Bathing in dettol

[Pinkerbells]

So I was chatting to my friend about what we were doing after work, (we work in a restaurant), and she said she was going home to have a dettol bath. I though she was kidding as she has a bug, but no. Turns out she has a 45 minute soak in dettol every night, then changes the water and has a 45 minute bath in 'normal' bathwater. Is this a thing??????? AIBU to think that's so bad for your skin and fufu. Dettol's website (of course) say it's fine, but surely your killing germs bad or good.

savlon as in the cream?

Its this stuff
www.dettol.com.ng/products/antiseptic-liquid/dettol-antiseptic-liquid/

Not some kind of dettol multi surface spray.

We have some of the above, bought in Boots pharmacy in the plaster and bandage section. We don't use it often but its great as an antiseptic. I think its a capful in the bath. Usually use here if anyone has a blister or cut on foot, then they run a shallow bath, add dettol and sit on the edge with foot soaking 10 mins to help prevent any infection.

savlon as in the cream?

Liquid Savlon.

I hope this was exaggerated but I have a memory of somebody's husband insisting that she should have a bath in a strong Dettol solution before he would consent to any physical intimacy. It caused her some problems with skin sensitivity when he insisted that she try Lysol.

In some families, it seems to be a folk memory/hangover from the days when Dettol/lysol was used as a form of birth control.

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lysols-vintage-ads-subtly-pushed-women-to-use-its-disinfectant-as-birth-control-218734/

By extension, some people used it in the days of communal lavatories in an attempt to neutralise exposure to STDs (remembering the myths around contracting them from lavatory seats):

www.thestdproject.com/contract-std-from-toilet-seat-so-false/

I used to put a glug of dettol in my bath when I was pregnant...it was just my thing I LOVED the smell !!,

My Nan used to put it in our baths and so did my exh.

Mw had me in salt baths after dd1 I had stitches she is an early 90s baby so were not turfed out after four hours

The smell of dettol, imperial leather soap and vosene shampoo! Then sitting in front of the gas fire. A 70s childhood Sunday night right there!

The toilet paper stamping is where you fold over the end of the toilet paper roll into a point and then press it on the damp end of the tap which makes a stamp. I am not sure if you are supposed to redo this every time you use the toilet.

Are you sure this wasn't a dream you had?

I'm also more fascinated by the toilet paper stamping thing. So you end up with a slightly damp folded end of toilet paper with a vague circle imprinted on it? But whyyyyyyyy?

No healthy person needs disinfecting!

The smell of dettol, imperial leather soap and vosene shampoo! Then sitting in front of the gas fire. A 70s childhood Sunday night right there! this brings back vivid memories except ours was a coalfire where the nightie had been laid in front of so you could drop the towel and put on a warmed nightie, ahh can almost feel my grandma's hands buttoning my nylon dressing gown too

not dettol, but bleach baths. for someone with a nasty skin infection.

Good way to change the bacterial flora of your body and contribute to the rising problem of antimicrobial resistance

Bleach baths are another level

We had it in baths as kids if we were scuffed and scraped. I only remember matey at Christmas. Never done it as an adult but had salt baths after giving birth/stitches. Diluted bleach baths used to be recommended for eczema.

@GCAcademic now that I can understand. Hospitals are filthy places.

90 mins a day in the bath?

Liquid savlon was the cure in our house - the smell as it hit the warm water and turned it all milky white

DH loves it if I use dettol as rinse aid on his bath towel - it's the North/South divide in action in our house

redsummershoes Yes, have heard of bleach baths for treating skin infections. Its similar quantities (I think) to what's in a swimming pool so not harmful and kills any skin bacteria that are causing repeated infections.

Dettol baths for adults (barring skin infections) would make me think OCD.

@TwoGinScentedTears

I just did one of those laughs where snot flies out of my nose

I just remembered now that we also used to have dettol baths on a Saturday night!

What I can't get over is that she spends 90 mins in the bath every night!!!!

I'd forgotten dettol baths!!
When I had DS I was told not to attempt a bath until I was healed up. My friend who had her baby the same time was told to have a bath with witch hazel in it.

So many of you saying you had them. I was born in the 60's and my parents orother family members ever suggested dettol baths. The only thing we used it for was cur or scraped limbs.

I love the smell of dettol

Doesn’t it sting the lady garden? 😱