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Handmade Soap
Our Ward members have been making and using this
soap successfully for some time now. I like the small storage space needed,
the natural scent, how soft the clothes come out, even without fabric
softener, members of family with commercial detergent sensitivities don't
rash or itch, and it is so, so cheap....
We have the best municiple water in the country
in upstate NY. I do not know how the Utah hard water will work with this,
although we have a few members in outlying areas who have hard water and
they report great success.
A couple of folks with well-water, who have some
interesting mineral content, report some bleach blotches in dark clothes.
We are researching this now.
Personally, I add oils like GSE, CLove oil, and
other essential oils for a special touch and like to use the easy
dispenising large containers from commercial detergent I used to use.
One of its strengths, according to our Temple
President's daughter, is its ability to absolutely clean clothes, which have
been vomited on (she has a child with a congernital issue and has to wash a
couple of times a day....poor dear, what a challenge..).
Our large grocery chain, Wegmans, carries these
products for us. As I am acting chair person of EPAC, I have been able to
get them to place these 3 ingredients together on the same shelf in the
laundry section.
We are typically paying 1.08 for the bar soap
and 2.79 for borax, and 2.88 for the washing soda.
I also make my own Fels naptha soap as I am a
soap maker.
The area of sanitation in preparedness is
certainly a challenging area. We look at the lifestyle of the members in
this. Some are into the whole foods/CAM medicine movement and want
specific ingredients and some don't care as long as it is cheap and gets the
job done.
I try to give directions for both groups.
This very old and common recipe seems to satisfy
both groups.
My cousin, a reknown orthodontist and oral
surgeon has put together an evacuation dental kit and a sheltering-in more
comprehensive kit.
I will also send this to you..it is really
neat...
I was a volunteer through EMS in our area to
help with the Katrina disaster. I cannot tell you how many dental
emergencies happened. One fellow who is, with me, a senior EMS supervisor,
was laid low when we needed him most, due to losing a filling (and
abscess). He tried biting down on wet gauze, salt water solutions, clove
oil to deaden the pain, and so on. By the time I got to him he was hurting
pretty bad. My kit, thanks to my cousin Chuck, had dental clay and some
other tools. THis got our main "man" back on the job.
OUr Ward and Stake are working on achieving
optimal dental health. We have come across some ideas from credible
dentists, which are remarkable. I will pass these on when I get a
chance....If even one member is helped, it will be worth it.
KO
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