What's your preferred Natural, Cheap soap?

[akrvbob]

I know people who make a slurry out of the baking soda and a small amount of water and then work the slurry into their wet hair and then rinse. They just tried different consistencies of the slurry till they got the one that worked best for their hair.
Bob

 

[mconlonx]

I am currently not showering / cleaning in the van, my situation is that I have access to an apartment nights and mornings, so I shower and do dishes inside.

Dishes: Dawn.

Shower: Kirk's Coco Hardwater Castile bar soap, or Dr. Bonners.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I like the baking soda idea for my hair (actually I just have stubble as I shave it). However for my face I want real soap I think. Also, in the interest of saving water it has to go into a spray bottle so it has to be liquid.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

One, it won't go in a bottle, but I've been experimenting lately with a washcloth and coconut oil as a face wash. So far I like it. Don't really even need water except to do the laundry. For a facial scrub: coconut oil warmed by body temperature to oil rather than solid state with about a half teaspoon of sugar works great. The sugar can be added to soap suds or face cleanser as well if someone uses those. That does need a rinse to get the sugar off. There's a few other ways to go, but I don't remember them off the top of my head.

 

[highdesertranger]

anybody here in the southwest use the yucca plant for shampoo. I have heard about this but have no experience, I could do a internet search but was wondering if anybody has tried this and how you do it. highdesertranger

 

[anewbiewannabe]

anybody here in the southwest use the yucca plant for shampoo.  I have heard about this but have no experience,  I could do a internet search but was wondering if anybody has tried this and how you do it.  highdesertranger

I have the yucca here but haven't tried it yet though this spring when I thin the plants out I'll have plenty of root to experiment with. The reason I didn't mention it is because digging it up is probably frowned upon and it's mainly the roots that have the sapopins. Many areas have wild plants with sapopins. I found this link to a USDA Forest Service page: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ethnobotany/soaps.shtml that mentions a few "soap" plants just now.

 

[user 12892]

I've been using dish washing soap for years for hair and body in the shower and also for regular handwashing. I used to use Palmolive Apple but for the last few years Downeast is my brand. I claims to be natural and unscented but does have a slight smell.

 

[DannyB1954]

Another vote for Dawn dish soap here. They use it on water foul during an oil spill. I dilute it as you really don't need to rinse off unused soap.

 

[ccbreder]

Dawn, if you need to un-grease. I use Kirk's Castile Soap. Very mild, unscented, Hypoallergenic, Vegan, lots of suds, and rinses quick and clean. It is great for shaving.

 

[mayble]

I use good old Ivory liquid for everything.
I buy the big jugs and refill the smaller pump bottles - in the shower, kitchen sink, bathroom sinks.  I also wash the car, the floors and everything else with it.

 

[Richard]

Please don't shoot the messenger

http://badassu.net/soap-is-bad-for-your-health/

 

[user 12892]

Please don't shoot the messenger

http://badassu.net/soap-is-bad-for-your-health/

Do you also believe the Earth is flat? 

 

[Richard]

Do you also believe the Earth is flat? 

The article offers facts and sources for consideration. To ask about my belief distracts from those facts (aka red herring).

Did you read the article, or are you responding only to the headline?

 

[TrainChaser]

I've washed body and hair with a baking soda solution, with great results. It's the easiest thing to wash with when living in a van because it cuts body oils, deodorizes, and you don't have to rinse your skin. Mix about two teaspoons to a tablespoon in a quart or two of warm water. If you find a powdery coating on your dry skin, use less next time.

I also used the same baking soda mix on my hair, but I did rinse it with water with a spoonful of vinegar in it; for some reason, it seemed to make the tangles in long hair easy to remove. You can wash your hair sitting in the door of your van with a plastic dishpan between your feet (or with your feet in it - wash them last). Just lean forward and slowly pour the warm soda/water mix through your hair while massaging it; combing it through seems to help, too. Rinse w/plain water or water with a spoonful of vinegar in it.

There is a difference between soap and detergent: soaps are produced from natural products (fats & oils with various salts added), and detergents are made from synthetic ingredients.

Richard, every word of that article may be true, but coming from a site called BadAssU doesn't exactly make a person worry very much about it; some people ride a wide variety of hobby horses, and change them frequently.

 

[DannyB1954]

Please don't shoot the messenger

http://badassu.net/soap-is-bad-for-your-health/

I read where anti bacterial soaps are going to be phased out.

 

[ArtW]

To be fair, the article does have links to sources, one of which has references to several studies, and one article by the CDC
I didn't read the abstracts, because I don't feel like it ATM, but dismissing an article that has at least a few links to credible sources just because the article is from 'badass u' just seems a bit closed minded

 

[TrainChaser]

There is so much misinformation on the web that I tend to only believe sites with some decent credentials. Just because someone posts something doesn't mean it's true. Many people can't seem to distinguish opinions from from theories, nor theories from facts.

And you knew that when you posted it.

 

[akrvbob]

That was an extremely well written and well researched article. I found it very convincing and I highly recommend it.

http://badassu.net/soap-is-bad-for-your-health/
Bob

 

[ccbreder]

I read through most of those links and did not come away thinking any of them said washing was bad. Excessive washing. Harsh soaps and detergents. Too hot water. Antibacterial soaps. All bad news. But in the end, the concussions were, if you live in the world, wash yourself.

 

[ArtW]

Well I didn't actually post it, I just took the time to look past the name of the site and note that there were actually links to sites that do have good credentials
As Bob said, it is well written and well researched