Sue wrote:

What are your plans for soap? Hands, body, dishes, laundry.


Hands -- bottled lavender handsoap, then bar soap.
Body -- bar soap.
Dishes -- biodegradable dishsoap, then bar soap.
Laundry -- biodegradable laundry detergent, then Zote laundry bar soap.


So, do you plan to store a couple of years worth of soaps and detergents?

We currently have at least a year's worth of bar soap, and about 4-6 months worth of the others.



Do you plan to make your own soap? And if so, with what?

Nope. Soap is relatively inexpensive and easy to store.



Would you be replacing soap with some other kind of cleaner?

Hopefully not! Although salt/sand and hot water can work in a pinch.


Some things I learned in the Peace Corps:

* In a desert or dry climate, full bathing is only needed once a week, at most. (Unless one has dysentery or other problems)

* "Army baths", that is, a washcloth and a small water bucket, use far less soap and water.

* Leftover bar soap scraps can be collected and put in the toe of old hosiery to be used to wash dishes.

* Really dirty dishes benefit from scrubbing with salt or even sand.

* A large bottle of good shampoo can last for at least 8-9 months. Just pour a very small amount into a travel-sized plastic bottle filled 2/3 with water, and shake vigorously. This soapy solution should be enough to use for several uses. When the travel bottle is empty, repeat.







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