soap

[Janoosh]

The SHTF scenarios all mention food, fuel, protection and not in that specific order. We had a posting on TP usage, but none on Soap. I've read that when all facilities go down that most water becomes contaminated. So keeping yourself and utensils clean will lead to your survival. And, if necessary, wound care. I buy any bar soap labeled anti-bacterial and I'm always on the look out for old fashioned lye soap. I'll not barter away ammo or food, but a bar of soap will be a useful commodity.

[1Shirt]

Interesting, worth thinking about!
1Shirt1

[Rangefinder]

You are 100% correct. Sanitation will be a big factor in surviving anything that might happen--particularly for those living in a more urban environment. I seriously doubt too many have a large supply of soap in their hoarding cache. I've way ahead of the curve on that topic. Not only do I have a good supply in reserve (hard to make excuses when you can get a good anti-bacterial 3-pack for $2 or less), but I also know how to make it. The wife sells her soap in a few of the local "touristy" shops, and I have some in our sporting goods store locally every year about this time for hunting season (infused with cedar oil, pine, spruce, sage, etc...).

[dbosman]

Sewing needles.

[Janoosh]

Sewing needles? As a stock piled good and/or a tradable commodity? Great idea.... but as tradable commodities go.. I stock what people are addicted to.. Salt, Sugar, caffiene, tobacco. You need to read about what prisoners of the Japanese traded for. A days food ration for a cigarette. The price for my food and/or ammo will be extreme.. but just what will you trade for a pack of smokes?

[Garyshome]

Have some but not enough. Can't bother with cigs, too much other stuff comes first, now beer/alcohol might be a different story.

[starmac]

The famous Texas chicken ranch reportedly got it's name for taking chickens in way back when, so I think I will stockpile chickens. lol

[MT Gianni]

Sewing needles? As a stock piled good and/or a tradable commodity? Great idea.... but as tradable commodities go.. I stock what people are addicted to.. Salt, Sugar, caffiene, tobacco. You need to read about what prisoners of the Japanese traded for. A days food ration for a cigarette. The price for my food and/or ammo will be extreme.. but just what will you trade for a pack of smokes?

Their addictions will not last more than a few weeks. They will die from them or they will getover it. I like iron: knives, saws, axes, hatchets, machetes, shovels, picks, needles, pins etc.

[reloader28]

I really like the old fashion homemade lye soap. Cleans better than any store bought and the bars last along time.
I dont remember the last time we bought soap. We got a big bunch of it one time 12-13 years ago, and still have enough store bought soap to last a couple years easily.

Now that we know how to make it, we'll never by soap again. Go to the book store and pick up Basic Soap Making. Its very easy.

[Jailer]

Everything you need to know in one place including the recipes. I haven't bought soap in a couple years now. The key to success with home made CP soap is a GOOD scale for accurate measurements of ingredients.

http://www.millersoap.com/

[giericd]

ok, this might sound a little crazy. I've heard of lye soap, but nothing more than it mentioned. I also remember when I was a kid I was in the garage with my dad and he pointed out a small box as i remember and said "see that, it's called lye, it's poison, a tiny bit could kill ya, stay away from it". Is lye soap made this same stuff? That doesn't sound right, or is lye not this "to be feared" chemical my dad made it out to be? Could have been his way to just keep me away from it.

[CastingFool]

I think baby wipes would be a good thing to stock up on. Some people may object to the chemicals in them, though.

[Outpost75]

Great link here with multiple articles having useful information:

http://preparednessadvice.com/catego.../#.UswkD9JDuVM

During WW2 shortages of soap caused serious hygiene problems for civilian populations throughout occupied Europe. Soap was rationed and hard to get. In Italy a GI could rent "a woman for a week for a bar of GI soap." Lack of hygiene results in skin, intestinal illnesses and other medical problems. I recommend storing extra soap and hygiene supplies as well as learning to make your own soap.

A sponge bath of water and vinegar is an effective field hygiene expedient. When camping in Italy years ago escorting returning veterans of the 10th Mtn. Division, our hosts, Italy's Alpini Regt. instructed us in methods used by Italian troops since the Roman era. About 500ml or a pint of vinegar may be used straight, if water is scarce, as in desert conditions, but normally is diluted with an equal volume of water, heated over the cook fire to a steamy, comfortable washing temperature, before using first to brush your teeth, then to rinse your mess tin and utensils.

In desert conditions where water is too scarce to permit boiling immersion and rinsing of mess gear, mess tin and utensils are first scoured with sand, banged on a tyre to remove loose debris then wiped with a clean cloth and hot vinegar water, and hang in the sun to dry. Rinse and wring your washcloth or a triangular bandage from your first aid kit in the warm vinegar-water and use it to wipe your face and shave, then finish by sponging off the feet, armpits and crotch area and change into clean socks and underwear before putting on your clothes which have been warmed, dried and lightly smoked near the cook fire to repel insects.

Vinegar is an effective general purpose cleaner, deodorizer and fungicide which also relieves heat rash, athlete's foot and insect bites. It has many uses all over the house and if you run out of soap it is an effective expedient sanitizer.

[thekidd76]

I started making my own soap last year for this reason. The good lye stuff, made with beef tallow. Not that hard to do, and I went for the hot-process variant.

[giericd]

every soldier has a box of baby wipes in our pac! if ya get the amount right with the smell if th baby whipe, baby powder for your shoes, and fabrizs for chase away some stink you can almost clean up to be presentable for a date lol, Yhey are how we took showers for over a month and a half in korea when stuck in the feild,

[giericd]

can some one post a recipe that they had good resultd with for anti-bacterial soap? you know, 1 cup of this 2 cups of that..... it would be a huge help tracking it down on the web plus i like to heat first hand that it works before i start a batch, thank you for you help:

[Outpost75]

Ten soap recipes

http://www.naturallivingideas.com/10...-soap-recipes/

[reloader28]

I got the easiest, simplest soap recipie from another member here.
Dissolve a pound of lye in a quart of water in a dutch oven.
Add about 13 cups of used cooking oil, lard, grease, whatever. We dont use new.
Cook it on low, low stirring it until it "traces" on the spoon and sides of dutch oven.
Pout it into a freezer paper lined cake pan.
We've been "cheese grating" this and remelting for a smoother bar, but the last batch turned out so nice the first cooking that we left it alone.
Lye cost us $4.50 and we got over 36 bars of excellent soap that all our friends and family love.

You can buy soap molds, but I made some from plywood. 2 1/2" deep, 3 1/2" wide, and either 6" or 12" long. Line it with freezer paper and when the soap is hardened a little you get a big log of soap. Cut it into 1" thick bars or make a soap cutter. Its alotta soap for $4.50.

[Rangefinder]

For those who have NOT made a lye-based soap from scratch before... Do your homework. Not only is lye not the best thing to handle if you aren't sure what you're doing, but you'll need to let your soap age for about a month after making it.

[Blacksmith]

There is a song you know:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...+lye+soap&sm=3