired meds at a pharmacy, but that's a relatively new thing in the history of humanity taking pills of various types.


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## LiLiSoapz (Aug 21, 2018)

earlene said:


> Pills get flushed (or used to anyway) all the time.  Straight from the bottles.  Just because they showed up intact doesn't mean they went through someone's intestinal system first.  Although that can happen under certain situations, but it's not with a normal healthy intestinal system doing all it's work as designed.
> 
> But in hospitals, nursing homes, private homes even, folks toss pills down toilets when they either don't want to take them (hidden from who-ever administered the pills) or decide to discard them because they didn't like them, the date has past, or they are purging the medicine cabinet or cleaning out a deceased family members home.  Oh, lest I forget... The drug dealers being raided by the police, rushing quickly to the bathroom to flush everything before they get caught with the goods - a common occurrence, not just something you see on television or in the movies.
> 
> Granted, that's not what is recommended.  It is recommended to drop off expired meds at a pharmacy, but that's a relatively new thing in the history of humanity taking pills of various types.


You are absolutely correct, there are so many different scenarios that can lend to the pills.  I decided to change over due to seeing differences in how my baby responds to my breastmilk depending on the pill types.  I also read about someone who found whole pills in her stools twice (she hadn't taken pills for five years prior).

I am going to work on my gut flora to ensure that I can absorb vitamins and minerals better.


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## sarasvati (Aug 26, 2018)

After reading about all the things that end up at water treatment facilities, I am thinking maybe I don't need to worry too much about oil from my soap clogging my plumbing  Thank you all for your replies! Every one of them was very much appreciated!


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## MickeyRat (Sep 3, 2018)

I use a lot of paper towels wiping oils off things as I make soap but, when I'm finished, I just let everything sit till it passes the zap test and wash in the sink.  I usually CPOP so the stuff just goes in the oven with the soap and is ready to wash the next morning.  No plumbing problems yet.

DeeAnna is right.  If you just toss it in the dishwasher, you'll get a kitchen full of suds.  Guess how I know.


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## sarasvati (Sep 7, 2018)

MickeyRat said:


> I use a lot of paper towels wiping oils off things as I make soap but, when I'm finished, I just let everything sit till it passes the zap test and wash in the sink.  I usually CPOP so the stuff just goes in the oven with the soap and is ready to wash the next morning.  No plumbing problems yet.
> 
> DeeAnna is right.  If you just toss it in the dishwasher, you'll get a kitchen full of suds.  Guess how I know.



Thank you for your tip, MickeyRat! So when you do the zap test, do you acturally try licking the bit of the soap residue on your soapmaking tools?


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## MKLonestar (Sep 16, 2018)

LiLiSoapz said:


> Thank you for the reminder, I need to make the switch as well. What a waste of money these pills are if our bodies cannot digest them.



I have wasted a TON of money on medication/vitamins that my body could not handle. When we moved, my husband literally packed a 16x16x12 box FULL of medicine/vitamins that have been prescribed or doctor recommended that are not compatible with my body make up. Some are 12 years old (maybe even older). They just sat in a cabinet because I could not find a place to take them to dispose of them. I use to flush meds years ago, but I learned how bad that was for the environment, so I just held onto them. I am still trying to figure out a safe way to dispose of them, especially now that I am on the coast and definitely do not want to risk them getting in the Gulf waters.


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## OldHippie (Sep 16, 2018)

MKLonestar said:


> I am still trying to figure out a safe way to dispose of them


*Fire.*


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## Dennis (Sep 16, 2018)

MKLonestar said:


> I have wasted a TON of money on medication/vitamins that my body could not handle. When we moved, my husband literally packed a 16x16x12 box FULL of medicine/vitamins that have been prescribed or doctor recommended that are not compatible with my body make up. Some are 12 years old (maybe even older). They just sat in a cabinet because I could not find a place to take them to dispose of them. I use to flush meds years ago, but I learned how bad that was for the environment, so I just held onto them. I am still trying to figure out a safe way to dispose of them, especially now that I am on the coast and definitely do not want to risk them getting in the Gulf waters.


Check with your local water and/or wastewater utility.  Most are happy to assist.


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## amd (Sep 18, 2018)

@MKLonestar take it to your local pharmacy! They will know what to do with them, especially if some of them are prescriptions.


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## MKLonestar (Sep 19, 2018)

amd said:


> @MKLonestar take it to your local pharmacy! They will know what to do with them, especially if some of them are prescriptions.



I asked our local pharmacy and they don't take them here. I will have to take them over to a pharmacy 20 miles away, so I will take them with me when I go on a Sam's run or have other reasons to go to the city.


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## MKLonestar (Sep 19, 2018)

OldHippie said:


> *Fire.*



That might actually work with some of them. The compound pastes and liquids won't burn, but maybe crushing the pills and then burning them would. I will have to suggest that to the hubby since he loves playing with his charcoal grill.


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## Lin19687 (Sep 22, 2018)

In AZ the meds from my Mum that Hospice told us was to soak them so they dissolve and put them in kitty litter in a bag, then trash.

Our local Police Dept has a bin for old meds.  I think it is really for old opioid stuff so kids don't get them but I think you can take anything.


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## MKLonestar (Sep 22, 2018)

Lin19687 said:


> Our local Police Dept has a bin for old meds. I think it is really for old opioid stuff so kids don't get them but I think you can take anything.



The police department in the city I moved from did this as well. What they didn't put on the flyer was that you were to bring the medication in the prescription bottle or package and that either your name or the prescription number MUST be visible along with what the mediation is and the dosage. AND the prescribing doctors name and number MUST be visible. I had gone through all my old prescriptions and blacked out all but the prescription name and dosage, so when I took them to the "prescription round up day rally", they wouldn't accept them. They do this rally 3 or 4 times a year, which makes me wonder exactly how my tax dollars for that portion of the police force (known as the "Drug Task Force") were being spent. Why did they need my information or my doctor's information? If I am turning over unused medication, I am doing so because I am 1) being a responsible citizen by keeping out of the water supply system, 2) I no longer need the medication for whatever reason, and 3) being that some of the medications are opiods, I am responsibly keeping them from getting into the hands of the wrong person. Maybe I am being paranoid about it, but I personally think the only thing they need to know is what is in the bottle and nothing more, so for that reason, they didn't end up with all my old prescriptions.


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## Lin19687 (Sep 22, 2018)

@MKLonestar  ditto


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## cmzaha (Sep 22, 2018)

Our hazardous wast collection will take them. I remove all the label other than the medicine name and strength. I also send old fragrance oils to hazardous waste pickup with labels intact


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## MickeyRat (Sep 28, 2018)

sarasvati said:


> Thank you for your tip, MickeyRat! So when you do the zap test, do you acturally try licking the bit of the soap residue on your soapmaking tools?


 Yes I do.  In fact, one time I did it when I knew it wasn't ready just to find out what a failed zap test is like.  It really is just like licking a 9 volt battery.


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## sarasvati (Sep 28, 2018)

MickeyRat said:


> Yes I do.  In fact, one time I did it when I knew it wasn't ready just to find out what a failed zap test is like.  It really is just like licking a 9 volt battery.



Wow, that's interesting to know! I have never performed a zap test myself. I am kind of scared to do it so I use pH test strips instead... One of these days, maybe I will be brave enough


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## shunt2011 (Sep 29, 2018)

sarasvati said:


> Wow, that's interesting to know! I have never performed a zap test myself. I am kind of scared to do it so I use pH test strips instead... One of these days, maybe I will be brave enough



PH strips will not tell you of the soap is lye heavy.  Plus the hare not reliable when testing soap.


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## sarasvati (Sep 29, 2018)

shunt2011 said:


> PH strips will not tell you of the soap is lye heavy.  Plus the hare not reliable when testing soap.



Thank you so much for this information! I think I am going to create a different post to ask about a problem I am having then!


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## MickeyRat (Sep 30, 2018)

I do the zap test on every batch I make.  I wouldn't feel good giving it to my family and friends unless I did.  That said, I wouldn't do it on cold process soap while it's still fluid.  I've done it on the few hot process batches I've done after cooling a bit to make sure they were ready.  Most of the time I do CPOP and it gets the zap test when I take it out in the morning.

In the instance I mentioned where I knew it was going to fail, I was doing CPOP before I got the bright idea of putting all the stuff that was covered with goop in the oven with the soap.  Back then I let things sit around a few days to turn into soap before cleaning.  The day after I made a batch, the soap on the utensils had solidified a bit and I touched my tongue to some of the not quite soap just to see what it was like.  It didn't burn me.  It was just like touching your tongue to a 9V battery.  

In case anyone's worried about it putting utensils in the oven, there are very few things you have in your kitchen that can't take 170 deg. F for a couple hours.  Even things like plastic measuring cups.


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## sarasvati (Sep 30, 2018)

MickeyRat said:


> I do the zap test on every batch I make.  I wouldn't feel good giving it to my family and friends unless I did.  That said, I wouldn't do it on cold process soap while it's still fluid.  I've done it on the few hot process batches I've done after cooling a bit to make sure they were ready.  Most of the time I do CPOP and it gets the zap test when I take it out in the morning.
> 
> In the instance I mentioned where I knew it was going to fail, I was doing CPOP before I got the bright idea of putting all the stuff that was covered with goop in the oven with the soap.  Back then I let things sit around a few days to turn into soap before cleaning.  The day after I made a batch, the soap on the utensils had solidified a bit and I touched my tongue to some of the not quite soap just to see what it was like.  It didn't burn me.  It was just like touching your tongue to a 9V battery.
> 
> In case anyone's worried about it putting utensils in the oven, there are very few things you have in your kitchen that can't take 170 deg. F for a couple hours.  Even things like plastic measuring cups.



Thank you, MickeyRat! It does sound like a great idea to put all the utencils and tools in the oven and let the goop solidify a bit for easy cleaning! You made me want to try CPOP just to make the cleaning easier


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## MickeyRat (Sep 30, 2018)

sarasvati said:


> Thank you, MickeyRat! It does sound like a great idea to put all the utencils and tools in the oven and let the goop solidify a bit for easy cleaning! You made me want to try CPOP just to make the cleaning easier



Thinking about it, you don't have to CPOP your soap to do the utensils.  You could just toss the utensils in the oven at 170 deg. F for a couple hours, turn the oven off and in the morning take them out to clean.  Just don't toss them straight in the dishwasher unless you want suds all over your kitchen.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 30, 2018)

I just wipe my utensils off with a cloth or paper towels and wash them. Or you can leave all your soaping stuff in a bucket for a day or so then wash. 

Also, with CP or CPOP don’t zap test for 24-48 hours.


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## sarasvati (Sep 30, 2018)

shunt2011 said:


> I just wipe my utensils off with a cloth or paper towels and wash them. Or you can leave all your soaping stuff in a bucket for a day or so then wash.
> 
> Also, with CP or CPOP don’t zap test for 24-48 hours.



Got it, thank you so very much!!


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