WOW! Really old soap...

[angbaby4974]

So I was talking to my mom a little while ago & of course telling her about all the awesome soaps I am planning. So she tells me that she has a bar of lye soap that my great great grandmother made. Holy crap!!!! I'm 34 & my great great grandma died when I was about 2ish. She was in her mid to late 90's! So, according to my math (she was in a nursing home the last 5 or so years of her life) this soap could be no less than 39 years old!!!

My mom wanted to know if it would still be "good". So that's the question ~ use it or look at it????

 

[carebear]

Well, if it's gone rancid you will see big orange spots. If you don't see them it's not rancid and might be qutie amazing. Soap without excess oils is very stable.

On the other hand, if it hasn't gone rancid in that long it may be that it is lye heavy or very close to it (low to no superfat) so while it might be fun to try it on your hands I personally wouldn't bathe with it.

 

[jcandleattic]

Well, being it's that old, there is a good possibility that it could be lye heavy (that's how they made them "back in the day" LOL) but I'm not sure how long active lye lasts once exposed like that?

I would say it can't hurt (or maybe it could - lol) to try it, unless there is a sentimental reason for keeping it.
you could use it once to test it and then either pitch it because it's bad and you don't care or clean it up and keep it if you want to keep it for the sentiment...

 

[MikeInPdx]

I would keep it for sentimental value and not use it. Everyone makes good points here.....and if the soap is still good, I agree that it's probably lye heavy.....fine for washing some dishes but not direct skin use. And I would want to have it to remember her by.

 

[angbaby4974]

I would keep it for sentimental value and not use it. Everyone makes good points here.....and if the soap is still good, I agree that it's probably lye heavy.....fine for washing some dishes but not direct skin use. And I would want to have it to remember her by.

That's pretty much what I told my mom at first. But then I second guessed myself & decided to seek out a few more experienced opinions

BTW, it's still a gorgeous, pristine white

 

[mamaT]

I have a couple of bars of soap my grandmother made, got to be at least 30 years old and they are still good. My dad used some of them last summer when he got into some poison oak. I talked to a friend who's mother used to make soap and she said that her mother told her the older the better.

 

[digit]

Wow.............that's so nifty.

Digit

 

[jcandleattic]

BTW, it's still a gorgeous, pristine white

Post a pic if you can. That would be kind of neat to see...

have a couple of bars of soap my grandmother made, got to be at least 30 years old and they are still good. My dad used some of them last summer when he got into some poison oak. I talked to a friend who's mother used to make soap and she said that her mother told her the older the better.

That's true UNLESS they are lye heavy, then it doesn't matter how old, it will still burn your skin.

 

[Tabitha]

I would keep it for sentimental value and not use it.

Ditto Mike.

 

[Bigmoose]

This is one of my Christmas presents. A family member gave this to me. They said they bought it at a show and were told it is WW2 soap. It is very dry that it could be.

Bruce

 

[angbaby4974]

I'll be going to my mom's this weekend, for dad's retirement party. I will definitely be taking pics of the granny soap.
I will have to put some of the soaping on the shelf so to speak. We are in the middle of painting our house, have dad's retirement party this weekend, & then the inside of the house gets started on. Hurricane Ike was not so nice to my trailer. :roll:
We are finally starting to see some cash flow, so we can get these projects put to bed! :roll:

 

[kellistarr]

This is one of my Christmas presents. A family member gave this to me. They said they bought it at a show and were told it is WW2 soap. It is very dry that it could be.

Bruce

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That looks like a brick! Do you plan on cutting off a piece to try it? Or keeping as a souvenir?

 

[kellistarr]

Angbaby, you could cut off a piece and see what's inside. Try a small piece on the hands.

 

[dagmar88]

Hey Angbaby,
Just took a look at your soap pic's; you must have a soap gene inherited from your great great grandma

 

[angbaby4974]

Thanks dagmar
I feel as though I finally found my niche, so to speak. I've done a ton of stuff, but nothing quite as satisfying as soaping. The lady that my mom works for has a boutique & she would like to start selling my soaps in her shop! :shock: That's kinda scary, but so exciting at the same time

 

[dagmar88]

Good for you! By the look of them, I'm sure they will sell great

 

[Bigmoose]

I did break off a chunk and try it. First the tounge test. Just taste terrible, no zap. Tried washing with it, it's lousy soap. But it is soap.

Bruce