# Cleaning Paste



## Kcryss (Mar 14, 2020)

I want to make a paste for cleaning from 100% CO. I would like to use it as a stain stick for laundry, but also for other cleaning chores (bathtubs, sinks etc.). 

Was thinking it would need to be a dual lye soap. NaOH to give it a bit of hardness but not too much and the KOH to help keep it soft.

Am I way off base here?
If using a dual lye for this type of soap, what ratio would be best?

Thanks for any help.


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## Arimara (Mar 14, 2020)

Coconut oil paste is already on the hard side with 100% KOH. I don't see a benefit of using NaOH in that (hopefully someone can chime in). Also, a coconut oil paste will last a long time if don't dilute it and take only what you need. A little bit of that can really go a mile for cleaning.

As for stains go, I personally have not had luck with that soap for some stains, especially when they have set. You would need to actually use a stain remover for certain stains.


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## Kcryss (Mar 14, 2020)

Arimara said:


> Coconut oil paste is already on the hard side with 100% KOH. I don't see a benefit of using NaOH in that (hopefully someone can chime in).



Ah, makes sense! Thanks! Will use only KOH and see how it goes.


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## SeaSuds (Mar 14, 2020)

You might find this thread a good read: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/solid-dish-detergent.74170/


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## Kcryss (Mar 14, 2020)

SeaSuds said:


> You might find this thread a good read: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/solid-dish-detergent.74170/



Thanks! I did a search for cleaning paste, soap paste etc. but didn't find that one.


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## SeaSuds (Mar 14, 2020)

also...if you join the Moon Cake Cult on Facebook they have a recipe there (might even be the same one) plus loads of other new ideas to try!!  You can find it under 'Files'


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## Susie (Mar 14, 2020)

I would recommend 100% CO soap with 0% SF made with KOH also.  Dead easy to make, and you can put some in a tub to scoop out when you need it.  I would highly suggest you use gloves, though.  It will do a real number on your hands.


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## Kcryss (Mar 14, 2020)

SeaSuds said:


> also...if you join the Moon Cake Cult on Facebook they have a recipe there (might even be the same one) plus loads of other new ideas to try!!  You can find it under 'Files'


Thanks!



Susie said:


> I would recommend 100% CO soap with 0% SF made with KOH also.  Dead easy to make, and you can put some in a tub to scoop out when you need it.  I would highly suggest you use gloves, though.  It will do a real number on your hands.



Thanks! I'll wear gloves for sure. My hands look old enough already. lol


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 14, 2020)

SeaSuds said:


> also...if you join the Moon Cake Cult on Facebook they have a recipe there (might even be the same one) plus loads of other new ideas to try!!  You can find it under 'Files'


Do you have to own a moon cake press (or whatever it’s called) to join this FB group?


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## szaza (Mar 15, 2020)

Arimara said:


> As for stains go, I personally have not had luck with that soap for some stains, especially when they have set. You would need to actually use a stain remover for certain stains.


My mom swears by ox gall soap for stain removal. I think it should be possible to add some ox gall to the soap paste to make your own. (At least, from what I gather from the label, ox gall soap is just soap with added ox gall, nothing more, you just need to play with percentages a bit) I always avoided it because it's obviously not vegetarian, but I just found out there's synthetic ox gall.. might give that a try!


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## SeaSuds (Mar 15, 2020)

Mobjack Bay said:


> Do you have to own a moon cake press (or whatever it’s called) to join this FB group?



You have to answer a few questions first to join so I confess I told a little white lie because I didn't own one at the time.  As soon as i saw the fun to be had I bought one...they are not expensive unless you get addicted to all the different moulds on offer


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## Kcryss (Mar 15, 2020)

Mobjack Bay said:


> Do you have to own a moon cake press (or whatever it’s called) to join this FB group?


LOL, it's first question you have to answer to join. Do you have a moon cake press? If no, you're done and not able to join.



szaza said:


> My mom swears by ox gall soap for stain removal. I think it should be possible to add some ox gall to the soap paste to make your own. (At least, from what I gather from the label, ox gall soap is just soap with added ox gall, nothing more, you just need to play with percentages a bit) I always avoided it because it's obviously not vegetarian, but I just found out there's synthetic ox gall.. might give that a try!



OMG, I've never heard of Ox Gall ... I had to go look it up. Hmm ... don't think I could bring myself to use the real thing. I wonder if the synthetic stuff does the same thing? Seems to be sold as an art supply.


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## Arimara (Mar 15, 2020)

szaza said:


> My mom swears by ox gall soap for stain removal. I think it should be possible to add some ox gall to the soap paste to make your own. (At least, from what I gather from the label, ox gall soap is just soap with added ox gall, nothing more, you just need to play with percentages a bit) I always avoided it because it's obviously not vegetarian, but I just found out there's synthetic ox gall.. might give that a try!


If it works, that's one thing but does it remove those really tough stains, especially blood? Enzymatic stain removers that are plant based exist too.


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## cmzaha (Mar 15, 2020)

Arimara said:


> Coconut oil paste is already on the hard side with 100% KOH. I don't see a benefit of using NaOH in that (hopefully someone can chime in). Also, a coconut oil paste will last a long time if don't dilute it and take only what you need. A little bit of that can really go a mile for cleaning.
> 
> As for stains go, I personally have not had luck with that soap for some stains, especially when they have set. You would need to actually use a stain remover for certain stains.


Arimara is correct that CO paste is pretty hard but not hard enough to use as a stick.

I also agree that I never had good luck with CO soap as a stain remover and can actually be very hard on some colors. For stains I stick to commercial stain removers or Dawn LS. But then I still use commercial laundry detergent since soap always tended to gray my clothes, and again 100% CO soap was hard on colors. 

As a paste, it does make a great cleaner for my glass cook-top, and I dilute some in a bucket for scrubbing the floors.


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## Kcryss (Mar 15, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> Arimara is correct that CO paste is pretty hard but not hard enough to use as a stick.
> 
> I also agree that I never had good luck with CO soap as a stain remover and can actually be very hard on some colors. For stains I stick to commercial stain removers or Dawn LS. But then I still use commercial laundry detergent since soap always tended to gray my clothes, and again 100% CO soap was hard on colors.
> 
> As a paste, it does make a great cleaner for my glass cook-top, and I dilute some in a bucket for scrubbing the floors.



Hmm ... good to know! Guess I will make just a small amount and see how it works for greasy rendering pots, counters, sinks etc. and skip the laundry part.


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## szaza (Mar 15, 2020)

Arimara said:


> If it works, that's one thing but does it remove those really tough stains, especially blood? Enzymatic stain removers that are plant based exist too.


Since I don't really use it I can only give you second hand info.. I know my mom uses biotex (plant based enzymatic stain remover) to soak stained clothes and only uses ox gall soap for the really nasty stains that don't come out. It's kind of an old fashioned thing and I don't know how it compares to more modern products. I just thought of it it in the context of an additive to soap paste to make it a better stain remover.



Kcryss said:


> OMG, I've never heard of Ox Gall ... I had to go look it up. Hmm ... don't think I could bring myself to use the real thing. I wonder if the synthetic stuff does the same thing? Seems to be sold as an art supply.


Yeah and the real stuff is sold as a health supplement apparently  I really don't know if it would work the same, I just found out there's a synthetic version this morning. I have no idea how it's made or how it compares to the real stuff.


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## Kcryss (Mar 15, 2020)

szaza said:


> Yeah and the real stuff is sold as a health supplement apparently  I really don't know if it would work the same, I just found out there's a synthetic version this morning. I have no idea how it's made or how it compares to the real stuff.



lol, yes it looks like people actually take it as supplements. Hmmm ... pretty sure I'd have to be really really sick for that ...


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