Soap

One of the big things on the permaculture sites notably permies.com is the refusal to use soap for a variety of very good reasons. While I am not there yet — if ever. It is not freaking hard at all to decrease your soap or detergent use by half or more. Have you ever tried using half the recommended amount of detergent in your washing machine for a couple of times. I mean how many of us actually use a 4 inch swath of toothpaste appropriately and beautifully curled under at one end and over at the only other end to brush our teeth? I found out that a little dab of liquid dishwashing detergent in my dishwasher for one of the two cycles works wonderfully. It really only takes about an eighth of a teaspoon. Maybe less, and be really careful not to put too much in as you will end up with foam all over your kitchen floor :-) There is quite a lot of water agitation in a dishwasher :-)