There is method to this madness. Although Zote is a little stronger than generic bath soap it is still mild enough to be used by most people. It is made from from beef tallow and coconut oil that are neutralized with caustic soda during the soap making process. It also contains salt (sodium chloride), glycerin, oil of citronella, optical brightener and dye. It contains no abrasives. It is the oil of citronella that makes it smell a bit lemony but not overpowering. It is said that the oil of citronella also acts as a bug repellent but I am not so sure about that. I haven't repelled any bugs with it yet. For washing clothes, especially things like sweaters, delicate garments, and underwear, this stuff can't be beat. It works very well on tough to clean spots like shirt collars and cuffs and it can also be used as a spot remover. You dissolve half a bar in two quarts of water and boil it down into a paste. You then put the paste over the stubborn spot or stain and put it out in the sun to harden. Then you just lift off the paste and the stain will come with it. Save what you didn't use for the next time or use it in your washer.
This soap has other uses as well. It seems to be the "WD-40" and "duct tape" of the soap world. Some people also use it to wash dishes. They even say that the pink Zote makes excellent catfish bait. I don't intend to try fishing with it but I do intend to keep bathing with it at least until something falls off. Anyway, if you've never tried it you ought to give it shot. It comes in two sizes, 400 grams and 250 grams but most people just buy the 400 gram bar and cut it in half if they need to. When the bar becomes too small to grasp comfortably you save it and when you have a bunch of pieces like this you can dissolve them in water to make liquid soap. You can also use Zote in your washing machine by grating it. Clothes washed with Zote seem to stay fresh longer. You can really brighten dingy clothes by soaping them up and then putting them in the sun for awhile before rinsing them. Maybe we should have a contest to see how many things we can do with Zote. In any case I'll bet that the winner will come out squeaky clean.
33 comments:
This is great! I've been living in Mexico for nine months and haven't used Zote because I've no idea how to. I am totally going to run out and get some now. Thanks!
I have only seen the pink and white Zote. The pink is my favorite. It works great for getting those hard to remove stains from my childrens' socks. There is always a bar of Zote above my lavadero!
oh, I absolutly have to have some NOW! That gives me reason to go to Ranch Market this weekend.
How great Bob. Unfortunately we don't have that here. It does sound like a great soap though. At least your squeaky clean. Have a great weekend.
But is it bio-degradable ;-)
We get it in 200 gram bars here in Xico.
Do I have to boil it to a paste to remove stains or can I moisten the stained area and do a direct application of zote?
Calypso,
Bio-degradable? Hmmm, I don't know for sure. I think so. I will put a bar on the back fence and see if it biodegrades or whatever. The people in Xico probably buy it in 200 gram bars because they have small hands :)
Amber, Leslie, and Chrissy,
Thanks for the retroalimentación (feedback).
Alice,
If the stain isn't a real humdinger then all you have to do is rub some Zote into the stain after wetting the cloth and then put it out in the sun for awhile and then rinse. This works fine for most stuff. For a really stubborn stain use the paste method.
Wow Bob, you could be 'el portavoz oficial' for the folks that make Zote.
Hey, Bob, if you get this post translated into Spanish and send it to the Zote people I bet they'll send you a case of the stuff! Or at least that's how it works in the States.
Just pass by to peek- But can't leave w/out leaving my footprints.
Great blog to read. Very educational & interesting. Keep writing. Ur good, indeed!
Have a nice w/end!
What a coincidence! We were just in the valley area of Texas and I purchased two Zote bars at the flea market, because I hope to someday try to make a batch of homemade detergent, as per a recipe on a well known 'green' blog. I do have a question for you. Have you ever heard of a tree, and I'm not sure if this is the name of it, but I asked a guy at the flea market, and he said he'd heard of a tree called 'Jaboncillo" which smells just like the Zote soap. I know because my Sister has the tree, we just don't know the name of it. The guy said it's also called 'Canelon" because the bark shreds a little like cinnamon bark. I ♥ this tree and want to find one for me. And the leaves really do smell like Zote soap!
In the past, people used "Octagon" soap bars like this in the U.S. It's a pretty effective soap, no particular smell, just "soapy"! I'm not even sure if it's made any more.
I got my Rosa bar of Zote on Saturday. I have cut off a small hunk for the shower. Very easy on the skins as well as aromatic.
Bob I was wondering if it's not too forward....if I could beg you for a bar of ZOTE and of course I would pay you. Do you Zopose you could send me one and I will forward the money to you.Please let me know otherwise I have to wait until yaya's trees if she ever finds them bear fruit to make soap.
Bob I just found out it is available here in the US at Mexican stores or at Mexgrocer.com. Thank you very much.
Wow! Glad you caught me Gloria. I was just about leaving for the post office with a bar of Zote for my favorite artist :)
Wish I would have read this earlier, we have some horrible stains, (we thought were oil from the washer but found out it was from the fabric softener) And I cant get them out for anything. I will be looking for Zote when I go shopping tomorrow.
hi a friend told me that when she went to Mexico a dermatologist told her you can use Zote to help with eczema outbrakes I just found it and I am gonna use it on my 4 month old, hope it works
Don't worry laly. It is very mild and it won't hurt.
You know, they have Zote at Albertsons. At least in the DFW area.
This is a great blog! I was researching uses and what stains Xote sill remove & ended up here! An FYI for all in the US, or at least Southwest/Mountain West US: Zote may be available at your local WalMart. I live in a very rural area of Northern New Mexico with long Spanish history and heritage, and his soap is readily available at several stores even in our town of 16,000!
Home Depot carries the soap now!
I have just made my 3rd batch of Zote-based detergent and I love it. Here is the recipe I use and it uses about 2 heaping tablespoons per washload.
2 cups Borax
2 cups washing soda
2 cups finely grated Zote
Mix together and there you are. i pay $1.09 per bar here in Seattle. This is very economical and works very well. My grater is finer than a standard cheese grater so the soap will dissolve well in the washer.
I finally found zote at a Mexican store. Can't wait to try it out. It is less expensive than either Octagon or Fels Naptha here. If it does what it says on the stains I will be hooked. Thanks!
Great info, Thanks Bob! I recently learned from a fellow baseball mom that Zote is great for removing the 'orange' baseball dirt from baseball pants. Especially the WHITE ones! Where were the fashion police when someone decided that white is good choice for baseball uniforms? Anyway, I finally found it yesterday at BIG LOTS and I can't wait to try it! Did I really just say that? I can't wait to do laundry? Yep! It's the little things that make us Moms happy.
The main reason I want to respond was to share my knowledge of soapmaking with you. I am a soapmaker and I make it from scratch. That means I take the oils and/or fats and mix it with the 'caustic soda'. Caustic soda is more commonly known as Lye. Caustic Soda, Lye and Sodium Hydroxide are all the same thing. 'Caustic' soda sounds so horrible doesn't it? Well, before it's mixed with oils and/or fats and turned into soap, it is an extremely dangerous substance. But, that's how soap is made. The resulting soap is not harmful at all. I can't speak for all soapmakers because it is possible for ingredients to be off and pH levels not being where they should be, but obviously the Zote people are professionals, eh?
The oils and fats all have different uses and good for different things. I have actually rendered my own beef fat or 'suet' to make tallow and then use the tallow in the soapmaking process. In case you're wondering, I ordered the suet online. You can get almost anything these days. Awesome.
Yes, citronella is a natural bug repellent. It sounds like a chemical, but is an essential oil. All natural.
The only things to worry about in using Zote as a bath soap would be an allergic reaction to a natural ingredient OR a reaction to the dye or optical brightener (whatever that is!). Zote also contains perfume, probably a synthetic. Glycerin is a natural ingredient as well, actually a by product of the soapmaking process. Sodium Chloride is used in a purification process, which I'm not familiar with.
Well, that's probably more than you wanted to know, but I put it in anyway!
Wow Laura! Thanks for the soap lesson. I didn't know all that before but now that I do I will appreciate my Zote more when I shower with it in the morning. By the way, you are a super writer :)
You are very welcome! And thanks for the compliment....must learn to proofread...doh! Thanks for the laundry tips!
Ok so it's safe for dish soap? YESSS!! Been wondering this for a few days I LOVE ZOTE!! I found it at walmart for 97 cents! I plan to go by a TON more now that I know what all you can use it for! Thank you so much for this post!
I use Zote for laundry detergent with this recipe
1/3 bar Zote
1/2 cup Super washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
2 gallons Hot water
Melt soap in hot water and mix in the rest. Use 1/4 cup per load laundry. I buy all my ingredients at Walmart in Florida.
Thanks for sharing that Amanda!
I love this stuff!! Hard times can turn you to doing some creative stuff and I now make my own laundry soap and I use ZOTE for face wash now and I love it but I do have to use a moisturizer. I recommend this product to everyone! GREAT BLOG BOB!!!
Thanks Jen! You made my day. I am happy that you are happy :)
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