Borax for pres?

[Guest]

I read somewhere of people adding borax to their soaps for preservation. Does this really work? and how much would you add?

 

[zeoplum]

LOL! Sorry, I don't know the answer but I had to laugh because I thought, based on the subject line, that this was going to be a campaign ad.

 

[heartsong]

x

LOL! Sorry, I don't know the answer but I had to laugh because I thought, based on the subject line, that this was going to be a campaign ad.

LOL! me too-borax obama!

borax is a laundry detergent booster-i doesn't clean your clothes, but helps the detergents clean more effectively.

i've never heard of it in natural soaps before.

 

[tincanac]

You piqued my curiosity - I'm not sure about the preservation, I would be interested to know myself if it acts as a preservative - I have loads of the stuff!

Here is some interesting info I found on it though.

http://www.livingnetwork.co.za/drcl...ounces. It may need to harden for a week.

 

[tincanac]

Really not trying to spam but here is some more stuff from Mountainrose herbs on Borax and they say that it is a preservative -

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/le...dding it to my Milk and Rooibos Bath tonight!

 

[ChrissyB]

I have read that people use borax to promote lather, never tried it though as I formulate my recipes to have lots of lather.

 

[xraygrl]

I think borax will neutralize some of the lye. It is used in liquid soaps for this purpose.

 

[LJA]

Borax Obama.

Hee!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the links tincanac
That last one says may cause irritation if exposed to the skin...hmm, I'm not sure what to think about it.

 

[rupertspal42]

I know you can make rubber using Borax, glue and a bit of water... but I didn't know about using it as a preservative 8)

 

[Jeremy]

I'm voting republican.......go borax.

 

[Guest]

I first thought it was Borax for president, too

I'm a newbie so my intention is NOT to spread mis-information, but today was the first day after a 30 day cure that I was able to use a cp batch that had very few hard oils and had a generous portion of canola oil and shea.

My hp batch from the same recipe was a waxy squishy mess, I rebatched it, but I added sodium lauryl sulfate to the cp batch (sls is a surfacant and a detergent, I thought I needed for soap to bubble but I know better now)

well anyway the cp sls batch of previously squishy soap, was like cream cheese with power in it when I cut it 24 hours after pour (I added less than 1% sls) it sweated for about 2 weeks looking powdery, not like lye ash but cream cheese with powder.

I washed with it today, it is rock hard, creamy seems a good bar and just a teeny tineey more drying than my best recipe.

not to advocate sls at all, it is not needed in soap, just reporting what this additive did to my recipe.

 

[rupertspal42]

what the heck... ya'll are crazy :shock:

 

[Bigmoose]

You would have to be careful addingg it to bar soap because it will neutralize the lye. Some of the liquid soaps I make I add 2% more lye than needed and a 1/4 cup of borax per gallon of soap to neutralize and preserve.

Bruce

 

[Guest]

<== Also read "Borax for president"

 

[krissy]

I emailed and asked a company that sells soap making supplies and they told me that Borax alone is fine for using as a preservative in LOTIONS.

 

[kittywings]

I've actually thought of putting in Borax for a shampoo bar. It's fine on your skin, it's actually really good by itself for cleaning your hair. I dissolve some in water and pour it on my hair, it cleans without stripping. Use a citric acid rinse afterwards and it's party time! I alternate using borax, my soap and regular shampoo (I'm trying not to use all the chemicals, but I find using it once in a while my hair feels really good).
It's really good for people with rosacea too.

It's not a chemical, it's natural.... check out www.earthclinic.com for all sorts of ideas for using it.

(Geez, you'd think I worked for some sort of "borax company" or something!)