Anne Miller wrote:Hi Carol maybe this will help:
This video by David Pagan Butler, who is the author of Natural Swimming Pools will help explain the process:
https://permies.com/t/55998/Natural-Swimming-pools-David-Pagan
A step by step transformation of a conventional outdoor pool into an Organic Pool. This was a completed by the owners and friends with the intermittent help of David Pagan Butler. The pool has a relatively small planted zone so an Olive Bioflter (invented by David Pagan Butler), provides additional water cleansing
Tereza Okava wrote:Jen I think your hypothesis is right. I make a simple cold process soap (5l oil/lard, 1l liquid lye, 1l water-- probably the romper-room equivalent of soapmaking recipes, but it`s my mother in law's recipe and i'm sticking with it) and that stuff cuts grease like no tomorrow. For a while we had no hot water in the kitchen and if you use that soap it didn`t matter, it got rid of the grease anyway. I make it in big tubs (repurposed ice cream containers) and we keep a container by the sink to use washing dishes. It`s fabulous stuff.
(yes, i know, liquid lye. I could make soap with ashes, but i need to pick my battles. when i retire and have more time on my hands i`ll look at more homegrown solutions)