Can baking soda be used as an alternative to soap / hand wash?

I'm attempting to rid my household of potentially toxic and harmful products, like anti-bacterial soap, hair shampoo, and other things containing sodium lauryl sulfate amongst other additives, which has me wondering: Can plain baking soda be used as an alternative to hand soap? And can it be used instead of hair shampoo also, or must it be mixed with something else? Thanks.Can baking soda be used as an alternative to soap / hand wash?
Not really. Baking soda is a mild base (alkali), and it does not bond to fats and oils in fabric, on hair, on skin and make them able to be removed by water (that's what soaps, detergents and other surfactants do).





The abrasive action of the small crystals of baking soda on your hands can remove the outer layer of dead skin cells, which will remove some bacteria, but your skin is naturally acidic and needs to stay that way to maintain its integrity.Can baking soda be used as an alternative to soap / hand wash?
have a look at this site for your shampoo remedies, this is a great site, LOADS of helpful stuff on here for this


http://www.pioneerthinking.com/hair.html





make your own soap this way


Basic Hand Soap





* 1/2 oz or 14gm lye


* 1/4 cup cold water


* 1/2 cup lukewarm fat


* 1 T. lemon juice (optional)





In a plastic container, gently stir lye into cold water with wooden spoon. Slowly add lukewarm fat. Continue to stir until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice, stirring to mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into plastic molds. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 24 hours. Remove soap from molds and allow to air-dry for 14 days. Yield: 1 - 2 medium bars.





and this is awesome home made natural laundry detergent


http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade鈥?/a>





good for you, its very satisfying to make all these things yourself and know you are not pumping your home full of chemicals


well done


You may also find these interesting


http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vinegar鈥?/a>





and this is a fantastic site, you will never stop reading!!


http://www.thriftyfun.com/


once you get into the index, there is millions of eco friendly and money saving cleaners