Stay away from soap slime bacteria

We’re often asked why our ACEQUIA Bodycare line includes liquid soaps and washes but no bar soap. The truth is that fewer and fewer people are using bars of soap, and there’s a good reason to avoid solid soaps.

YouBeauty.com went to Elaine L. Larson, Ph.D., associate dean for research and professor of epidemiology in nursing at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health to put it into prospective. “Germs can and most likely do live on all bars of soap, but it's very unlikely they will make you sick or cause a skin infection. Generally, those with a compromised immune system are really the only ones who should be extra cautious and stick to liquid soap. If you are healthy, your body will have no problem fending off the germs.”

But, who really wants to coat their skin with the bacteria that lives happily in bar soap "slime,” then have to fend it off with antibodies? Not anyone we know. Is it just me or does sharing a bar of soap with family members feel like sharing the same toothbrush? Yuck! Even if we have many of the same microorganisms, I’m not likely to want your body fluids or follicle fallout on my soapy sponge!

And, for just a moment, let’s talk about that pouf or sponge sitting there chillin’ in your shower or tub. It’s a breeding ground for bacteria, mildew and mold. When you’re finished with cleansing, rinse the soap out of your sponge and hang it to dry. Even under the very best circumstances, you should replace it every three to four weeks.

Experts suggest washing bath towels after three to four uses, while the recommended washing of hand/face towels is every two to three days, especially if sharing with other family members or guests. (I personally would not consider sharing. Who wants someone else’s toothpaste spread across their freshly cleaned face?) Bath mats need cleaning every one or two weeks.

So, there you have it. Bath-time rituals require our attention. An old, shriveled bar of soap is never as attractive, effective or sanitary as hygienic, self-contained liquid soap. Cleansing should always be about decontaminating our bodies in a wholesome way.

#soap #barsoap #bacteria