# Using Charcoal Soap (and Rose and Orange Blossom Water). **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855 "2019-11-23T03:24:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/1 "2019-11-23T03:24:50Z")
I recently bought charcoal soap. I bought it at the Dollar Tree because it caught my eye. It is Irish Spring brand though. What is it used for? I guess I can tell you all, I use deodorant soap. For the past 15 years or so I have had a problem with under arm odor, even when I wash regularly. And I do a variety of things to deal with it, including using Irish Spring. And I recently got rose and orange blossom water, this time at a local grocery store. Again it caught my eye. I remember 25-30 years ago I got this book on really old English recipes. And they used rose/orange water a lot back then, possibly due to the tainted taste all food had pre-modern refrigeration. I should also tell you, in metro Detroit (where I live) we have a very sizable Arab population. And I think that they use both a lot. Again I was hoping you could help me find a way of using them. Thank you in advance for your helpful replies:). :):):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/2 "2019-11-23T04:08:45Z")
I think “charcoal soap” is just a normal bar of soap with activated charcoal added to it, and you can just wash your face with it as usual. Genuine “carbolic soap” is mildly deodorant/antibacterial, but also potentially more irritating due to the carbolic acid. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/3 "2019-11-23T04:41:25Z")
I thought about the flavoured water, and I suppose you could use it in sweets, if you like baking. Add some to your cookies or macaroons, or ask your Arab buddies what they like, to get some ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/4 "2019-11-23T09:43:28Z")
For the flavored waters, there are a number of Indian sweets which use one or the other. For me, a little rose water goes a long way, so make sure you use only what the recipe calls for, and not a smidgen more. I bake with lavendar and the first time I made something I was a bit heavy-handed with the lavendar. Oops. Try allrecipes or BBCFood for recipe suggestions. I generally favor cakes or quick breads as they are also easy to share with coworkers. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/5 "2019-11-23T10:20:12Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > And they used rose/orange water a lot back then, possibly due to the tainted taste all food had pre-modern refrigeration. I’m not sure where you got the strange idea that people ate rotten food before refrigeration. Or that orange or rose water might mask a rotten taste. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/6 "2019-11-23T13:48:11Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I’m not sure where you got the strange idea that people ate rotten food before refrigeration. Or that orange or rose water might mask a rotten taste. It’s a really common urban legend (that medieval people spiced their meat to hide the rotten taste). It’s false, like you said (rotten meat will make you sick and the same is true of humans centuries ago) but man, this one sticks around! ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/7 "2019-11-23T13:49:47Z")
I love using rosewater for [Arabic coffee](https://www.food.com/recipe/arabic-coffee-with-rose-water-484898). The combination of rose and cardamom is really good. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/8 "2019-11-24T03:15:47Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > I love using rosewater for [Arabic coffee](https://www.food.com/recipe/arabic-coffee-with-rose-water-484898). The combination of rose and cardamom is really good. Quick question: do you have to refrigerate rose water after you open it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/9 "2019-11-24T13:02:52Z")
If it’s necessary (or even just recommended) I imagine it would say so on the label. Is that printed in English? Any directions on the back? ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/10 "2019-11-24T17:38:48Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > It’s a really common urban legend (that medieval people spiced their meat to hide the rotten taste). It’s false, like you said (rotten meat will make you sick and the same is true of humans centuries ago) but man, this one sticks around! Also, if you could afford spices,you could afford fresh meat ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/11 "2019-11-24T18:37:20Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Quick question: do you have to refrigerate rose water after you open it? 🙂 I never have. It’s fine on a shelf. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/12 "2019-11-24T19:02:19Z")
I’ve had a number of rose water desserts, made by friends from various south Asian countries, and offered to me as the greatest treat. I feel terrible because I hate the flavor and find it nauseating. Orange flower water is barely tolerable as a flavor, but exquisite as a fragrance. Reminds me of being a military kid in Spain, and how the Spanish kids always smelled deliciously of orange blossom water in the mornings on the school bus. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-charcoal-soap-and-rose-and-orange-blossom-water/843855/13 "2019-11-25T01:46:48Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > If it’s necessary (or even just recommended) I imagine it would say so on the label. > > Is that printed in English? Any directions on the back? It’s got English, French and Arabic script on it, with an American nutritional though. No directions or suggestions are given. BTW I think I bought it at Kroger, if that helps. 🙂