Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#46
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... Well, I was excusing myself for joining the subject late but in fact we've been in wet Wales in our tiny 1960s caravan with original foam cushions/mattress. Because we both sweat a lot and ventilation under the bed is less than perfect the bedding does become less pleasant than I like. I always used to put a thick layer of newpaper under the cushions in my first van which had a solid base to the bed, that helped a lot with soaking up the moisture. I'm not buying newspapers just for that! |
#47
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... People paid attention to personal hygiene in mediaeval times too. That does surprise me, I wouldn't have tought that soap had been invented then. Of course it had! And it's easy to make, I did it for a long time and still do for museums. Mary |
#48
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
On 14/8/06 16:21, in article
, "Mary Fisher" wrote: "Sacha" wrote in message ... This makes me think of a story told me to me yesterday about a very old lady who could no longer get in and out of the bath. She told this person that she washed down as far as possible, then she washed up as far as possible and then she washed possible! ;-) Yes, that's another family saying here too - used a lot when, as last week, we're camping! I was going to say it above but didn't want to offend anyone :-) No worries. I did it for you! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/ |
#49
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
On 14/8/06 16:47, in article
, "Mary Fisher" wrote: "Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... People paid attention to personal hygiene in mediaeval times too. That does surprise me, I wouldn't have tought that soap had been invented then. Of course it had! And it's easy to make, I did it for a long time and still do for museums. Mary I believe that people looking after old or delicate fabrics use an extract or distillation of Saponaria to wash them in. And "In classical times, perfumed oils were in extensive use for bathing and were combined with the use of the strigil, a metal implement used to scrape the skin free of oil and dirt. It is claimed that, for washing themselves, the Romans used a type of clay found near Rome called "sapo" from which the word soap is derived.4 An alternative suggestion for the derivation of the name is that the Romans learned the art of soap-making, using animal fats and plant ashes, from the Celts, who called it "saipo".6 The use of soap in personal hygiene does not appear to have been adopted until the second century when the physician Galen (130*200AD) mentions its use for washing the body. Another physician, Priscianus (circa 385AD), reported the use of soap as a shampoo and made the first mention of the trade of "saponarius", or soap-boiler.6 While soap was in use during the Roman period its adoption may have been slow, despite the popularity of public and private baths throughout the empire. Possibly early soaps, made from animal fat and crude alkali, were not particularly attractive in appearance or smell, and were deemed more suitable for cleaning and laundering. The remains of what might have been a soap factory were discovered in Pompeii, which was overwhelmed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD, but possibly this was a site for producing a type of Fuller's earth for cleaning fabrics." http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/1999...cles/soap.html Fascinating site! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/ |
#50
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message . net... "Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... Well, I was excusing myself for joining the subject late but in fact we've been in wet Wales in our tiny 1960s caravan with original foam cushions/mattress. Because we both sweat a lot and ventilation under the bed is less than perfect the bedding does become less pleasant than I like. I always used to put a thick layer of newpaper under the cushions in my first van which had a solid base to the bed, that helped a lot with soaking up the moisture. I'm not buying newspapers just for that! You don't HAVE to BUY them, just go down to the local recycling place and pick them up for nothing! Alan |
#51
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" wrote in message . net... "Alan Holmes" wrote in message ... Well, I was excusing myself for joining the subject late but in fact we've been in wet Wales in our tiny 1960s caravan with original foam cushions/mattress. Because we both sweat a lot and ventilation under the bed is less than perfect the bedding does become less pleasant than I like. I always used to put a thick layer of newpaper under the cushions in my first van which had a solid base to the bed, that helped a lot with soaking up the moisture. I'm not buying newspapers just for that! You don't HAVE to BUY them, just go down to the local recycling place and pick them up for nothing! It doesn't work that way in our parts. Even if it did, I wouldn't want other people's papers. They might read the red tops ... |
#52
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Sacha" wrote in message ... People paid attention to personal hygiene in mediaeval times too. That does surprise me, I wouldn't have tought that soap had been invented then. Of course it had! And it's easy to make, I did it for a long time and still do for museums. Mary I believe that people looking after old or delicate fabrics use an extract or distillation of Saponaria to wash them in. Some people claim that soapwort sp will clean delicate fabrics. It certainly does make a lather (I grow it for that purpose) but I'm not convinced that it cleans any better than just water.* And "In classical times, perfumed oils were in extensive use for bathing and were combined with the use of the strigil, a metal implement used to scrape the skin free of oil and dirt. It is claimed that, for washing themselves, the Romans used a type of clay found near Rome called "sapo" from which the word soap is derived.4 An alternative suggestion for the derivation of the name is that the Romans learned the art of soap-making, using animal fats and plant ashes, from the Celts, who called it "saipo".6 None of those is soap as we know it. Oiling and scraping does work - I've used it and it's invigorating and effective and it leaves the skin soft but it's nothing like the effect of soap. Older civilisations than the earliest Roman's used real soap as we'd recognise it. The use of soap in personal hygiene does not appear to have been adopted until the second century when the physician Galen (130*200AD) mentions its use for washing the body. Another physician, Priscianus (circa 385AD), reported the use of soap as a shampoo and made the first mention of the trade of "saponarius", or soap-boiler.6 You've been Googling! But Google is not always right. Soap as we know it was used before the earliest 'Roman' times. They didn't invent everything. While soap was in use during the Roman period its adoption may have been slow, despite the popularity of public and private baths throughout the empire. Possibly early soaps, made from animal fat and crude alkali, were not particularly attractive in appearance or smell, and were deemed more suitable for cleaning and laundering. Refined animal fat (tallow) and lye (made by filtering water through wood ash) mixed together make a recognisable soap which is effective for laundering AND personal use. It's brown but it doesn't have an offensive smell at all. It smells like real soap. I first made it forty years ago when we couldn't afford even the cheapest commercial soap. We used it for personal use and for all laundry including even cleaning my husband's overalls, it worked for everything and caused no problems (unlike some modern soaps which had and have an unfortunate effect on sensitive parts). People who say that it's unattractive or ineffective have never seen, made or used it! It's the same with tallow candles, there's a myth that they smelled and smoked, they don't but I bet that the majority of websites - and books - claim that they do. It's ignorance on the part of the writers, they have no personal experience but merely repeat what's been said before by other people who have no experience. It happens in all disciplines - even gardening :-) Basic soap is becoming fashionable again, along with red 'carbolic' soap - you can buy it in tourist centres. It's very interesting. When I was younger it was sold as 'household' soap as opposed to 'toilet' soap. It's all basically the same thing. I bought some soap in USA which was advertised as "So pure it floats!" That means that more profit was made for the manufacturer. The remains of what might have been a soap factory were discovered in Pompeii, which was overwhelmed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD, but possibly this was a site for producing a type of Fuller's earth for cleaning fabrics." The use of Fullers Earth is a different process altogether. Mary |
#53
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
MadCow writes
Perhaps, but Keble Martin says Lady's Bedstraw is Gallium verum, not aparine. The difference is that G. verum (the little yellow-flowered bedstraw that's common on dry roadsides) isn't remotely so scratchy. It's also nowhere near as fleshy and juicy, which would be another consideration. -- Kay |
#54
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
On 14/8/06 21:36, in article
, "Mary Fisher" wrote: "Sacha" wrote in message ... People paid attention to personal hygiene in mediaeval times too. That does surprise me, I wouldn't have tought that soap had been invented then. Of course it had! And it's easy to make, I did it for a long time and still do for museums. Mary I believe that people looking after old or delicate fabrics use an extract or distillation of Saponaria to wash them in. Some people claim that soapwort sp will clean delicate fabrics. It certainly does make a lather (I grow it for that purpose) but I'm not convinced that it cleans any better than just water.* snip My memory may be at fault here but I think I recall my ex mother in law who had reason to care for some lovely old fabrics, telling me that the V&A conservators who were based at Osterley Park (in the old stables IIRC) used soapwort. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/ |
#55
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Sacha" wrote in message ... Some people claim that soapwort sp will clean delicate fabrics. It certainly does make a lather (I grow it for that purpose) but I'm not convinced that it cleans any better than just water.* snip My memory may be at fault here but I think I recall my ex mother in law who had reason to care for some lovely old fabrics, telling me that the V&A conservators who were based at Osterley Park (in the old stables IIRC) used soapwort. No, you're right. Many conservators at museums, National Trust and the like, have used it, some may still. As I said, _I'm_ not convinced (by my own experience) that it cleans any better than just water. The asterisk in the original was meant to remind me to say that I've recently begun to use Eco-balls for household laundry - with no soap of any kind. They wouldn't be suitable for delicate fabrics because they need to be used in machines. Technology is advancing though, if there aren't yet any better cleansing methods for fragile fabrics I suspect that it won't be long before there are. Water itself damages delicate materials ... :-( And they'll all turn to dust eventually - as shall we :-) Mary -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/ |
#56
|
|||
|
|||
Cleavers
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message . net... I've recently begun to use Eco-balls for household laundry - with no soap of any kind. They wouldn't be suitable for delicate fabrics because they need to be Eco-balls? Not the best marketing name. :-) They contain:- Higher alkyl sulphate, non-ionic surfactant, sodium metasilicate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate. Higher alkyl sulphate is a detergent (synthetic *soap*). |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Cleavers, goose grass, catchweed | United Kingdom | |||
Cleavers and Rosebay Willow Herb | United Kingdom | |||
Cleavers - a reprise | United Kingdom | |||
Cleavers | United Kingdom |