What soapy thing have you done today?

[Juggsy]

@Juggsy I feel you. i work in the blood transfusion field, and there is SO MUCH ignorance, misinformation, and just plain stupidity out there about blood donation and transfusion. It’s so maddening to think that people believe the nonsense. I’ve engaged a few times, but mostly I have to just scroll on by.....but believe me, it takes a lot of discipline! (Something I’ve been working on for pretty much my entire adult life is biting my tongue!)

so hard isn't it, something I'm always working on and fail at on occasion. As I learn more about cosmetic chemistry, I swear the madder I get at people who don't think critically. Always been a believer in reading and researching.

We use these in NZ

Omg!! I have one that's like 50 years old. I thought it was for the laundry. I got it as a hand me down, it's ancient.. . I'm going to have to clean it up a bit now. For the kitchen I just use stainless steel pump filled with HP Castile Liquid Soap & D.Limonene terpene/isolate. I honestly thought that thing was for old sunshine soap (as a kiwi I'm sure you know it) but I didn't understand why you'd put it in a cage ,
This made my day, which can only get better when they deliver my new Bosch washing machine.

On that, and off topic, but who makes their own laundry detergent.

I tried soap nuts but wasn't happy with results. I've seen some formulas in Flick's textbooks. I have a few. But I've not been game enough. I could easily make a liquid out of few surfactants I have but would prefer powder.

Only thing I'm really still buying.
I'd assume I'd use sodium percarbonate but % ?

Edit:
I searched the forum and the general consensus seems to be that commercial is better. ??

 

[The_Phoenix]

We use these in NZ

I have never heard of such a...contraption. So, you fill your sink up with water, swish the encased soap in the water to release soap/suds, and proceed with washing?

 

[Juggsy]

I have never heard of such a...contraption. So, you fill your sink up with water, swish the encased soap in the water to release soap/suds, and proceed with washing?

Well I would assume so. My mum gave me mine and I just rang her about this. As I was in stitches about the one in my laundry. My DP thought it was a for crumpets on the fire.

She said her mother used to use it with laundry. Even growing up we had old style aggregation washer - one by hand - I was terrified of the big concrete rollers that clothes for put through to squeeze out water.

My mum said in Australia, we used those in laundry more than kitchen. She said in the kitchen her mum hand soap in a crocheted sack that the soap fitted into and it was tied to tap.

This would have been late 40s and 50s back when everyone in in Australia had vegetable gardens. Mum was born in 46.

 

[Zing]

Let's see here, what soapy thang have I NOT done today? I posted photos of yesterday's soap, Latest alternating wall pour . I received an order. And I made my third batch of soap in 5 days! Still doin' the alternating wall pour. Love the minimum dishes but yet it still looks like 'fancy soap.'

 

[The_Phoenix]

Well I would assume so. My mum gave me mine and I just rang her about this. As I was in stitches about the one in my laundry. My DP thought it was a for crumpets on the fire.

She said her mother used to use it with laundry. Even growing up we had old style aggregation washer - one by hand - I was terrified of the big concrete rollers that clothes for put through to squeeze out water.

My mum said in Australia, we used those in laundry more than kitchen. She said in the kitchen her mum hand soap in a crocheted sack that the soap fitted into and it was tied to tap.

This would have been late 40s and 50s back when everyone in in Australia had vegetable gardens. Mum was born in 46.

You are a good storyteller.

We, too, used something that looked like this to bake stuffed toast over a campfire.

 

[Juggsy]

You are a good storyteller.

We, too, used something that looked like this to bake stuffed toast over a campfire.

Nah. I just lack brevity and write how I talk - aka verbal diarrhoea (I live with a mostly autistic family 2 outta 3 kids plus partner - and they don't like talking)

 

[KiwiMoose]

I have never heard of such a...contraption. So, you fill your sink up with water, swish the encased soap in the water to release soap/suds, and proceed with washing?

Yes indeedy. And Yes @Juggsy - it was for 'sunlight' soap in the old days. Mum had one too and that's what we used for washing dishes back in the 60s and 70s. They're very retro but they're making a comeback with the move away from plastic bottles.
Luckily for us, we got our first dishwasher when i was about 10 years old (mid 1970s) so didn't use it again after that. My DH tells me I was very privileged, as most of my generation didn't have a dishwasher until at least the 80s, if not later.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Yes indeedy. And Yes @Juggsy - it was for 'sunlight' soap in the old days. Mum had one too and that's what we used for washing dishes back in the 60s and 70s. They're very retro but they're making a comeback with the move away from plastic bottles.
Luckily for us, we got our first dishwasher when i was about 10 years old (mid 1970s) so didn't use it again after that. My DH tells me I was very privileged, as most of my generation didn't have a dishwasher until at least the 80s, if not later.

This is so interesting! Is there a push in NZ to move away from plastic? I don't see it happening here.

I didn't have a dishwasher until I was 29.

I made another batch of watermelon soap. Even my hubby is counting down the days for when they are cured. Also added a few soaps to my website. My sesame seed soap is finally all done curing (well, I suppose they are never really done curing). It is spectacular. Definitely need to reserve a few bars for myself. Fragranced with Bay Rum.

 

[Tara_H]

Another gadget that cries for being 3D-printed … or use a tea egg with soap scraps/shreds in it?

So, how long until you order your printer?

 

[KiwiMoose]

This is so interesting! Is there a push in NZ to move away from plastic? I don't see it happening here.

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

 

[Vicki C]

I was talking to a neuro dr one day (not about you lol), and we were discussing weird things that the body does.

He said that the reason some ppl pass out at the sight of their own blood is a very primitive reaction of their brain...you see YOUR blood, your brain interprets this as “omg i am loosing blood, we must get closer to the floor/ground to avoid injury and death” lol.

So its not drama causing you to feel faint and lie down, its your brains completely normal reaction and its trying to save your life lol

Thank you @Catscankim! Now I feel like less of a drama queen. My dumb fingernail is still growing out, I’ll spare you the gross details but it’s been a nuisance.

 

[Vicki C]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

Ummm… no. Not in the US.

 

[Jersey Girl]

So, today I got ready to to make my biggest batch yet! I’m trying out my T&S slab mold.. I joined a Facebook soap traders group… didn’t realize that was a thing. They have a big group trade/challenge coming up with a space galaxy theme. I need only ten bars… but I thought hey, why not make 40 instead. So I’m using all my soap balls I’ve collected for planets and chopped up some white soap shavings for stars. I found some soap embed swirly things I piped when I was practicing & I might put those on top. This soap is gonna be so extra…. I’m kinda scared!

Ooooooh...a soap traders group! I need to join. That sounds like fun!

 

[violets2217]

Ooooooh...a soap traders group! I need to join. That sounds like fun!

I just joined and thought what the heck! Nothing to lose…well, except 10 bars of soap… but we will see!
Soap Traders
I’m hoping to get some bath & body products in the trade event coming up! I’m kinda excited!

 

[The_Phoenix]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

The US gives it lip service but it would require a huge change in behavior. The volume of plastic water bottles people go through…and Starbucks plastic coffee cups… The plastics industry has a very powerful lobbying organization. The plastic industry is worth $400 billion dollars. T’will not go gently into the good night of cleaning up our planet’s plastics problem.

 

[SPowers]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

In Canada we have to pay if we want plastic bags. I won't do it just on principle but many still do.

 

[SPowers]

I unmolded my Pumpkin Latte soap and so far so good... will wait a bit to cut it. Will post pics when cut.

I unmolded it and I'm quite happy with it. The first 2 pics are the ones just made - the 2nd one is the one from last year.

 

[AliOop]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

Many states had banned them, and then when the pandemic hit, they reversed the ban bc they would not touch our bags nor let us bag our own groceries. Since the paper supply chain was disrupted, plastic bags became the norm again. I’m just now allowed to bring my own bags to the stores again, except our Costco still won’t touch anyone’s reusable bags, despite the fact that their employees are still masked and gloved.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

I should note that plastic bags are available FOR SALE in grocery stores. If you don’t bring your own bags, they are $.10/bag. Plenty of people, I observe, don’t bring their own bags. I wonder how many of those plastic bags they have at home? When COVID was really bad, you couldn’t bring your own bags into most stores. Some allowed you to but you had to bag your own groceries, which I didn’t mind.

But plastic bags in grocery stores are still available. Want to know why? Because of the lobbying group i mentioned.

 

[KimW]

Huh? I thought it was world-wide? You guys have at least stopped providing plastic bags in all your stores though right?

Sorry I had to laugh. We Americans. I love my country and my people, but we can be a rather insubordinate and stubborn lot. I've seen the stories from CA about no plastic straws and such and I can tell you from talking with my relatives and friends throughout most of the states, the rest of us read about such things in wonder. I WILL say that I dislike the waste of plastic bags, and all things plastic, so we don't buy bottled water, I buy only plastic bowls/etc that will last and that are recyclable, and I sew and use my own shopping bags. Wally World hates me. They get so confused with packing a sewn bag - that's the same size as their bags and with loops that fit over the plastic bag hooks - they usually just start piling up my stuff on top of the bag carousel. That is, after they've looked at me sideways for a good few moments. Some will even toss my fabric bag into my cart (yep) and start loading my groceries in plastic bags. Of course, then a civilized tussle begins with me taking everything out of the plastic and putting it into the fabric and sometimes even turning on the "Mom" voice. hmmmmm - I guess this bothers me more than I thought! LOL yeah - I don't see the US getting away from being a plastic nation anytime soon.