dawn dish soap vs homesteading

T Blankinship wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:
I know that I need about a quarter of "dawn" compared to what I'm used to.

This is a little odd to me. When you say a quarter of "dawn" do you mean a US $0.25 or quarter of a bottle? I think TBS or tps would explain the amount better.

A quarter of the amount if Dawn he regularly uses, is what I understand.

Ari Ellis wrote:
I use wood ash to clean stuff.

Wood ash + grease = SOAP.

I guess everybody is supposed to respond with what they do to clean the grease?  I leave the grease in the pan and cook in it again the next day.  Never have to clean it that way.  hahahah.  

Tereza Okava wrote:

Judith Browning wrote:I have to speak up for luffas...

I think this is a great thing to remember! I grew loofahs one year and i have two large feed bags still full of them (after giving away MANY). We use them for everything, and they are amazing.

I grew loofahs and really liked using them but, very unfortunately, when stored, I found they got moldy here with high humidity.
Not all sponges are plastic; you can get un-dyed cellulose ones that compost, which is what we mostly use.

Giselle Feuillet wrote:Wood ash + grease = SOAP.

.. +water + heat = soap

I certainly use dish soap in my kitchen, and many other places on the homestead as well. It's a necessary tool in my toolbox, particularly where cross-contamination can occur, risking illness. I had significant food poisoning once (restaurant error). Never again. Food safety protocols are not optional.

That said, I agree that most of the soap used is wasted. I have seen people squirting concentrated soap on things (pans, hands) and hitting the water -- and 90% of the soap blob goes down the drain having accomplished no work.

In our kitchen, a squirt of dish soap goes into a hand soap dispenser full of water. This will last a week. And no, large volumes of fats never ever go down the drain -- that's poison to our septic.

I am always open to less problematic soap products. I can afford to pay a bit more for quality.

paul wheaton wrote:

I was on the road and visiting a homestead and there it was.  I know that I need about a quarter of "dawn" compared to what I'm used to.

Let me plug what I use quickly:  

   oasis brand dish soap for greywater systems
   oasis brand laundry detergent for greywater systems

If they have it, get it now.  Because it is available only half the time.  So when it is available, you need to stock up.

Yep, I went there, and then I found the ingredients (listed way down low on Amazon).
There are so many that cannot be pronounced by normal people - so I looked them up. The second ingredient is listed by PubChem as corrosive, irritant and an environmental hazard! So, thanks, but I'll stick to Zote - grated or chopped, soaked in water, then blended until smooth (otherwise it gets gloopy and chunky). I use it for EVERYTHING. It's cheap, made from lye and fat, and, depending on the color you pick (I use white) dye and fragrance. The fragrance of the white is citronella, which I believe also helps keep some bugs off my skin.

When a product claims to be 'biodegradable" and 'safe', then lists off multiple chemical ingredients that are NOT safe, I question the use of the product.