Octagon Soap. I found some at the Food Lion in Cynthiana, KY not too long ago and bought 2 bars. One the packaging it says it is good as a laundry additive as well as for dishwashing and other things. I have been using it around the house here and I love it. It has a lemony scent that is more pleasant and natural than the chemical aroma the Fels Naptha contains.
I have used it to wash dishes, and Octagon Soap really does cut the grease! It doesn't lather as much as traditional dishwashing liquid but I am very pleased with the results. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and no intestinal discomfort like I had when I tried using Ivory Soap to wash dishes.
I've got some Fels Naptha here, and while Fels used to advertise in days gone past that you could use it for washing dishes, I'm not sure I want to put that to the test. I know that it no longer contains Stoddard Solvent but I gather it still contains petrochemical ingredients so that is a concern of mine. Has anyone tried using Fels as a dishwashing soap?
Octagon Soap costs less than Fels Naptha (the bars I bought were priced at $0.79 each) and overall seems like it is more versatile than Fels. I have yet to try it in the laundry however. I plan to do that when I make some more laundry soap, but I have a lot of it on hand right now and don't want to get overstocked..
I believe that I will try to keep the Octagon on hand, by stocking up the next time I go to Cynthiana since I can't find it in Paducah KY. Has anyone seen it around here or perhaps over in Brookport Illinois? I believe that it is not only less expensive than Fels but just a tad safer to use...