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Creating a Natural Cleaning Supplies

Household Recipes

You may find yourself in a situation where Electricity,or gas are no longer a resource.  I highly recommend you begin a notebook, and print these pages off, to have the information you need to store up and save for the time that could be upon us sooner then we think. 

We hope we have given you a good resource center, to help you when this time arrives.  God Bless.

Cold Pressed Soap

As the long-term effects of antibacterial soaps become more widely known, people are turning to more natural alternatives. This movement has resurrected the art of soap making. If you are new to making soap you are in for a real treat! It can seem like a daunting undertaking at first but it is such a rewarding process.

No farmer’s market would be complete without the beautiful array of homemade soaps. It is wonderful to support these local vendors but if the price-tag is out of reach for you, don’t despair. You can still ditch the antibacterial soaps by making your own homemade cold process soap!

How Is Soap Made?

Soap is a chemical reaction that occurs as a result of mixing an animal or vegetable fat with a base (sodium hydroxide). This chemical reaction is called saponification.

Merriam-Webster defines saponification as “the hydrolysis of a fat by an alkali with the formation of a soap and glycerol.” OK, so what does that mean?

Each fat has a unique combination of triglycerides. Triglycerides are compounds made up of a single molecule of glycerol and 3 fatty acids. Each combination requires a different amount of alkali to complete the saponification process. The alkali in soap-making is sodium hydroxide, also called lye.

The lye is mixed with water to create a basic solution. This solution is then mixed into your fats. As they are combined and begin to react, the glycerol molecule is separated from the fatty acids. The fatty acids then react with the hydroxide ions in the lye solution. This is saponification.

The two resulting products of the saponification process are glycerin, which is wonderfully moisturizing for the skin, and soap. No lye remains as it has all reacted with the fats to create a completely new substance.

Worried About Lye?

As I covered in-depth in this post, it isn’t truly possible to make soap without lye in some part of the process. Lye is the necessary agent for saponification and any true soap, even one you buy, is made with it. You can purchase a pre-made soap base but it is much less budget friendly.

Cold Process Soap vs. Hot Process Soap

The method you choose is a matter of personal preference. This post is to teach you about cold process soap but you can take the same recipe and use the hot process method instead.

Both of these methods begin in the same way. You make a lye/water solution and mix it with the oils to begin saponification. To make a cold process soap you would incorporate any additives and pour it into the mold as soon as it reached trace (more about trace later).

For hot process soap you would let the soap batter “cook” in a slow cooker on the lowest heat to accelerate and complete saponification. Then you would stir in your additives and mold it.

Cold process soap takes 4-6 weeks to completely saponify and be ready to use. In theory, hot process is ready to use immediately. However, it is wise to let it sit a week or so to harden a bit. This will make it last considerably longer.

I have made soap both ways and I like each method for different reasons. Cold process soap is easier to pour into the molds so if you are trying to use a mold with a design or pattern I would recommend cold process.

I like hot process for my everyday soaps (especially because I don’t always get them made on time, *ahem*), so it is great if I am in a pinch and need soap, like, yesterday.

Both methods are great and in the end you get the same result, soap! If you would like to try hot process you can try my recipe for basic slow cooker soap.

Ingredients for Making Soap

The most basic ingredients you will need are water (distilled is best), lye (sodium hydroxide), and some type of animal or vegetable fat (such as olive oil or tallow). These three ingredients are essential and it is wise to use a lye calculator to accurately determine the ratios needed for proper saponification.

There are countless combinations of oils you can come up with for a soap recipe. Each fat or oil has it’s own impact on your finished product. Some are great cleansers while others are more gentle and moisturizing. Some make large bubbles as opposed to others that create a low lather.

You can use all of one type of oil or a mixture of several different ones. A pure olive oil soap, also called Castille soap named for a region in Spain, makes a very gentle bar of soap. A pure tallow soap has high cleansing ability and makes a great laundry bar.

I personally like to use at least two different oils to give the soap a bit more character. With a blend of oils it is much easier to achieve the qualities you are desiring in a soap.

Some of the most popular soaping oils are:

• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Castor oil
• Cocoa butter
• Mango butter
• Sunflower oil
• Sweet Almond oil
• Jojoba oil

If this will be your first time making soap, a good place to start would be to use olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. This combination will give you a mild soap with a good lather and these oils are easy to come by. We will use these oils in the instructions below.

Optional ingredients can be added to customize your soap recipe. Essential oils added after trace are a natural option for giving your soap a lovely scent. Clays add a silkiness to the soap that is especially good for shaving. Sea salt soap (do not use dead sea salt) is exfoliating and detoxifying.

Ground coffee, oatmeal, and botanicals like dried lavender flowers or herbs give a nice texture to the soap. For a natural colorant you can try adding mica powders, cocoa powder, turmeric, or spirulina.

As you learn more about soap making you can even experiment with alternate liquids such as goat milk, herbal tea, or even beer.

Working With Lye

Lye is used to make all soap. Even melt and pour soap bases were originally made with lye. There is a common misconception that soap is not natural or healthy if it is made with lye. This simply isn’t true. It is necessary to use lye to achieve the chemical reaction, but you can be assured that when done correctly, no lye remains.

In fact, most soap is “super-fatted.” This means that there is extra fat worked into the recipe so that there is no possibility that any lye will remain. This also makes the bar more moisturizing. A good rule is to superfat by 5%.

I would guess that working with lye is the greatest deterrent for people who are thinking about making soap. I can understand how this would be a stumbling block but if you know and follow proper safety measures, you shouldn’t have any problems working with it.

Lye safety measures

• Wait until children are in bed. Making soap is not an activity to do with children. Watch out for pets as well. Children and pets can cause distractions or spills.
• Wear long sleeves and protective gear including safety glasses and rubber gloves.
• Make sure your workspace is free of clutter that could cause a spill. Also, remove anything that could be ruined if a spill were to happen.
• When the lye and water are mixed it will create fumes. Do this step in a well-ventilated area or even outside. I prefer to do it outside so I have no concern about fumes and then if I were to spill (I haven’t yet) it would not be in my house.
• Always add lye to the water. DO NOT add water to lye. It will create a caustic eruption! The adage in the soaping world is “snow floats on the lake.” It MUST be done in this order.

Hopefully these safety tips serve to make you feel more comfortable working with lye. The first time is a bit nerve-wracking but once you have done it you will see that it is not so frightening!

Soap Making Supplies

I have a set of tools I keep just for soap-making. It is not absolutely necessary to keep them separate but it eliminates any possibility of not getting your tools clean enough for food preparation.

• Non-reactive pot or slow-cooker for warming oils
• Heavy plastic pitcher or quart mason jar for mixing lye/water
• Second jar or disposable cup for measuring lye
• Infrared thermometer or 2 candy thermometers
• Mold (this one will fit this recipe)
• Digital scale
• Stick blender
• Spoon
• Spatula
• Safety glasses and rubber gloves
• White vinegar for final cleanup

Basic Cold Process Soap Recipe

For this recipe we will be using olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. You will also need distilled water and lye. I have purchased lye online and also at a local hardware store. (Try a smaller store as the large chain stores do not typically carry it.) You will have to ask an employee for it.

Cold Process Soap Ingredients

All measurements are by weight. Use your digital scale for accuracy.

• 30 oz olive oil
• 6 oz coconut oil
• 2 oz castor oil
• 5.09 oz lye
• 12.54 oz distilled water
• 1 oz essential oils (optional) Some of my favorites are peppermint and orange

A Note About “Trace”

Most soap recipes tell you to blend the lye/water and oils together until you reach trace. What this means is that you will need to blend until there is no separation left in the mixture. If the lye/water and oils are not completely mixed, your oil will separate in the mold and leave pockets of lye.

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Homemade OxyClean Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 parts water
• 1 part hydrogen peroxide
• 1 part washing soda

Instructions

Notes

I use 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide, and 1 tablespoon washing soda. This is a liquid recipe and also reminds me somewhat of Shout spray.

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Remineralizing Toothpaste Recipe

There is a lot of emerging information about tooth remineralization, a process that many dentists previously thought was impossible. This article goes into detail about the science behind tooth remineralization and the dietary steps necessary. (It also explains why ingredients in most toothpastes, even natural ones, can demineralize teeth and cause tooth decay!) I also did a podcast interview with a dentist who explains the science of remineralization (listen here).

The information I found in researching this was mirrored by my own experience over the last few months with natural toothpastes and a remineralizing diet.

I’ve noticed definite changes in my teeth over the last several months. My teeth are whiter than they’ve ever been and everyone who I’ve asked to try this remineralizing toothpaste has remarked that it makes their teeth feel very clean.

The most surprising change in my teeth, however, was that they are no longer sensitive to cold! For as long as I can remember, biting into anything cold (or even thinking of it!) made me shudder and hurt my front teeth. A few weeks ago when we made homemade ice cream, I noticed that I could eat it without my teeth hurting at all, and I have never been able to do that before!

This toothpaste recipe is kid-approved, and since it has no fluoride, its safe on babies, toddlers, and those with thyroid problems. If you want to whiten teeth, improve an oral health problem, or just try a natural alternative to commercial toothpastes that contain harmful ingredients, definitely try making this remineralizing toothpaste!

Remineralizing Toothpaste Ingredients

• 5 parts Calcium powder
• 1 part Diatomaceous Earth (optional- contains trace minerals and silica. UPDATE: A reader noted that DE can be abrasive and is not needed with the baking soda, so if you don’t have DE… no worries!)
• 2 parts Baking Soda
• 3 parts Xylitol Powder– This ingredient is not completely necessary, but just keeps it from tasting bitter.
• 3-5 parts coconut oil to get desired texture
• Optional ingredients: Essential oils for flavor (mint, cinnamon, and orange are all good), Myrrh and Trace Minerals

Remineralizing Toothpaste Instructions

1. Mix all powdered ingredients (calcium, Baking Soda, Xylitol) well in a bowl.
2. Add Coconut Oil one part at a time until you get desired consistency.
3. Add any optional ingredients, including Essential Oils for flavor (my favorite is Peppermint Orange)
4. Store in small container like ½ pint glass jar. To use, either dip clean toothbrush into it, or use Popsicle stick or spoon to put on toothbrush. I’ve also thought of storing in a plastic bag with a corner cut off to be able to squeeze like toothpaste, but haven’t tried it yet.

Notes

For this recipe, “part” denotes whatever unit of measurement you are using. For instance, if part=tablespoon, you would need 5 tablespoons calcium powder, 1 tablespoon diatomaceous earth, etc.

The Internal Side of Remineralization

It is really important to note that remineralization is not a process that happens only in the mouth and that simply using a toothpaste (like the one above) with a higher concentration of minerals will not likely be enough to help teeth. Remineralization is a whole-body process and in order for it to happen, the body must have adequate levels of certain nutrients, especially fat soluble vitamins and certain minerals.

When I was actively working on remineralizing my teeth, I focused on consuming a very specific nutrient-rich diet, reducing mineral binders like phytic acid in the foods I ate, and adding other lifestyle factors that boosted nutrient levels.

You can read the full protocol I used here and see my daily oral health routine in this post.

These additional factors like consuming enough minerals and fat soluble vitamins are important because they support the body as a whole but also because they create more mineral-rich saliva, which is the body’s delivery system for necessary nutrients to the teeth.

How Saliva Benefits Oral Health

In short: Saliva is the way teeth remineralize!

On a practical level, teeth are remineralized through the saliva being washed over the teeth. Without proper nutrient levels in the body, saliva will also be deficient in the minerals teeth need for optimal strength. Clearly, we must have sufficient nutrition in our diet in order to have the necessary minerals present in the saliva to support remineralization.

The importance of enough saliva for the prevention of tooth decay is well established. There are multiple theories about the origin of tooth decay:

1. That decay occurs due to acids from bacteria in the mouth digesting sugars; or
2. That tooth decay occurs when there is an imbalance between the demineralization of the enamel surface and remineralization produced by the return of mineral ions into enamel (as explained by Rami Nagel in his book, Cure Tooth Decay)

Whichever theory is correct, saliva is important, as the frequent stimulation of saliva, especially after the intake of sugars, will help to dilute and buffer plaque acid, bring extra mineral ions into the plaque fluid and thereby promote remineralization.

Saliva Reduces Bacteria that Cause Gum Disease and Tooth Decay

Research shows a clear relationship between declining saliva production with age and the increased risk of gum disease with age. Saliva contains a whole host of vital substances for our immune system.

For example, lactoferrin is one compound naturally found in saliva. Lactoferrin is part of our innate immune system and is one of our key front lines of defense. Lactoferrin binds iron in the mouth and thereby deprives the bacteria that cause the damage of gum disease of the iron necessary for them to flourish.

Saliva is also a rich source of necessary enzymes. Of the salivary enzymes involved in maintaining the ecology of the mouth, one of the first to be recognized was the enzyme lysozyme, which appears to work by destabilizing the cell wall of bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Saliva Reestablishes Healthy PH in the Mouth

The mouth has its own complex ecology that must be kept in balance for optimal oral health. This includes a bacterial aspect, the presence of enough minerals and maintaining the proper pH. While we can most effectively address optimizing the pH of the mouth through immune supporting protocols like a nutrient dense diet, restful sleep, and healthy coping tools for stress, saliva clearly plays a key role in the actual mechanism of establishing what the pH of our mouth is going to be at any given time.

How to Increase Saliva Production

The principle “Use it or Lose it” applies when discussing saliva production. We must exercise our ability to produce saliva or deal with a dry mouth and all the ails that come with decreased saliva production.

While we naturally produce additional saliva when eating, the extra benefits to our health of the increased saliva are offset by the main job of saliva during eating, to begin the digestion process. Therefore, it can be helpful to increase saliva production through other methods, like this:

Step 1: Gather any saliva in your mouth into a pool on your tongue. Now using the musculature of the throat, draw the saliva back and forth from the back of the tongue to just behind the front teeth then back again several times (we recommend 30-50 repetitions). With practice, this action will increase the amount of saliva present in the mouth.

Step 2: Once you have a large pool of saliva on your tongue, give your teeth and gums a bath with your increased saliva! We call swishing with saliva “swashing” because it’s like you are swishing and washing at the same time. Swash with the increased saliva for a minute or two then swallow it down and let the saliva now support greater digestion in the stomach!

All Purpose Cleaner

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Another Laundry Detergent

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Toilet Bowl Cleaner

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Soft Scrub

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Glass  Cleaner

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Bleach Alternative

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