04-05-2008, 08:40 PM
Tallow has very little smell (even if it is rendered fat from a goat) and the leachate from ashes is a very strong base. It is the base which does the cleaning, the tallow is the moderator. Tallow soap has been around for a very long time and survived well into the last century. Different fats have been used in later times, such as palm oil and olive oil (Palmolive soap!). The use of olive oil in bathhouses has nothing to do with soap, as it was used to soak up the grime from the enlarged pores (heat) and then scraped off. Soap would be the best bet to stay clean, skin or clothing alike. :lol:
