Bush soap???

[nickidan]

G'day everyone!

So i was doin some thinking the other day and i was trying to figure out if there was a way to make your own "soap" out in the bush?

Im basically trying to find a substitute for soap - a recipe or way to make a cleaning/disinfecting thing from ingredients only found in the bush... Anyone got any methods or ideas???

Cheers,

Nick

 

[NathanG]

isnt soap basicaly made from fat and a lye solution? i did see someone somewhere making soap this way but it seemed to be pretty horrible stuff!

 

[British Red]

Perfectly possible to make your own soap using fat and lye (there are articles on here of me doing exactly that) - its how all soap is made. However, it takes a month for soap to be safe to use.

There are many soap substitutes. Grated conkers can be compressed to a soap like product, horse chestnut leaves and soapwort both contain saponins.

Red

 

[yomperalex]

I've made soap a few times

you need a mix of acids (for soap an acidic fat) and alkalis (I used caustic soda), the chemical reaction is called saponification, and produces soap

In the "olden days" the alkali would be produced by leeching water through wood ashes, and then mixing with fats (commonly lard and vegetable oils.

Alex

 

[nickidan]

There are many soap substitutes. Grated conkers can be compressed to a soap like product, horse chestnut leaves and soapwort both contain saponins.

These are the kind of ideas im getting at - so horse chestnuts and soapwort mushed up creates a cleaning product - do they lather up at all?

 

[British Red]

Not like soap...but you get slightly oily feeling lather

 

[nickidan]

im not to bothered about how good it is aposed to modern soap. as long as it is capable of cleaning me im happy

 

[redandshane]

http://www.pfaf.org/user/cmspage.aspx?pageid=49

I post this not purely because of the soap thing which is obviously the link but the broader database is a useful resource which the OP might find of use

 

[John Fenna]

isnt soap basicaly made from fat and a lye solution? i did see someone somewhere making soap this way but it seemed to be pretty horrible stuff!

Mr Reds soap is better than some commercial products!
I had some from him and realy rated it!

Hint Hint ...

 

[nickidan]

Thats for the link man! anyone know a good environmentally friendly soap while im on the subject?

 

[British Red]

Mr Reds soap is better than some commercial products!
I had some from him and realy rated it!

Hint Hint ...

I desparately need to do another big soap batch John. I'm even running low myself

Got 2 greenhouses coming on Thursday and 300 board feet of tanalised timber to make raised beds out of sat in the yard...so it won't be soon I'm afraid

 

[PaulSanderson]

it wont create a bar of soap, but mushing up chickweed with some water will release the "saponins" which can be used to clean with.

 

[John Fenna]

I desparately need to do another big soap batch John. I'm even running low myself

Got 2 greenhouses coming on Thursday and 300 board feet of tanalised timber to make raised beds out of sat in the yard...so it won't be soon I'm afraid

I guess that with all your muckspreading you have been getting through a fair bit

 

[British Red]

You aren't kidding there. Been barrowing rubble up to a neighbours today since he had "spare" skip space. Rotting carpet mixed with concrete is just a little slice of heaven