I appreciate the offer! I am going to be at Walmart at 6 am when they open on Thursday. I have informed my employer that I will probably be late that day. She understands. I will let you know if I can't get any.
Our soap and the Corona Virus
- Thread starter Carl
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Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
I appreciate the offer! I am going to be at Walmart at 6 am when they open on Thursday. I have informed my employer that I will probably be late that day. She understands. I will let you know if I can't get any.
I bet there is still aloe juice at Walmart. It is in the pharmacy section near the vitamins. Use that instead of water. I do.
I signed on for 120 guest size bars of beer soap for my nephew's wedding, which was going to be held at a brewery. That is, until it was postponed due to the virus. I have 2 5 pound logs of soap that almost seized from the FO I used. It is not cosmetically fit for the wedding anyway, but still a good soap, so I'm set for the duration. Along with my family, neighbors, friends and passers-by, haha!
I just donated a bunch of soap to the local homeless shelter. I took a bunch of my ‘uglies’ and cut them half. The shelter was grateful.
I just ordered some more supplies.
We were told to work from home from now on. My first thought - stocking up on oils etc for soap making should we go on complete lockdown!
bakmthiscl
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I wonder whether we can get in trouble for "hoarding" all that soap!
I came here (belatedly) to point out the same thing.
And, YES, ordinary "lye soap" (no excess lye needed) will tear bacteria and viruses apart -- given sufficient lathering and rubbing.
Chemist here, with biochemistry training as well. I saw an excellent video (on YouTube? IDK) that described soap's action on the virus.
This may seem hard to believe, but, by contrast, consider that a patent has been issued for a novel means of generating X-rays -- masking tape! If you place masking tape in a semi-vacuum (IIRC) and peel the tape off the roll, X-rays (VERY high-energy electromagnetic rays -- like light rays but much higher energy) are generated and can be used to create an X-ray image for medical purposes. I mention this to illustrate how seemingly ordinary things can have extraordinary effects.
Anyway, it's gratifying that what I've been telling folks for many years, that soap kills germs, is now being mainstreamed.
<snip> I do admit to buying a case of water. Having a bottle of water by a sick person's bedside is better than a glass in case it gets knocked over.
<snip> I want to get my soap out to the community, but I really can't afford to give it away for free. I would like to at least ask for the cost of ingredients and packaging so I can make more soap, but am not sure how to go about it. I was thinking of posting on our community FB page...something along the lines of "$2.00 a bar, 5 bar maximum, meet at the Home Depot parking lot (they have cameras) between 5pm - 8pm, cash only". I only have 160 bars so it would take long to sell out so I worry about getting mobbed.[/QUOTE]
Avoid reusing those disposable water bottles. I haven't checked recently, but in the recent past there was concern that reuse could lead to the release of a plasticizer. I have had to buy those cases of bottles too, to ensure I had water when I needed it. They expand when they freeze and don't break -- a consideration. I prefer reusable aluminum bottles, but those burst when they freeze, sometimes even when not full.
Don't forget that you have to replace the soap ingredients. I have no reliable source of fat, though I've ordered in enough lye for the nonce. I just use fat from roasts and don't make many of those.
I suggest you meet for sales in a designated area for the purpose. In my town, that's the lot behind the police station.
Why do you need distilled water? If it's for soapmaking, just substitute drinking water, or, use the condensate from a dehumidifier. (Don't use that in a CPAP -- it's "distilled" but by no means sanitary.)
FWIW, if things get desperate getting distilled water for the CPAP, you can make it in limited quantities in a large pot with a dome lid. I won't go into this now. Respond if you want the details.
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you will be happy to know a bunch is going to our local shelter tomorrow.
Poowong soaper
New Member
Hand washing with soap rules!! Always has and if people implement some simple commonsense processees they can prevent getting corona or any flue for that matter.
I only use them a couple of times before I toss them.
As for ingredients...I’m a stocker; in home and in business. I just put in an order on Castor Oil and butters, will probably order more Palm Oil and butters since I can’t source them locally. I can get Olive, Coconut and Avocado Oil at Costco.
I’m revamping my lotion bar a bit...all this hand washing is bound to dry skin out.
BattleGnome
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Cooking science man explains! (Hopefully this embedding thing works)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Arimara
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@BattleGnome I've been wondering why they've been saying to wash for twenty seconds all over the place. People really need to take all media with a grain of salt because these people are making you more scared.
beckster51
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The 20 second wash rule has been around from the CDC for a loooooong time, and it is research based. So, it is a sound rule to follow. It is the way hospital workers are taught to wash their hands by infection control officers. It never hurts to wash longer! And, although this is an OK video for handwashing, Alton is passing along one "fact" that is untrue. Several outbreaks of drug resistant bacteria in hospitals have been traced back to communal containers of liquid soap. I know, I was involved in one of them. Please just take the advice of experts, and stay away from advice from people who are not health professionals.
I'm almost 60 and it was something we were taught back in Kindergarten
The outbreaks were from liquid soap not bar soap. Liquid soap can actually harbor bacteria because of the high water content but a dry bar of soap is less likely to have bacteria growth. Alton specifically said Bar soap when stating that there has been no documented case of contamination from soap.
To add to this; how many of us wash and sanitize the liquid soap container before refilling? We keep on adding to old soap whose preservatives might have expired!
Don't forget you can soap with vinegar instead of distilled water or soda, juice etc. Our stores have not been out of vinegar.
Arimara
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30 seconds has been taught to me in both hospital and food service.
Avoid reusing those disposable water bottles. I haven't checked recently, but in the recent past there was concern that reuse could lead to the release of a plasticizer. I have had to buy those cases of bottles too, to ensure I had water when I needed it. They expand when they freeze and don't break -- a consideration. I prefer reusable aluminum bottles, but those burst when they freeze, sometimes even when not full.
Don't forget that you have to replace the soap ingredients. I have no reliable source of fat, though I've ordered in enough lye for the nonce. I just use fat from roasts and don't make many of those.
I suggest you meet for sales in a designated area for the purpose. In my town, that's the lot behind the police station.
Why do you need distilled water? If it's for soapmaking, just substitute drinking water, or, use the condensate from a dehumidifier. (Don't use that in a CPAP -- it's "distilled" but by no means sanitary.)
FWIW, if things get desperate getting distilled water for the CPAP, you can make it in limited quantities in a large pot with a dome lid. I won't go into this now. Respond if you want the details.[/QUOTE]
I was under the impression that distilled water was preferable for soapmaking....Am I wrong about that?
No distilled water?
Maybe now is the time to try an all vinegar soap!
I've just done a few, but it is a great way to make hard bars using a softer recipe. And you don't need any water.
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