Selfsufficientish.com

I've taken to making my own soap jelly. My mum has talked about it for years as being what her mother and then herself used before soap powder etc. Its really simple.
Grate a bar of good plain white soap into a pan. Add a litre of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for abaout 15 mins. Allow to cool slightly and pour into a container (I use a large jar). It will set to a fairly firm consistency, which is good for washing hands with. I then take about 3 spoons of the soft soap and dissolve it in a litre of boiling water with a good shake of soda crystals. Cool slightly and pour into a 2 litre bottle - add about another 3/4 litre boiling water. Let it cool and give it a good shake. It should be aout the consistency of the jelly stuff you get round soap thats been left in a bit of a puddle in the edge of the sink!!
I pour a good dollop in with the washing - if its really quite dirty - like my work clothes - I put in a good shake of soda crystals.
This makes about 2 litres of laundry soap from a single bar of soap, and it seems to work really well.
If you try it I'd love to know how you get on with it.

That sounds like a good plan.
Is there any soap that works particularly well? What about scented soaps? Do they make your clothes smell yummy too?

I have particularly avoided "smelly" soaps - that way I can add fragrance with aromatherapy oils, if I want. I've found plain ordinary white soap - but not Dove of anything similar with added moisturisers and stuff - to be the best. I usually go for stores own brand white soap - although I am tempted to try coal tar soap - I LOVE the smell!! lol
I'm kind of hoping that not only is it much cheaper but also that its more eco friendly.
If anyone tries it with home made soap I'd love to know ow it turns out

i was thinking of giving it a go with either pears soap, or with one of the fruity glycerine soaps.

Does it have to be white/opaque soap though? or will clear soap work just as well?

I'm tempted to give it a go with something like Lush's Sea Vegetable because i don't like the smell for washing me, but it would smell great washing clothes.

All I can say is - go for it gal!!! I love pears soap too - I ban the kids from it when I buy it!!
The thing is - experiment and let me know.
In my Mams day they swore by either Fairy Green soap or White Casteil Soap - so I guess these days - try anything!!!

I shall give it a try. Presumably, you can make those lovely shower jellies in the same way, just with body soap.

Sounds like an experimental soap making session coming up.

That reminds me: must learn to make soap.

Yes!

Making soap from scratch is not hard and it is very rewarding. I have been making my own shampoo soap for years and it works well. I make laundry powder based on grated soap, washing soda and borax but am yet to use my own soap for it. I need to make up a batch of laundry soap.

Nev

See i would love to make my own soap, i've got a few fragrance oils and stuff for the Melt and Pour style soap.

But! I'm scared of the Lye! And i don't know where in the UK to get a reliable source of Lye. people have said that there's some in Wilkos, but i can never find something that says 'LYE' in big letters that make it clear. And i don't want to get the wrong stuff in case i burn myself/the dog/the house.

milims, do you mind if i share the recipe with another natural domestics community? Someone's asked about making your own laundry detergent, and i wanted to ask you permission to share the recipe. I'll credit you and SSish!

Hey Fee!

what you are looking for is Sodium Hydroxide which will probably be labelled with it's common name - caustic soda. It is readily availbel in prilled form (little balls) in our local woolies so it should be obtainable form a supermarket or hardware.

Nev

Hey Fee!! Share away - the more the merrier - I'm just glad you are so impressed!! lol
I read somewhere recently about making lye from ash - I think it was in the 2331 book Yugogipsy told us about (has yours come yet Nev?). Anyway it said something about putting the ash into a holey bucket and suspending it over a suitable container and pouring water thru it. I could have been dreaming tho - and bearing in mind that I woke myself up the other night singing if you're happy and you know it clap your hands - complete with the actions - I may need to go and look it up in the book!! lol
Nev - is caustic soda the same as the laundry soda crystals?

Milims wrote:Hey Fee!! Share away - the more the merrier - I'm just glad you are so impressed!! lol
I read somewhere recently about making lye from ash - I think it was in the 2331 book Yugogipsy told us about (has yours come yet Nev?).

Nope!

Nev - is caustic soda the same as the laundry soda crystals?

NO! (sorry) I think what you mean by laundry soda is sodium carbonate (washing soda) and it is much less corrosive than sodium hydroxide!

Nev

Hi
You can buy caustic soda at B&Q but there are probably cheaper sources.

Zoe

By the way, I can remember making soap at school. It smelled disgusting while it was all cooking up etc.

Zoe

Thomzo wrote:By the way, I can remember making soap at school. It smelled disgusting while it was all cooking up etc.

Zoe

I think that is only if you use animal fats Zoe, I use all vegetable oils and there is no smell problem.....

Nev

Ok...i'll give it a go when i feel a bit braver about it!