since so many people are living such long lives now. So it can't be killing us. And we are one of the cleanest cultures to walk the earth with more options for bathing than ever.

But with that said, I believe that we probably do not need to use soap on a regular basis for routine bathing. Personally, if I were going to go without soap, I would use a washcloth for the friction part of bathing, since hands are not usually rough enough to provide much friction. Besides, I prefer to scrub my butt with something more than my hand.

(Note to Frank in case you are still obsessed with me, this was added just for your pleasure. )

Are you grating the soap and then mixing it with water?


A big part of the wotld is using just water for the regions where the sun doesn't shine.

http://www.roadjunky.com/1585/the-left-hand-toilet-technique-and-spitting-world-hygiene/

I have a friend in India who keeps me informed about how the rest of the world lives. I know it, but I still can't accept it. We all adapt to the culture that we were raised in, and some of us are not ready to go backwards----although I am not sure that a bidet is going back.

I even make my own liquid hand soap from the bar soap. It's fast and easy. I use the containers from previous liquid soap purchases and don't have to buy any more! I'll be making my own dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent from it soon, too.

I really like the feel and smell.

Do you just mix the soap with water after grating it?

LIQUID SOAP
Half gallon of water
1 bar of pure castile soap, e.g., Dr. Bronner's or Kirk's (you need the castile soap, because it contains natural glycerin)
Big pot
Cheese grater
Funnel
Sit in front of the TV with your big pot, cheese grater, and soap.
Grate the soap in the pot as you watch TV.
When your show is over, add the water to the pot.
Bring the water to a boil so that all the soap melts.
Set the pot aside for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. It will thicken.
Funnel into hand-pump liquid soap containers.

I'll be doing the following soon. I'm using up my biodegradable dishwashing detergent first.

DISHWASHING SOAP
half gallon of water
1 bar of pure castile soap, e.g., Dr. Bronner's or Kirk's (you need the castile soap, because it contains natural glycerin)
almost 3 tbsp of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (I never knew this existed before getting the recipe off the web but found it easily in my supermarket)
Big pot
Cheese grater
Funnel
Sit in front of the TV with your big pot, cheese grater, and soap.
Grate the soap in the pot as you watch TV.
When your show is over, add the water to the pot.
Bring the water to a boil so that all the soap melts.
Add the super washing soda to the mix.
Set the pot aside for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. It will thicken.
Funnel into dishwashing bottles.

I'll be doing the following soon, too. I'm using up my free and clear laundry detergent first.

LAUNDRY SOAP

1 bar of pure castile soap, e.g., Dr. Bronner's or Kirk's (you need the castile soap, because it contains natural glycerin)
1 cup of Borax laundry booster
1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Big pot
Cheese grater
Sit in front of the TV with your big pot, cheese grater, and soap.
Grate the soap in the pot as you watch TV.
When your show is over, add the super washing soda and Borax.
Mix it up and put in a container with a small scoop and tight lid.

Use 1 tbsp for a small load and 2-3 tbsp for large loads. Before adding it to a cold-water wash, put it in a jar with a pint of warm water and shake. This will dissolve the soap.

I only use baking soda, even on hair, with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Nothing feels as clean to me.

I used to shampoo daily and use conditioner. Then it dawned on me that all conditioner was doing was putting oil back on my hair that I had washed off. Plus, I have fine curly hair that's prone to breakage. Now I was my hair once or maybe twice a week. On the off days I might just rinse my hair with water to pick the curls back up.

I mainly use soap on my stinky spots. My whole shower takes 2 or 3 minutes.

Which claims to have just herbal ingredients, no detergents, and I kind of like the idea of not using soaps, at least not harsh soaps every single day.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/wenhair.asp

I use goat milk and make a great soap. This is the off time of the year for my Alpine girls. When milking starts again I try to post pics.