There was an article a while back about people who had stopped using shampoo and switched to scrubbing their hair with baking soda about once a week or month, along with sometimes using apple cider vinegar as a rinse. Apparently there's an "ew ick" phase where your hair gets pretty gross before your scalp learns not to produce as much oil, but then it's smooth sailing. I haven't worked up the courage to try that... I like my shampoo thankyouverymuch.... but in a truly apolcalyptic SHTF I guess it's something to keep in mind. I use it in lieu of toothpaste sometimes, and a thick paste of baking soda and water takes the pain out of ant bites like *that*.
I 've been using baking soda in place of shampoo for over a year and it works great; cleans your hair squeeky clean, doesn't dry your hair, and doesn't leave that perfume smell. As for the eek factor, you don't really want to stop producing hair oil which is necessary for good hair health. I've used baking soda to brush my teeth since I was very young and the only time I use toothpaste (or shampoo) is when I travel. I have found that the TSA agents much prefer to see a little tube of Colgate to a vial of white powder. In my experience, if something can't be cleaned with baking soda, it should be cleaned with vinegar. If it can't be cleaned with vinegar, add baking soda. If that doesn't work, it isn't worth owning
I couldn't find soda bi-carb in the place that my eldest son's family is house sitting when the owner's dog decided that it wanted to pee on a cushion....I found some cream of tartar powder and dusted that onto the wet patch to absorb the moisture and odour. It seemed to work well....with no lingering odour. Potassium bitartrate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eh I didn't mean it would stop producing it completely. The contributors/reviewers of the article said that they went through a period where their hair just looked bad, real oily and dirty feeling. Then it would adapt. Said that your head actually overproduces oil when you use shampoo, and it has to relearn how to produce a normal amount again when you stop and that can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months according to all the comments. Then everyone said their hair was awesome. I have super thick, very dry hair that will easily go a week without any greasiness... fact I have to put macadamia nut oil in it to keep it from being too dry, so I keep thinking I might give the baking soda a try.
Oh another use for baking soda. If you raise sheep or goats, sooner or later you will wind up with bottle babies. Put a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in every bottle and you will never lose one to bloat. It works as an antacid for them. The sooner you can get them on cold bottles the better too. I also made a lick out of 1" PVC pipe with a Y at the bottom, filled with baking soda. The adults will learn to go lick it when their belly starts to bloat.
Great Ideas ! Pictures Ms DW of the goats antacid straw please , im hung on the Y at the bottom . Peroxide & baking soda for tooth paste & straight peroxide for a quick mouthwash. TSA removed our tube of tooth paste because it was 4 oz and 118ml tube , bought special at huge $/oz ,Was told requirements allotments are 4oz or 100 ml WTF .. TSA After taking that , telling the wife & I that because of that violation , they had grounds to do separate searches on our bodys as well. Flying in personal aircraft there is no TSA or any real checks, TSA is the governments BS control.I'm surprised at the stuff i see transported in 3 class air carriers. (Not drugs folks , hunters are the funkiest) Sloth
'Fraid I don't have them any more, sold my last sheep and goats when I got married and sold the farm. BUT, it's the same as these chicken feeders, just with much smaller PVC. Though now that I think about it the larger PVC probably would have worked better. I was always having to go and chisel out the opening because it had caked up solid.
I buy baking soda in the large bags at Sam's Club because of its many uses. Even if I wasn't prepping, I'd still use it just to save money. Baking Soda - 20 Uses
Thanks DW! That's a 45 degree Y with the straight end blocked off. The picture makes a ton more sense now. I'll have to tell my mother about the chicken feeder idea, maybe it is better than the long troff laying on the floor of the coop. What is that 2" or 2 1/2" PVC?
I originally used 1" but would probably go with 2" if I had to make another. I don't know what they used in that pic, that's not my feeder. I built a similar one to it using 2 1/2" inch dropping down from a 5 gallon bucket that holds the chicken's feed, but instead of a Y it uses an elbow joint that looks more like macaroni than an angle, going into a horizontal pipe that's saddle cut to act as a trough. That part is about 6" off the ground, resting on a cinderblock because I've yet to get in and attach it to the wall of the coop. The feed jams up in the bend though so we're debating going to the Y or switching to bigger PVC. Returning from hijacking: I've read that putting baking soda under your sinks and around the lower windows will repel roaches and ants. Also, if you butcher your own chickens, you can put a few tablespoons into the scalder and it will not only help loosen the feathers but make the skin nice and white. (never tried that one, might be a wive's tale)
