View Full Version : Bio-degradable soap
Hi;
I'm looking for a good, inexpensive, and preferably dry (bar or powder) bio-degradable soap for washing myself, and my pots. There are plenty on Amazon, but I'm not sure which ones are worth the $, and which are junk.
Thanks for your input
Arden
capehiker
08-20-2016, 23:54
Dr. Bronner's is the gold standard. Is there any particular reason it has to be a dry soap?
Dr Bronner's is available in bars. Bed Bath & Beyond stocks it.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
Dr Bronner's is available in bars. Bed Bath & Beyond stocks it.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
On shelves in their real stores.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
Sandy of PA
08-21-2016, 08:59
You can also buy direct from Dr. Bronner, I use the unscented baby soap for everything.
MuddyWaters
08-21-2016, 09:07
Dont understand the dry part, because once you use it it will be wet, and makes a sticky freakin mess all over inside of ziplock or other container.
I also dont understand the folks wanting to use peppermint scented soap on themselves, but thats another story.
Concentrated liquid is readily available, neat, no mess, and comes unscented. Even Dr. Bronners.
I might...might... use 1/2 oz of liq soap in a month on trail. No, I dont bathe. Thats what towns are for ~ once per week. And I dont wash dishes cause I just boil water. I wash my hands with a couple drops once or twice a day. It last long long time.
Thanks for the unanimous advice; so Dr. Bronners it is. The only reason I was thinking dry is that I have had various liquids leak out of their bottles, and then out of the ziplock bags they are in. That happened to me with cooking oil, so I bought a different bottle - one recommended on this forum - and the DEET, which got out of the bottle, and then out of the ziplock, only to get into my pack - lucky it was an old pack, and not my new one.
I see that there are many varieties of Dr. Bronners liquid. Any recommendations? I don't want to carry more than 4 oz.
Thanks
Arden
MuddyWaters
08-21-2016, 09:19
Thanks for the unanimous advice; so Dr. Bronners it is. The only reason I was thinking dry is that I have had various liquids leak out of their bottles, and then out of the ziplock bags they are in. That happened to me with cooking oil, so I bought a different bottle - one recommended on this forum - and the DEET, which got out of the bottle, and then out of the ziplock, only to get into my pack - lucky it was an old pack, and not my new one.
Thick liquid like soap will be less prone to leak.
Deet is horrible stuff.
Only Deet I will carry is 3M ultrathon lotion, because it wont leak.
Thin oily liquid Deet....will leak.
Lots of people buy a little pump sprayer.....horrible idea. Pressure changes force it to leak when you go up in altitude.
Even inside of ziplock, everything gets smelly and oily, and its spreads ....and deet damages plastics, synthetics, etc.
In high school I did a lot of night bass fishing near home. Deet on hands melted side plate on an expensive bass reel, and a flashlight I used.
Offshore
08-21-2016, 09:30
Thanks for the unanimous advice; so Dr. Bronners it is. The only reason I was thinking dry is that I have had various liquids leak out of their bottles, and then out of the ziplock bags they are in. That happened to me with cooking oil, so I bought a different bottle - one recommended on this forum - and the DEET, which got out of the bottle, and then out of the ziplock, only to get into my pack - lucky it was an old pack, and not my new one.
I see that there are many varieties of Dr. Bronners liquid. Any recommendations? I don't want to carry more than 4 oz.
Thanks
Arden
Go with the unscented baby soap. No need to make yourself smell like a bear appetizer...
Odd Man Out
08-21-2016, 10:06
It is a common misconception that biodegradable soap is special. It's just marketing hype to sell overpriced products to well intentioned yet uninformed campers. ALL soap is biodegradeable. Detergents and additives may not be, but plain natural soap is certainly biodegradeable. I use a sliver of Ivory soap in a baggie. It is just plain soap. It is not a good idea to use scented toiletries. Also such as ivory is cheap, ultralight, unscented, widely available, natural, and most certainly biodegradable.
Definitely the Unscented Baby. The small bottle from Dr. Bronner's is in the 2-3 ounce range. We buy it by the Quart for about $10 and I refill the small container for trips.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
MuddyWaters
08-21-2016, 12:17
It is a common misconception that biodegradable soap is special. It's just marketing hype to sell overpriced products to well intentioned yet uninformed campers. ALL soap is biodegradeable. Detergents and additives may not be, but plain natural soap is certainly biodegradeable. I use a sliver of Ivory soap in a baggie. It is just plain soap. It is not a good idea to use scented toiletries. Also such as ivory is cheap, ultralight, unscented, widely available, natural, and most certainly biodegradable.
those old enough , who are getting scarcer every day, may remember foam in rivers and lakes in 1950s because alkyl benzene sulfonate in laundry detergent wasnt biodegradeable.
DuneElliot
08-21-2016, 13:39
Just remember to carry the water away from the water source to wash the dishes and yourself!
Sounds good. I'll get the Dr. Bronner's unscented baby, or just take a piece of ivory in a baggie. As for the DEET, I am ordering the lotion for the same reason MuddyWaters indicated.
Also, I think whatever soap I get will go into my food bag, which I will hang. I wouldn't put it past those critters to go after it. Not sure about the DEET though. I don't want it with my foods, but I probably should keep it out of reach, so perhaps a second bag hanging with my food bag, or just double-bag. I've got some really tough ziplock bags, and so long as it is hung right side up, it shouldn't leak out.
Ivory soap is cheap and available everywhere. No need for special or expensive soap.
Another Kevin
08-22-2016, 14:26
In warm weather, one of the mesh pockets outside my pack gets my little bag of noxious liquids: stove fuel, DEET, soap, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, Gurney Goo, Neosporin, possibly some other medicines depending on my state of health at the time: essentially, anything that will wreck gear if it gets spilt.
Obviously, any of the above comes along only if I expect to have a use for it. For a hike in beaver country at this time of year, that means the whole list. I'm certain to need the bug spray, likely to need sunscreen, certain to want to wash my socks and my body, and need the Gurney Goo to avoid trench foot (and maybe even monkey butt if the weather is really humid).