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Soap vs hand wash/shower gel.

Discussion in 'Personal' started by needabreak, May 26, 2019.


Do you use/prefer soap or hand wash liquid/shower gel?

  1. Soap

  2. Hand wash/shower gel

  3. Both

  4. Other

Results are only viewable after voting.

    ROSIEGIRL Senior commenter

    I can't bear soggy soap bars. Slimey. Urgh!

    (I know I should use them - maybe the texture/wear has improved since I gave up?)
  2. Duke of York

    Duke of York Star commenter

    For the consumer maybe, but not for the planet. Consumer convenience wouldn't be a factor if higher profits could be made from bars of soap, which incidentally they can and are, at the high end of the market. How many soap on a ropes have you seen that have liquid soap containers?
  3. border_walker

    border_walker Lead commenter

    Make your own:
    Lye Soap Recipe
    Making soap at home using traditional ingredients is much easier than you might expect!

    Soap Ingredients
    • 2 pounds fat (choose between: tallow, lard, or sustainably-sourced, organic palm oil)
    • filtered, pure water
    • lye, 0-1% excess fat (Note: Depending on the fats used the amount of lye will differ. Please run your recipe through a lye calculator for the amount of water and lye you will need.)
    ***I use locally-sourced, hand-rendered Arizona tallow for my basic lye soap and my recipe looks like this:

    • 2 pounds tallow
    • 10 ounces filtered, pure water
    • 4.4 ounces lye
    Hot Process Soap Method

    1. Measure the lye and water — each in separate bowls — using a kitchen scale. (Note: Always run your recipe through a lye calculator to be sure that you are using the proper amount of fats/oils, lye, and liquid.)
    2. Carefully combine the lye and water by pouring the lye into the water (never pour the water into the lye) and stir liquid until lye is completely dissolved. The liquid is caustic and not to be touched in anyway. The outside of the bowl will be extremely hot as well. Note: Be careful when working with lye and follow all of the recommended precautions. (Note: What I’m trying to say is, I can not be held responsible for any craziness, mishaps, explosions, etc. that may happen when making this recipe.)
    3. Allow the lye mixture to stay under a vent and cool down while you prepare the fats/oils.
    4. Measure the fats/oils by weight and then place in a crock pot to melt on low heat.
    5. Once melted, add the lye/liquid mixture to the oils in the crock pot and stir. (Note: Any equipment the lye touches needs to be neutralized in a mixture of white vinegar, soap, and water.)
    6. After a brief stir, grab your stick blender and get to work! Blend the oils and liquid in the crock pot for at least 3-5 minutes. We are working toward ”trace.”
    7. Blend until the mixture becomes a thick, pudding like consistency.
    9. Prepare your mold. I just use a standard loaf pan lined with parchment paper and it’s always worked perfectly.
    10. Spoon soap mixture into molds.
    11. Allow soap to cool and harden for 24 hours.
    12. Remove from mold onto cutting board and cut into bars.
    14. Shredded these bars are ready to be used in any of your homemade laundry detergent or homemade dish soap recipes.
  4. strawbs

    strawbs Established commenter

    liquid soap for after loo hand washing; bar soap for certain parts bodily washing; shower gel for other not so delicate parts!
  5. ilovesooty

    ilovesooty Star commenter

    Shower gel and liquid soap at home. I take shampoo bars when I travel.
  6. Wotton

    Wotton Lead commenter

    I have a liquid soap at the kitchen sink and bars everywhere else. I'm very particular about my soap as my skin dries out easily. Must look out for shampoo bars when current shampoo is finished.
  7. Doitforfree

    Doitforfree Star commenter

    You've got to be quite careful making your own soap. Too much lye and you'll take the skin off your hands!

    I made liquid soap by dissolving a bar of soap in water. From one bar you get approximately fifty litres of liquid soap. Sweet!

    I buy unperfumed soap as the fake smells make me ill. It's pretty cheap and lasts for ages. When I've used up the several years' worth of liquid soap I found in my dad's cupboards it'll be bars again in the kitchen.
  8. Mangleworzle

    Mangleworzle Star commenter

    I accidentally make soap sometimes when we have a BBQ and fat drips into the ash, I give it a poke and think hmmm... when cleaning it up, never actually tried it though.
    border_walker likes this.
  9. magic surf bus

    magic surf bus Star commenter

    Aldi basic soap bars and Sainsbury's cheapo shampoo. Fairy Liquid detergent for heavy duty handwashing.

    I don't like gloopy soap dispensers - they seem too dilute most of the time.

    Sand's as good as anything for cleaning the hands in a stream if you're out in the open.
  10. grumbleweed

    grumbleweed Lead commenter

    I use soapnut shampoo bar, I use the plainest one but there are others with nicer smells!. I've been using soapnut for laundry for a while so was happy to try the shampoo bar.
  11. frustum

    frustum Star commenter

    Me too. I thought that was why our soap bars have a dip in the top - to make it easier to mould on the remains of the old one.
    BertieBassett2 likes this.
  12. Wotton

    Wotton Lead commenter

    Do you know if the soapnuts are suitable for a septic tank/water treatment plant as we are not on mains sewage.
  13. border_walker

    border_walker Lead commenter

    Caustic soda will clean your hands by turning body fat into soap.

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