So many frugal recipes and practices mention the use of Fels Naptha soap, It is used for everything from a laundry stain remover to poison ivy. But what is Fels Naptha Soap and where can you find it? Is it toxic? We’ll answer all of your most frequently asked questions about this soap and explain how it can save money.
Fels Naptha Soap, although not common today was probably well known by your great grandparents or great-great grandparents. That is because around 100 years ago, it was the most popular and commonly used laundry soap.
When Fels Naptha came along, most people used a soap made from tallow and lye. Today, the chemical makeup seems to have changed a bit, and the label lists cleaners, soil and stain removers, chelating agents and perfumes and colorants. A chelating agent is something that forms chemical bonds to other things, such as dirt. It is currently made by Dial and can be found mostly on the Internet, although you may be able to find it in grocery stores, either in the laundry aisle or the soap aisle.
It does have petrochemical ingredients, which might be toxic, but so do many other laundry detergents. It is a pretty strong soap and could cause skin irritation with prolonged use. Ironically, it is recommended for poison ivy rashes and bug bites.
Frugal zealots all over sing the praises of Fels Naptha Soap, saying it is an inexpensive way to cut the greasiest of messy and can be used on everything from hands to your tile shower. You can create inexpensive all purpose cleaners with it. Of course, many use this soap as it was intended, by shaving off pieces and soaking it in hot water for laundry, and it can be a very inexpensive way to clean your clothes. I would estimate that you can spend as little as 10 percent to do you laundry compared to other laundry detergents.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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