Grooming and Hygiene
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Tfar - u couldn´t be more off track. Hand washing jeans is the original way of doing it. We just don´t do it anymore. If u ever saw a pair of LVC´s from around the late 18th / early 19th century you would see how well that work for the old gold miners. Besides that - with a hand wash u have a chance to clean dirtier spots more directly, gently massage the soap in verses to just applying it like a film in the washer.
The actual wash in the washer is more or less just to rinse the jeans as good as possible. I´ve washed about half a dozen of jeans this way - and I was always surprised how big a difference it is to just throwing them into the washer dry and dirty. But than again - my jeans are always super dirty, cause I don´t wash every week.
We can do anything
http://bybeatle.com -
Beatle, that's exactly what I'm saying "hand wash". I didn't say machine. Read the post again.
Although, if you have a good machine, the machine will do probably an even better job. I agree that hand wash is best to get particular spots out, too.
What I doubt is that it is a good idea to do a wash while wearing them for the reasons I outlined. But I see that your method includes taking the jeans OFF and then washing them like you normally would and rinsing them freely. So that's good. Essentially there is then just a difference in time spent and in the question of rubbing versus kneading. I'd prefer kneading.
The way washing works is that the agitation breaks up dirt from the fibers. The water helps to quell up the fibers and float the dirt. The dirt will then bind to the surfactants of the soap. In the rinse the dirt is washed out together with the water and the fiber is cleaned. Thus flotation and good water flow is very important as is agitation. Remember those images of women kneading the laundry in the water. That's exactly the action you want.
http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/17624.aspxNow for some historical points:
Since Levi's claims on their site to have created the first blue jeans in 1873 (late 19th) it is unlikely that anyone will ever see a jeans (especially and LVC) worn by gold miners in the late 18th/ early 19th century. But that's just hairsplitting, of course.
http://www.levistrauss.com/Heritage/Even the gold rush, if you are referring to the one in California, started only in the mid-19th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush
The reason people would wash clothes on their body is sheer practicality stemming from necessity. They might not have a tub where to wash them. It might be their only clothes and it might not be possible to take them off for washing. So they wash them in the river on their body. Yes, it will work. Is it the best method in terms of cleaning effect? Certainly not. Definitely cool but also definitely a bit ineffective and certainly not recommended in terms of hygiene, especially if you wash the jeans rarely. Same reason why the recommend to wear fresh underwear daily, especially for women.
I hope that puts me back on track squarely. Ahem, railroad building also only really took off in the mid-19th century. Partially inspired by the gold rush.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Transcontinental_RailroadTill
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@tfar:
Huh? Why wouldn't I approve? Did I ever say anything against Dr. Bronner? I own and use it myself. Good stuff. Not too expensive, natural, works well, smells good. What's not to like? Why shouldn't I approve?
Sorry Till, you wrote in post earlier that Dr Bronners was basically just Castille soap. I assumed (incorrectly) that you had a better/cheaper source of Castille soap..G
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@tfar:
Huh? Why wouldn't I approve? Did I ever say anything against Dr. Bronner? I own and use it myself. Good stuff. Not too expensive, natural, works well, smells good. What's not to like? Why shouldn't I approve?
Sorry Till, you wrote in post earlier that Dr Bronners was basically just Castille soap. I assumed (incorrectly) that you had a better/cheaper source of Castille soap..G
Oh, that's why. That wasn't meant negatively at all. Sorry for the confusion. What I meant is that it is not some magic formula. It is very priceworthy. Castile soap isn't really cheap. And the Bronner stuff is on the refined side of things. So I approve fully of you carrying it. Not that it matters.
I don't remember what a bar costs here in the local super market. I think it was between three and four dollars but I can look it up. It is also good for a long time. I still have 1.5 bars of Bronner and a half bar each of another Castille soap which was about $8 per bar and an Aleppo soap which was $7-8, IIRC. I have bought both of those in a small store called Seil Marschall in Ravensburg. IH heads would love that store. Mostly hand and custom made products from England with some from the US, Germany and Italy thrown in for good measure.
Till
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@simon626:
So around how much is some of this majick soap going to cost? I'd be interested in buying from you Giles
Simon, As with a lot of things, stuff is often cheaper in the US that it is in UK/Europe. I could actually buy some of this stuff from a store in US for less than the European wholesale rate (it is an American product). So, I think it may be the sort of stuff that a US customer will pop in the shopping basket when they are buying some clothing, for the sake of convenience, but if you just wanted some Dr Bronner stuff on its own it is likely to cheaper for you to buy it locally. Giles
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Giles, if it's cheaper here retail than what you pay wholesale, I bet you could pass an order with everyone coming to visit you from the US to bring you some soap, you dirty old man.
Of course, that might not nearly be enough in quantity but at least it helps a little bit. If ever I visit you, I'll be glad to bring along ten bars or so. As I said, it will cause suspicion in security, so more than ten bars might get hard to explain.
Suppose one were to promote Beatle's method, it would be quite cool to send a soap with each pair of jeans as a little freebie and to get people hooked on other products from Bronner which you could sell.
Cheers,
Till
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Funny you should say that Till. Mrs G and I started taling about popping some Doc Bronners in with every pair of jeans we ship about a week ago. I have coming from the US 1000 small sachets and Mrs G ordered a few travel size bottles, to tide us over, and they arrived this morning.
It was only after thinking of popping them in as free gifts, that I started talking to the Doc Bronner wholesaler here about becoming a stockist.
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Well. Great minds do think alike. So the little blue thing on the right is a sample pouch of liquid soap? That's pretty cool. Probably safer to pack with the jeans than one of the bottles, not to mention lighter and cheaper. I guess that one little sachet like that is easily enough to give a pair of jeans a good wash. Might be even enough for a double wash. Two thirds of the contents for the first wash. Then rinse, then wash again with one third of contents. Rinse again. Dry.
I haven't tried their liquid products yet but the bar soap is really nice. For body and hair the lather is really very nice. For shaving, as I said, it is not ideal but gets the job done. Try it out and let us know what you think.
Just for fun, an Indian friend of mine swears by Irish Spring soap. Super classic product. Not really bio-anything. He left me two bars. I actually really like it. It is a deodorant soap and it clearly works for killing any sweat smell one might have. Smells good, too.
Otherwise, a fine sandalwood soap is something very luxurious.
Till
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Doc Bronner's are available practically every 5-feet in Oakland. I've got Whole Foods, Piedmont Grocery, and several health food stores all walkable from my home – and they all stock Doc Bronner's. But believe it or not, it's also available very cheap from amazon.com. I'm an Amazon Prime member (1 day shipping for $2) so it pays for itself with heavy items like Doc Bronner.
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I am gonna have to try this stuff at some point… One day some pair of my denim will be washed (No I do NOT smell!).
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That made me laugh…poor Paula - in my head I picture u stepping on stuff all the time...
We can do anything
http://bybeatle.com -
Well, it's true, I am a bit accident-prone… At least trashing a few bottles of liquid soap won't be as expensive as last time I trashed the car (and then a few days later G's laptop). Just gotta keep well away from G's new Aero jacket...!
Have Dr B travel sizes in peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, almond, baby (unscented), lavender - from memory that's probably about it.
All, let me know what you want to sample and it will be sorted!
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wow- Beatle makes a switch from peppermint to eucalyptus - still have some p and a new smell would be cool
We can do anything
http://bybeatle.com
