Some general information about soap:

What is soap?

Soap is made by combining fats or oils with an alkali.   
The fats and oils react with the lye to produce soap. This process is called saponification. Which is where the word soap comes from.  

History of soap making:

Soap in its various forms has been used for thousands of years. The mixture of ashes, water and animal fat found in river water near animal sacrifice sites, is but one of the stories of how soap was discovered. This mixture of fats and ashes from burned animals together with water helped clean. Thus soaps began being made by combining animal fats (tallow) with wood ash (alkali). Such soap was harsh to the skin, soft in consistency and unpleasant.

In the 1700s, a way of producing an alkali (sodium hydroxide) instead of wood ash was discovered. This made the production of soap easier.

With the Second World War and the resulting shortages in raw materials, cheaper alternatives to soap were quickly developed. These were made with a combination of synthetic chemicals to which some animal fats (tallow from beef, pig, and sheep) were added. These chemicals affect the skin and respiratory system in a variety of ways: from causing eczema, asthma, dry irritated skin to urticaria and some more serious ailments. Some of these chemicals have been linked to various cancers and a few are considered to be hormone disrupting.  

What soap should one use?

• The best soaps should contain at least 70% plant and vegetable oils. Such soaps are nourishing and moisturising rather than being harsh on the skin and blocking pores like soaps made from synthetic chemicals and animal fats.

• One should bear in mind that the plant and vegetable oils that are used in the soap should be pure oils. In some cases, olive oil soap is made using oil extracted from what remains of the olives after pressing. This olive oil (pumice/refined) does not have the beneficial qualities of regular olive oil.

• For the benefits of the various plant and vegetable oils to be maximised it is best that the soap be made in a “cold-process”. In such a process, oils are merely warmed rather than cooked for long periods of time, as is the case in most traditional soap-making techniques.

• Most soap found in shops today is not real soap. It is a combination of synthetic chemicals mixed with some oils and animal fats. In such a method, no process of saponification takes place. Hence, not only is its safety questionable, it is technically speaking not soap!  

What does pH really mean?

The term pH stands for potential hydrogen and refers to the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance. The neutral point is seven. Anything below it is acid and above seven is alkaline. Both too acid and too alkali have a damaging effect on skin and hair.

Contrary to what one might have heard skin and hair have no fixed pH, though the skin tends to be more acid than alkali. 

“pH of a substance can be measured, although not precisely, with an indicator paper called litmus paper… This is science; this is how pH works, but the term “pH balanced” is not science- it is an advertising slogan and has nothing to do with science. The claim “pH balanced” means that the pH of the product has been adjusted so that it is at the pH of the hair and skin, usually around five or so…” 

Putting it simply a natural product with a pH of up to 10.5 would be well tolerated by the skin and hair. Whereas a chemical product with added chemicals to reduce pH to 7 are more likely to cause skin irritations (due to the chemicals used).  

 

What is fragrance?

Nearly all aspects of our lives today are touched by fragrances. These are found in our cleaning products (floors, windows, wood polish, bathroom cleaners, clothes, dishes) to perfumes, body splashes, deodorants, sunscreens, toothpaste, soaps and shampoo. Thousands of chemicals go into making fragrances. 95% of these are petroleum derivatives and are considered toxic for humans.

There is a lot of evidence to prove that inhaled fragrances cause side effects. Some of these side effects are immediate such as contact irritation to the skin. Other side effects are long term and are associated with chronic problems such as asthma, headaches (also migraines), mood- changes, and lack of concentration, nausea, and short- term memory loss, agitation, sleeplessness and sinus pains. 

The fragrance industry is a multi- billion pound industry with hardly any regulations on the uses of fragrances. No declarations of the chemicals used to make a fragrance are even required on products (they are considered trade secrets!).

“Studies have shown that inhaling fragrance chemicals can cause circulatory changes in the brain. Changes in electrical activity in the brain can also occur with exposure. Given this it is not surprising that chemically sensitive individuals have a higher rate of psychiatric disorders than others. ”    (Cleaning yourself to death, P. Thomas)

The skin also absorbs fragrances through creams, deodorants and other skin products. These fragrances are quick to enter the blood stream and very slow in being released. They discolour internal organs and can be damaging to both liver and kidneys.

Women and children tend to be more at risk.

In a study published by the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group in the UK (year 2000) it was found that perfumes and colouring products in the home had significant effects on the behaviour of children.

They found that:

 45% of children had reactions to perfumes

 80% had problems with colouring in medication

 53% had problems with preservatives in medicines

 58% reacted to coloured toothpaste

 41% reacted to coloured bubble bath

Suggestions for easy & natural substitutes in home cleaning:

	Multi purpose surface cleaner: Combine white vinegar and alcohol (50-50). Put the combination into a spray bottle and use as a window cleaner, mirror cleaner and even for furniture and surface wiping. It is also a mild disinfectant. The vinegar is a degreaser and cleaner. The alcohol in addition to cleaning prevents streaking.
	Fabric softener and freshener: White vinegar can be used as a natural fabric softener in machine and hand washing. It softens and makes the colours brighter. Put a small amount (1/2 a cup) into rinsing cycle.
	Stain and scale remover: Baking soda can be used as a stain remover in toilets and when cleaning bathtubs, showers and sinks. Just add a small amount onto your moist cleaning sponge and clean as usual.
	For drain cleaning and sanitising: mix 200g of baking soda with 100g of salt and pour into drain. Cover with 200ml of white vinegar and leave for 20 minutes. Then add a pot of boiling water and watch as the combination cleanse and sanitises your drains with out being as dangerous to you and your drain as regular drain cleaners are.