Dishwashing Recipe

Thanksgiving is in a few days and you know what that means. While turkey might be the first thing that comes to mind, there will also be lots of dirty dishes. Here's a recipe for automatic dishwashing powder that you can make yourself in a matter of minutes. If only making the turkey were this fast and easy!

FDA Globalization Update

The update is courtesy of Debbie May, owner of Wholesale Supplies Plus, supplier of soap and candle making materials.

Tribute to My High School Chemistry Teacher

Like many kids, when I was in school I'd often sit in class bored out of my mind, wondering what possible use I would have as an adult for many of the subjects I studied. Truth of the matter is that most of the stuff I learned in school I forgot the second that finals were over.

Junior year of high school I took Chemistry. My teacher was a very nice man, Martin Spivak. To this day I have never had an occasion to know when to drop a proton or borrow an electron. Who would have guessed, way back then, that chemistry would play a major part in my life? Soap is made by the chemical reaction of mixing vegetable oils or animal fat with a strong alkali (either sodium hydroxide for bar soap, or potassium hydroxide for liquid soap). Whenever I make a batch of soap, I like to think that wherever he is, Mr. Spivak would be very proud.

The Story Behind the Name

I wish I could say that I’m the one who came up with the moniker The Scent Lady, but I’m not that clever. The nickname was created by Vicki, an employee at the bank where we used to have our business account. When we opened the account, Solomon, the assistant manager ordered some smelly jelly room fresheners. A few weeks later Solomon introduced me to Vicki who said, “oh, you’re the scent lady!” A lightbulb went off over my head. I now have The Scent Lady as my job title on my business cards. Sure is a lot more fun & memorable than owner, president, proprietor, or CEO.