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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU: handsoap?

111 replies

Dottdoo · 03/03/2022 02:24

What's the view?

Is it unreasonable to switch to a bar of soap instead of pump dispensing handwash in bathrooms and kitchen? I made the switch in our ensuite and it's lasted yonks. Plus no plastic to throw away and storing bars of soap is easier. I'm converted.

But I can't help thinking would guests be thinking 'ewww no hand-wash in the bathroom only a bar of soap, this is disgusting?'

Plus is a bar of soap as hygienic for washing hands in the kitchen?

YABU - ewwww gross, save the planet but do it with clean hands at least and without weirding out visitors
YANBU - it's soap - does the same job, do it! I might do it now too! Or/ I already do this.

OP posts:
AlmostAJillSandwich · 03/03/2022 02:28

Nothing wrong with a good old bar of soap, as long as you don't let it go all dried out and cracked, that's when it gets icky.

HirplesWithHaggis · 03/03/2022 02:30

Bar soap is perfectly fine for hand washing in both kitchen and bathroom, but it does need a dry soap dish so it doesn't turn to sludge.

PinkSyCo · 03/03/2022 04:14

We managed to wash our hands in other peoples houses/public toilets without throwing up before the invention of hand wash didn’t we?

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 03/03/2022 04:32

@PinkSyCo

We managed to wash our hands in other peoples houses/public toilets without throwing up before the invention of hand wash didn’t we?
This is what I was going to say. Don’t think liquid hand soap was common until when - 1990s?

As an adult, we reverted back to bar soap about 5 years ago to cut down on plastic waste.

Myturnatlast · 03/03/2022 04:49

I have both so people can make their own choice

pompomseverywhere · 03/03/2022 05:01

I'd prefer liquid hand soap in other peoples houses so both would be a nice idea.

Notagoodnight · 03/03/2022 05:05

We have both. DS turns bar soap to sludge and DD just does like the feeling, I get huge 5l bottles and top up nice china pumps.

Newestname002 · 03/03/2022 05:08

I went back to proper soap during lockdown one as using the hand-wash dried my skin out so much. The soap lasted longer as well. As another PP said just ensure you get a good soap dish with a drainer so the soap doesn't sit in water/soap sludge. 🌹

labyrinthlaziness · 03/03/2022 05:12

Seriously?

The person washing their hands in your house is going to touch your taps, light pull, door handle etc after washing their hands. The soap is neither here nor there. Soap does a specific job.

Of course bar soap is fine. Those buying bottled soap are suckers IMO, it's just a waste of money and plastic.

isthismylifenow · 03/03/2022 05:26

How often do you have guests?

If you're changing for you own reasons, I don't really see the issue. There is soap available to wash hands with. Surely your guests aren't expecting a spa experience in your bathroom.

As long as the previous person rinses the soap off and puts it back on the soap dish, it's not going to go all manky.

I only have bar soap and never had it crossed my mind that a visitor may not approve.

echt · 03/03/2022 06:48

The only thing I have against bar soap is coming back to the bathroom after guests have been and gone, to find it bone dry. Liquid soap concealed their filth from me.

Clearly it’s a guest, not a soap issue. :o

KindlyKanga · 03/03/2022 06:56

I've got to admit I find it ew to use other people's bar soap, unless it's a brand new one. I don't know why. I guess maybe becuase I don't know where they've rubbed it or how long it's been left there. I would do as PP said and leave a squirty one especially for visitors.

gogohm · 03/03/2022 07:00

I have bar soap in all the bathrooms/downstairs loo but a refillable pump dispenser in the kitchen for hygiene eg handling raw meat

londonrach · 03/03/2022 07:03

Love my bar soap... smells so good. Yanbu. Saying that I do have liquid soap in the kitchen as it's easier with food prep x

Lonecatwithkitten · 03/03/2022 07:04

I switched to bar soap for several reasons

  1. It's less drying to hands
  2. It's cheaper, yes bars can be more expensive, but they last far longer. I buy really nice stuff in sales.
  3. It is far more environmental sound less packaging per wash and less foaming agents.
  4. It's better for our digestor as we are not on mains sewage.

I have Joseph Joseph soap dishes which prevent sludge

Carpetmoth · 03/03/2022 07:04

We have bar soap but I have liquid soap that I bring out of the cupboard when we have the occasional guest.

stuntbubbles · 03/03/2022 07:07

We have bar soap and it’s never once occurred to me to think about it, nor would I bat an eye at soap in someone else’s bathroom. It’s soap. It’s inherently clean.

Rosehugger · 03/03/2022 07:08

You could get a refillable hand soap dispenser to reduce the plastic.

Mindymomo · 03/03/2022 07:08

I use bar soap, but other 3 family members use the liquid soap. I fill it up every week, large 750 ml bottle, my soap lasts weeks. I asked family to use bar soap, but no they still use liquid soap.

Juno22 · 03/03/2022 07:22

I'm amazed that people have any issue with using bar soap for hygiene reasons. It's just soap!

HoppingPavlova · 03/03/2022 07:23

The only thing I have against bar soap is coming back to the bathroom after guests have been and gone, to find it bone dry. Liquid soap concealed their filth from me.

I’d be your nightmare. I won’t use them, my personal risk assessment is it’s cleaner not to, unless I’ve done a No2 which seem to be reserved for mornings after rising in my own home with liquid hand wash.

You could use the historical argument, I mean once upon a time bars of soap were used in hospitals but it doesn’t wash (ha ha) these days, you would never see a return. In my early days, talking several decades ago, I did see studies re bars of soap vs pump pack liquids and it was enough for me to swap over to liquid at home and convince my parents to do so also. No idea whether that’s all been debunked since or not? Still stands though, if I pee’d at your house, that bar is not being touched.

GeneLovesJezebel · 03/03/2022 07:26

I just turn the bar under the running water a couple of times to get rid of the top layer before I actually wash my hands.

HMBB · 03/03/2022 07:27

We use ecover lavender soap in dispensers - I take a large bottle to a refill station every few of weeks. Haven't bought a bottle of soap for years now.

We also have hard soap bars which we use in the shower but a refillable shower gel bottle for guests, as I wouldn't expect them to use our soap on their bodies!

I find the soap refill price reasonable but the shower gel really expensive (about £1 for a 100ml which is way more than a bottle of showers gel in Tesco) so to avoid all of those plastic bottle we moved to soap. We also tried shampoo bars for a few years but in the end moved to refillable shampoo bottles as my hair was just not nice and they can cost a lot.

shrunkenhead · 03/03/2022 07:32

We use soap bars as wanted to reduce plastic. They last ages and can be cheaper than bottles of handwash.
We got some lovely white ceramic soap dishes from Wilcos that don't look cheap and drain well.

Chloemol · 03/03/2022 08:30

I have both,