Bacon Dripping Soap?

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No offense taken GoddessMama.....it sounds pretty orthodox at first. Let me explain my logic.

Kerosene is flammable but isn't explosive like gasoline, but you're not using it for direct skin contact, and it's rinsing away. Plus, you're using about 1 1/2 oz in a pound of soap, putting a small amount on the isolated stain or two, and then washing it and rinsing it out. You have very little petroleum product used, letalone left in the article of clothing.

Fels naptha uses another petroleum distillate called Stoddard Solvent (aka mineral spirits). Basically, they combine with and loosen oily stains so the soap can easily wash them away.

I have tried several grease cutting essential oil blends, along with trying 100% coconut oil soap, and combinations thereof. NONE of them come close to removing as many stains as the mineral spirits/kerosene.

So, really, I use just a tiny amount of a petroleum product, and it's rinsed away. I make my own laundry soap, so no petroleum products there, I make soap flakes to wash our dishes, so again....none. The only thing I don't make is dishwasher detergent. I'm not worried in the tiny amounts I use.

Note: I buy the kerosene instead of the mineral spirits for one reason.....the price. It's $6.99 for 1 tiny container of Turpenois (mineral spirits) that I can get two or three batches. I can buy a gallon of kerosene at my local store for about $10, and have it to remove adhesive, nasty spots, etc. :)
 
Thanks for your help Mike! I really appriciate it!

Ok I'm almost ready to soap it, I ended up with 3 lbs of the bacon fat and I added in 1lb of coconut oil for good measure to avoid the piggy smell a bit. The soap calc said to use 12.8 ooz water and 9.22 lye dose this sound right? I'm going to get the turpentine tomorrow, my Grammy swears by it for other stuff as kinda a cure all, so I want to have it on hand ;0)
 
Can't wait to hear how it went! Your plan brought back some sweet memories...bacon fat was what my grandmother used in her soaps. Honestly, I don't think I ever bathed in it :lol: But it was used at the sink.
 
GoddessMama said:
Thanks for your help Mike! I really appriciate it!

Ok I'm almost ready to soap it, I ended up with 3 lbs of the bacon fat and I added in 1lb of coconut oil for good measure to avoid the piggy smell a bit. The soap calc said to use 12.8 ooz water and 9.22 lye dose this sound right? I'm going to get the turpentine tomorrow, my Grammy swears by it for other stuff as kinda a cure all, so I want to have it on hand ;0)

Please be careful if you use actual turpentine....actually, just don't use it indoors....it gives off explosive fumes, not as bad as but similar to gasoline! The mineral spirits over in the art supply sections of most larger sto :shock: res don't.

Turpentine scares me indoors.

Edited to add and caution.....all it takes is a buildup of fumes and spark or a pilot light and you're in trouble. Kerosene or mineral spirits are safer.
 
I am learning lots of new stuff. I use turpentine all the time when I oil paint, of course I haven't painted in 7 years though. My grammy put turpentine on our owies when we were kids all the time, so I thought it would be the safer one, maybe not huh?
 
GoddessMama said:
I am learning lots of new stuff. I use turpentine all the time when I oil paint, of course I haven't painted in 7 years though. My grammy put turpentine on our owies when we were kids all the time, so I thought it would be the safer one, maybe not huh?

Not.
Too bad artists of 50 years ago did not know that before they created huge canvases of oil colors that were diluted with turpentine. It is not surprising that these artists experimented with, then later switched to water based media. Turpentine, a known respiratory irritant, has a fast evaporation rate and a low permissible exposure level. It causes nausea and lightheadedness, dermatitis, kidney and bladder disease, and asthma. Turpentine is the only solvent commonly available to painters that is absorbed through healthy, unbroken skin. Turpentine is toxic.

http://www.gamblincolors.com/studio.safety/index.html

(a quick search on turpentine and toxic results in some interesting links)
 
You know this is stuff they never teach you in art school. Just like in pottery class we use lead and radioactive powders to achieve different glazes colorations. With no mask! Yup I think being an artist is pretty dangerous. :shock: Lucky for me my art is restricted to finger painting with the kids and play dough now!
 
Ok I didn't get the soap done this weekend my sister came to visit. Tomorrow hopefully will be the day! I have to go buy some safety stuff that I need and I am going to try to make a go of it tomorrow. :0)~
 
MikeInPdx said:
No offense taken GoddessMama.....it sounds pretty orthodox at first. Let me explain my logic.

I'm so sorry, but I have to do this or I won't be able to sleep tonight... ;)

I believe you mean "unorthodox."


:oops:

I am planning on trying ye olde kerosene trick soon though... :)
 
Ok I have a question, Kerosene is liquid parafin, right? Is it the same thing as the liquid parafin lamp oil?
 
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