# What is the real world risk of sharing bar soap? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393 "2014-03-11T00:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/21 "2014-03-11T11:39:47Z")
Wow, this thread is a real eye-opener. I would never have dreamed that people would be squeamish about sharing bar soap. Skin is a pretty effective barrier. It’s crawling with all manner of pathogens all the time. When you use soap, you lather up and _wash it off_. Seriously, did none of you grow up in a house with a shared bar of soap in the bathroom? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/22 "2014-03-11T12:27:59Z")
Wait, y’all don’t wash your soap prior to use? I’m the only one who uses soap cleaner? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/23 "2014-03-11T12:29:44Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I know this isn’t the GQ answer and not really what you’re looking for, but as I tell my teenaged son when he “forgets” to smear the bar soap on a washcloth and use that and instead he just rubs the soap on his body, and then I use the soap after him (albeit on a washcloth), that’s essentially like we’re rubbing our naked skin all over each other. Not a very attractive scenario between mother and son, no, but it’s true. So think of yourself rubbing your naked skin against the naked skin of hundreds of other campers- even if you don’t contract a nasty infection from it, is it really something you’d want to do? To me, this is more of a “ritual purity” type explanation than a actual scientific one. I mean, I’d use a pillow my son had used, and I think more skin flakes probably transfer on a pillowcase than on a bar of slick, ever-dissolving soap that is rinsed off each time it is used. And we are talking about hotel mini-bars. No bar is going to be used by hundreds of people–maybe a dozen, before it’s gone? ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/24 "2014-03-11T12:35:09Z")
Hippies use soap? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/25 "2014-03-11T12:47:16Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Wow, this thread is a real eye-opener. I would never have dreamed that people would be squeamish about sharing bar soap. Skin is a pretty effective barrier. It’s crawling with all manner of pathogens all the time. When you use soap, you lather up and _wash it off_. > > Seriously, did none of you grow up in a house with a shared bar of soap in the bathroom? Yeah, but that’s a bar that you and your family use. You already share the head lice or whatever, when that happens - in other words, you know what they do or do not have. (My mother had outbreaks of oral herpes when I was a kid; during the outbreaks she used a kept-separate washcloth and towel and wouldn’t kiss us near the mouth.) I think **WhyNot** is trying to cover all the bases - yes, there will be a lot of “dirty hippies” there, and yes, there will be some sex going on. What she surely doesn’t want is to unknowingly create some kind of horrific case study where, say, a thousand hippies get MRSA from communal soap. (Or, say, pubic lice transferred to kids! :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/26 "2014-03-11T13:05:11Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > May I ask who “this group” is? > Where do you collect 1800 hippies, whether dirty or clean? 🙂 > I haven’t heard the word “hippy” for 30 years. > > Why are they all going camping together, and forgetting to bring condoms? And where?—1800 people in one place is a bigger-than-average campground. “This group” is the population for which the question applies. There are several neopagan/alt lifestyle/ecowarrior friendly festivals around the country of this size, or even larger. The campground is 180 acres. There’s plenty of room. (1800 was actually the peak population, reached a couple of years ago; it’s declined a bit since, but you never know when attendance might spike again.) We do have some of the original, honest to goodness hippies, as well as many free spirited young people who were too young to enjoy The Summer of Love, or weren’t born yet. I call them (us) hippies because it amuses me to do so. But there are all kinds of attendees, many of whom - most of whom - remember to bring their own soap and have desk jobs and mortgages back home. You’re welcome to come as well, if you promise to bring soap and shoes. Why don’t people bring band-aids? Or menstrual pads? I have no idea why people go camping unprepared. Perhaps because they know I’ll have much of what they need for them if they “forget” it. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > There’s a charitable operation that donates used bar soap from US hotels to third world countries. They use 2 methods of sterilization, depending upon how used the bar is. \ Thank you! Perfect! > [@Inna\_Minnit](#): > > Hippies use soap? If you bring it, they will lather. 😉 > [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I think WhyNot is trying to cover all the bases - yes, there will be a lot of “dirty hippies” there, and yes, there will be some sex going on. What she surely doesn’t want is to unknowingly create some kind of horrific case study where, say, a thousand hippies get MRSA from communal soap. (Or, say, pubic lice transferred to kids! ) Exactly. The donation basket sprang up last year before any of the organizers was asked, and it was well received by the community. This year, we know it’s coming, and so it needs to be addressed by the safety and first aid crews, as is everything else that could potentially influence the safety and well-being of our attendees, from food safety to bonfire safety. This is part of the work that goes into running a festival. We worry about this stuff now so that we have a response ready before the gates open. And I’m proud of them for asking me to look into the science of it - in the past, things have sometimes been allowed or disallowed based on the gut feelings of whomever shouts loudest at the meeting. This is better. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/27 "2014-03-11T13:15:29Z")
If you need to provide a bar soap, maybe you could either: 1. Cut off dry slivers with a potato peeler and offer those as dry single-use slivers. [You could even have fun with them.](https://twirlingbetty.wordpress.com/tag/soap-confetti/) 2. Hang the soap in a nylon net (the kind oranges or onions come in) from a nail next to the wash basin. That way the wet soap does not lay fermenting in its own little slimy soap pool on the edge of a wash basin. And the net discourages anyone taking the soap with them in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/28 "2014-03-11T14:07:13Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > If you need to provide a bar soap, maybe you could either: > 2. Hang the soap in a nylon net (the kind oranges or onions come in) from a nail next to the wash basin. That way the wet soap does not lay fermenting in its own little slimy soap pool on the edge of a wash basin. And the net discourages anyone taking the soap with them in the shower. I love this idea, and I’m totally going to do it at the handwashing stations near the toilets. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/29 "2014-03-11T14:27:37Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I know this isn’t the GQ answer and not really what you’re looking for, but as I tell my teenaged son when he “forgets” to smear the bar soap on a washcloth and use that and instead he just rubs the soap on his body, and then I use the soap after him (albeit on a washcloth), that’s essentially like we’re rubbing our naked skin all over each other. Not a very attractive scenario between mother and son, no, but it’s true. So think of yourself rubbing your naked skin against the naked skin of hundreds of other campers- even if you don’t contract a nasty infection from it, is it really something you’d want to do? If your son offered some of his food on his spoon for you to try, or some of his drink with a straw, would you try it? I mean, people’s tongues and lips touch straws and spoons… it’d almost be like you’re making out. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/30 "2014-03-11T14:40:54Z")
Who in the world rubs the bar of soap all over their body? You either rub it on the washcloth, and use the washcloth on your body, or get your hands soapy and use your hands to wash. The idea of rubbing a bar of soap all over yourself seems about as appealing as rubbing a smooth rock all over your body, which is to say not at all. And most soap dishes are made to drain (in our shower the soap sits in a rack) and dries pretty quickly, no danger of “fermenting”. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/31 "2014-03-11T15:30:39Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > No cites or ideas either way, sorry, but perhaps a suggestion: > > You could slice the bars into individual slices and place those in buckets. That way you take one little slice into the shower with you and use that up, all for yourself. I do it when travelling, so I’m not carrying wet soap. Why not just use your shampoo as body soap? Soap is soap for the most part. [I actually use my Dr Bronner as body soap and shampoo, I have butt length hair that is quite lovely and has no split ends though it has not even been trimmed in almost 5 years now … but even way back when I did use shampoo, I never bothered with separate soap, just used shampoo to wash my body as well. The only time I use liquid soap is in the hand washing soap foamy pump by the sink, I like the way the hand soap smells that we pick up at [Lush](http://www.lush.com/) or [Villainess](https://www.villainess.net/).It is worth doing the shaving to get soap leaves.] ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/32 "2014-03-11T15:59:46Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > To be realistic, the question is whether that is more sanitary than not using soap at all. > > Because that’s what the OP is asking – for people who come without any soap, is it a good idea to provide them with soap, even if it’s previously been used by other people. That’s the technical question, I’m sure. But there may be social side effects…providing soap may cause others to not bring their own. If infections can be transferred by soap, then there will be more people at risk. Also, there could be a liability issue. Not providing soap might leave the liability on the person taking the shower. Providing soap might leave the liability on the hosts. I don’t know if either of these apply to **WhyNot** ’s situation. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/33 "2014-03-11T17:13:38Z")
Liquid soap, as far as I’m concerned, would be vastly worse, assuming there’s some sort of community sponge, or “poofy thing” involved. Not that I believe sharing soap is a problem anyway. You rub it on and wash it off. You don’t eat it, inhale it or inject it. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/34 "2014-03-11T17:19:08Z")
Absolutely no community sponges, washcloths, towels or poofy things. Frankly, that’s one thing I trust my gut about and don’t need evidence for! Any items like that left behind are thrown out. Liquid soap I’m inclined to allow, but people will have to use their hands or their own application devices. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/35 "2014-03-11T17:34:53Z")
My wife ran Girl Guide (girls aged 10 to 13 + some teenage helpers) camps for many years. Our’s were ‘proper’ camps, under canvas in a field with minimal facilities. Washing was done in a small canvas cubicle near the toilet tents. We provided the soap in a stocking for them to use if they wanted. Most girls hated them and some washed very little apart from their hands for the whole week. We did usually arrange for them to go swimming in a municipal pool and they were supposed to shower before they went in. No girls caught anything nasty or suffered any other ill effects from this arrangement. We did have cuts and bruises, and even the odd broken bone, but mostly they went home happy, dirty and, after all that fresh air and exercise, hungry. I do applaud the OPs question though. My gut says - no soap. Let them bring their own, borrow from their friends, or do without. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/36 "2014-03-11T18:09:26Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Why not just use your shampoo as body soap? Soap is soap for the most part. > > [I actually use my Dr Bronner as body soap and shampoo, I have butt length hair that is quite lovely and has no split ends though it has not even been trimmed in almost 5 years now … but even way back when I did use shampoo, I never bothered with separate soap, just used shampoo to wash my body as well. The only time I use liquid soap is in the hand washing soap foamy pump by the sink, I like the way the hand soap smells that we pick up at [Lush](http://www.lush.com/) or [Villainess](https://www.villainess.net/).It is worth doing the shaving to get soap leaves.] I wouldn’t mind doing that, only I use shampoo for psoriasis and it’s either prescription or expensive, in both cases I’d rather not use it for my pits. I could of course just buy shower gel, but soap is a lot cheaper and I think it’s lighter too. I suggested it for **WhyNot** mainly because I got the impression that the soap would be donated, so there wouldn’t be much choice there. I also kinda like the feeling of going in with your shaving of soap and not coming out with anything! 😛 (I heard about the Dr Bronner soaps on these boards before, they look so exciting! Come to Europe, Dr Bronner!) ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/37 "2014-03-11T20:33:32Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Who in the world rubs the bar of soap all over their body? I rub the bar of soap all over my body … and I mean _all over_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/38 "2014-03-11T21:39:14Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Who in the world rubs the bar of soap all over their body? You either rub it on the washcloth, and use the washcloth on your body, or get your hands soapy and use your hands to wash. The idea of rubbing a bar of soap all over yourself seems about as appealing as rubbing a smooth rock all over your body, which is to say not at all. Whut? I find the idea of rubbing bar soap far more appealing than first transferring soap to either cloth or hands then using those. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/39 "2014-03-12T00:22:23Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I was a little incredulous when I read this. OK, I get that a mother and son wouldn’t want to be _“rubbing our naked skin all over each other”_, but come on… He lived inside you for nine months, and, presumably, in close proximity ever since. Give the kid a break - even smelly teenagers need hugs. He gets hugs, trust me. I’d just rather not take something that he’s just rubbed all over his genitals and feet and use it on my skin. Have you _smelled_ his feet?? I realize I’m a bit more phobic about bacteria, viruses and fungus than many other people. But that’s what happens when you work as a dermatological medical assistant- if I call 5-10 people a day to tell them that their cultures came back as a skin infection, and 6 other people in my office are doing the same, and several people in similar offices all over the country are doing the same- aaah! It’s enough to really freak you out if you think about it. Or if not freak you out, and least make you think. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393/40 "2014-03-12T09:21:53Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > If your son offered some of his food on his spoon for you to try, or some of his drink with a straw, would you try it? I mean, people’s tongues and lips touch straws and spoons… it’d almost be like you’re making out. And what does sharing toilet seats mimic? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-real-world-risk-of-sharing-bar-soap/683393.md?page=3)