In article ,
martin wrote:
On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 19:56:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:
"John Edgar" wrote in message
. ..

My roses are still growing hard here in Sussex, and because of the
dryness and heat we now have the dreaded aphids making a return visit.
I don't want to use Rose Clear etc, and have heard that they do not
like soapy water. Is this true, and if so what sort of soap and what
strength of mixture is best? Will dilute washing up liquid do the
trick for instance?

Washing-up liquid is not soap.

soft soap isn't either or is it?

Yes, it is.

I can't tell you what the difference is between a detergent and a
soap, though I could ask my tame biochemist (my wife!) Soaps are
definitely salts of fatty acids, and the normal detergent in
household gloops is sodium laureth sulphate. The latter applies
whether it is shampoo, "liquid soap", washing up liquid, carpet
cleaner, car shampoo and so on - so you can use them all more-or-less
interchangeably.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.