Soaps and Soap Making (Updated and edited)

(Updated Jan. 21, 2012: Since I felt rushed in putting this post together, I've decided to expand and edit the original post).

Some time ago, I had posted a review of the book Defiance.Briefly, it was a history of a group of Jews that sought refuge in the Belorussian forests during WWII to escape the Nazis. Living in the forest, guarding against Nazi attacks and dealing with locals, it has quite a few lessons for preppers. One of the issues that was important to the group was hygiene. To control lice and infections, the group followed a strict plan for regular bathing. However, one of the problems they faced was having a shortage of soap.

Include Soap in Your Supplies:

With that in mind, I would suggest that preppers should include soap and/or detergents in their stores as their room and budget allows. (You will want other cleaning supplies and disinfectants, but that is for another post).

For personal washing, stock up on extra of the soaps and shampoos that you normally use. My personal recommendation for a hand or bath soap is Ivory soap because it seems to be tolerated well by most people (the last thing you need is people developing rashes because of dyes or fragrances). Wikipedia notes:

Ivory soap had been more caustic in comparison to some milder bars such as Dove, a non-soap synthetic detergent bar. Plus, some consumer investigations had found that Ivory's antimicrobial activity was better than that of other skin soaps, even those containing antibacterials such as triclosan.[citation needed] A postulate for this effectiveness is the ability of the soap to lyse bacteria efficiently, and to rinse cleanly. The drawback to the soap was its drying effect on the skin, as it had easily dissolved natural oils. Of all the commercial soaps, Ivory has been considered the best by holistic health people, but was criticized for what it did not contain, glycerin. One reason is that glycerin was expensive and would raise the cost of the bars, which had the value of being about the least expensive soap available for people of modest means.

My recommendation is not based on owning shares of P&G stock, but on experience. When I was younger, I found that I could tolerate most bar soaps for only about 6 months and then became sensitized to whatever was in the soap. This problem ended when I switched to Ivory. Anyway, because it is "99.4% pure," it can also be used for washing dishes and clothes in a pinch.

However, whichever soap you prefer, remember to stock up--just use the buy 2, use 1 principle for 6 to 12 months and then switch to simply replacing what you use.

One thing that is easy to forget when you use a dishwasher is to have hand dish soap. A little goes a long way, so one or two large bottles may last you a long time if things never go wrong--but if the power is out for any extended period of time and you need to wash dishes, you will be glad for it. The dish soap also is good for cleaning linoleum floors. If you think you may want some on hand for trading, stock up on the smaller bottles of dish soap.

Wash Your Hands!

Some hand-washing "do's and don'ts" from the Mayo Clinic:

When to wash your hands As you touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, you accumulate germs on your hands. In turn, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Although it's impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.
Always wash your hands before:

• Preparing food or eating
• Treating wounds, giving medicine, or caring for a sick or injured person
• Inserting or removing contact lenses

Always wash your hands after:

• Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
• Using the toilet or changing a diaper
• Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes, or waste
• Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
• Treating wounds or caring for a sick or injured person
• Handling garbage, household or garden chemicals, or anything that could be contaminated — such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes

In addition, wash your hands whenever they look dirty.

How to wash your hands It's generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps:

• Wet your hands with running water.
• Apply liquid, bar or powder soap.
• Lather well.
• Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
• Rinse well.
• Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer.
• If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet.

Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future.

Rinsing your hands with only water just doesn't cut it:

A poll conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of LifeBridge Health reveals that when in a public restroom without soap or towels, 74 percent of American adults who use public restrooms would rinse their hands with water and let them air dry.

"They might as well not even bother," says John Cmar, M.D., an internist at LifeBridge Health's Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and expert on infectious diseases. "Washing with water alone does not get rid of microbes the action of working up a lather with soap, and then rinsing it off, is what washes them away. Plus, by touching the sink faucet one of the dirtiest things in a restroom these people could be adding even more germs to their hands."

(Full story here).

Washing Without Soap:


There are substitutes for using soap, or reducing your use of soap, if necessary. (As noted above, you still need to use soap for washing your hands, and you will want soaps or detergents for other tasks, such as cleaning dishes and clothes).

This article describes techniques for washing with minimal water and using an exfoliating bath using baking soda, to-wit:

Step 1

Fill your bathtub or wash basin with as little warm water as you need. Keep the water level less than 5 inches for a home bathtub to conserve water, advises the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

Step 2

Use a wet washcloth to wash your body in the same way you would if it had soap on it. In most cases, this is sufficient to wash away dirt, body soil and odor.

Step 3

Add a sprinkle of baking soda to your washcloth to help scrub especially soiled areas. Add baking soda to your bath before washing if you'd like; it helps clean and deodorize skin, according to Mother Earth News. If you're not very dirty, save the baking soda for your hair.  

Step 4

Add a few heaping tablespoons of baking soda to the water if you need to perform a soapless hair wash. If you're basically clean, rinsing your hair will suffice, but if your hair is oily or product laden, the baking soda will neutralize the dirt and oil, according to Mother Earth News.

Step 5

Rinse your hair and your body in clean, running water. If you don't have access to running water, rinse your body by ringing out the wash cloth over areas that need to be rinsed or by rinsing in your outdoor water source. Baking soda is not harmful to the environment, according to Mother Earth News.

An oil and Epsom salt mixture can also be used for exfoliating type bathing.

Exfoliate dead skin - In the shower or bath, mix a handful of Epsom salt with a tablespoon of bath or olive oil and rub all over your wet skin to exfoliate and soften. Rinse thoroughly.

Exfoliating face cleanser - To clean your face and exfoliate skin at the same time, mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Gently massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

Dislodge blackheads - Add a teaspoon of Epsom salt and 3 drops iodine into a half cup of boiling water. Apply this mixture to the blackheads with a cotton ball.

Remove foot odor - Mix a half cup of Epsom salt in warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes to remove bad odor, sooth achy feet, and soften rough skin.

Remove hairspray - Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom salt. Cover the mixture and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and leave on for 20 minutes before shampooing as normal.

Hair volumizer - Combine equal parts deep conditioner and Epsom salt and warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

(Source here--the site also has lots of other uses for Epsom salt [active link removed by request, but it is: http://www.saltworks.us/salt_info/epsom-uses-benefits.asp]).

Here is an article from SimpleMom.com about washing your hair without shampoo (hint, it mentions using baking soda and apple-cider vinegar). And here are a couple articles from people that largely abandoned bathing with soap (opting for a water only type of bath). (Articles here and here).


Soap Making:

I've never made soap, but some of you may be interested in doing so. My issue with "making" things is that it is often just as easy (or easier) to purchase and store the manufactured item as the materials needed for making a particular item. This seems especially true in soap making since you need to use lye--a caustic substance--wax, oils, and probably the materials for fragrances. Like other skills, however, if it is something you enjoy (or think you would enjoy doing) as a hobby, there is no reason not to store extra materials aside, and have the option of using this skill as a trade during an extended grid-down situation.

If you are interested in soap making, here is a site that discusses soap and soap making for the hobbyist, including a PDF link at the bottom of the page for various recipes. It appears that they also carry supplies and molds. Here what appears to be another commercial site. This site has more information on using lye, including charts on the amounts needed.

If any of you have experience in this area, feel free to chime in.