r/onebag • u/Fenna7 • Jul 24 '18
Gear How do y’all feel about Dr. Bronner’s soap, if you use it what for, and laundry: how do you do it if a laundry mat/service isn’t available?
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Jul 24 '18
[deleted]
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u/FlippinFlags Jul 25 '18
I've gone back to bar soap around two years ago and can't see going back.. doesn't leek and lasts WAY longer than liquid.
Plus the bonus of rubbing the bar against the dirty spots etc.
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Jul 25 '18
Bar soap doesn't dry easily, which is a problem if you keep stuffing it in your backpack.
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u/Jaffa_Cake_ Jul 25 '18 edited Jul 25 '18
Bar soap is good, but so is powder. (In Asia) It’s easy to pick up really small bags or single use sachets of laundry powder that works even in cold water. Bit of a soak for 10m then plenty of rinsing.
We had very few issues drying laundry for years in SEA, we were almost entirely in hotels or apartments and had our own wet bathroom and often balconies.
Occasionally went to the laundrette with the thicker stuff and sometimes used laundry service in India.
Both powder and bar soap are better than liquid when flying anywhere.
Edit: I said we went to the laundrette sometimes with ‘thicker stuff’; well, when we did that I should clarify we could fit in all the clothes we weren’t wearing at the time as well as packing cubes, toiletry bags, day bags, the lot! So going was a bit of an event. It happened when I got fed up of rinsing the thicker stuff every now and then.
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u/iter_facio Jul 24 '18
I use it on both work trips (To keep my garment count low) and on personal trips, in conjunction with a Sea to Summit dry bag.
Add two or three items (usually that day's clothes) in the bag prior to a shower, spend about 1 minute moving the clothes and rubbing (like a agitation cycle). Then close it up and let it sit and soak in the soap for 10-15 minutes (the length of the shower).
After, Just one more agitation cycle, and then rinse them out. Done!
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u/knitwasabi Jul 26 '18
My 82 yo dad has always done his travel/work clothes this way when he's out in the field, except he puts them on the floor of the shower, does a normal shower and rubs the clothes with his feet, rinses them while in there, and then hangs up. He always looks good.
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Jul 26 '18
Yup - I do this.
Chuck them in first, so they get wet as the shower reaches the right temperature. Add soap, turn over with your feet, and stomp away while you shower. Rinse at the end, and a few stomps with the water off to help dry.
Works brilliantly, doesn't hog the sink, and kills two birds with one stone.
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u/jeremyvaught Jul 25 '18
Do you keep that dry bag to this single purpose, or do you use it for other purposes in the mean time? Also, does it gather any residue over time?
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u/iter_facio Jul 25 '18
90% of the time, it is used for this single purpose. I rarely am out and about where my stuff can be drenched, but if I am, I will put it inside there and seal it up.
Furthermore, The lining of those bags WILL degrade. Friction against a chemically sealed fabric will degrade the coating, and leaks will happen.
I just plan on buying a new one of those every year or two. They are fairly cheap online, and really, I don't care if it leaks a little; as long as it (mostly) holds the laundry soapy water for those 15 minutes, I am good.
I wonder if you can reapply the coating somehow. I have not looked into that.
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u/simply-jake Jul 24 '18
Lol, this sub and asking questions that are super relevant to me...
I just bought some Dr Bronner's yesterday for the first time (Peppermint scent) and tried it out in my newly purchased Scrubba washbag (which unfortunately leaks, I'm currently talking to them about a refund/replacement). It smells amazing! My clothes smell so nice after being washed and rinsed. I only used about 4 or 5 drops based on a previous thread in this sub, which seemed to do the job.
I haven't used it in the shower yet. I might try it tonight. I'm hoping it can replace body soap, face wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream and laundry powder. That's 500g weight savings right there if it can!
I really don't like the insane religious rambling on the label though. I looked it up and apparently, no money is going to any religious organizations or cults or anything like that, so I guess I'll keep buying it.
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u/_idkmybffjill Jul 25 '18
Watch for PH levels in products on your face! It’s highly alkaline, meaning it might be drying and stripping to use daily. Maybe traveling is fine since it’s a short period of time.
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u/Single-Log-1101 May 02 '23
A dermatologist also mentioned the coconut oil in it can clog pores. I used it for years and started having horrible cystic acne (likely hormones) but after a wash with the bronners I'd do a ACV rinse on my face
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u/Semisonic Aug 06 '18
I'm hoping it can replace body soap, face wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream and laundry powder. That's 500g weight savings right there if it can!
I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s for a few years now. Here is my opinion on how that breaks down:
- Body soap - Yes.
- Face Wash - If diluted.
- Shampoo - Sort of. JR Liggett’s is better, IMO.
- Conditioner - No.
- Shaving Cream - Sort of. Bar form lathers better.
- Laundry Powder - Yes
I recommend the solids. You’re limited in how much liquid you can carry on a one bag scenario, and using it for all the things (esp laundry) will blow through it pretty quick. I also feel like I get A TON more mileage out of the bars than I would out of an equivalent volume of the liquid Dr Bronner’s.
At present I travel with a bar of Dr. Bronner’s for hand/body soap, a few mini bars of JR Liggett’s for shampoo, and a tube or two of coconut oil for skin moisturizer/leave in conditioner/sexy times.
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u/teatii Jul 25 '18
definitely not good for conditioner (unless you're using the actual Dr bronners conditioner). it is VERY drying so really only good if you have incrediblt oily hair. it's a no-no for curly hair or hair that needs lots of conditioner.
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u/Fenna7 Jul 25 '18
I got some of the leave-in conditioner (Dr. Bronner’s) and used both the soap and the conditioner tonight. I’ll report back...
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u/Mr_Spleeeeeeee Jul 25 '18
!RemindMe 16 hours
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u/Fenna7 Jul 25 '18
So I tried the bar soap in my hair during my shower and the hair creme conditioner/styling product after. NOT a fan of the way the products made my hair feel. The leave in conditioner is much more a “styling product.
I’m disappointed. I will sometime try the way hey recommend on the soap, which is to use their soap, then use their hair rinse (it only comes in citrus for some reason and I had peppermint scented soap, I didn’t really want to mix the two), then a small amount of the leave-in conditioner/styling product.
I may try the soap again in my hair but use my own leave in conditioner and see how it fairs.
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u/Mr_Spleeeeeeee Jul 26 '18
Dang, it would be really cool to have a soap that works for laundry AND hair. Hair seems to be the one thing the universal soaps cant quite nail
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u/Fenna7 Jul 25 '18
I’ve looked at the Scrubba bag but saw that other people just used like a regular dry bag. Good to know about how many drops to put in! I myself just got some to try - I got the bar soap and the liquid to try both. Peppermint also! Smells great.
I'm hoping it can replace body soap, face wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream and laundry powder.
This is exactly what I’m hoping to do!
I’m glad to know money isn’t going to any crazy religious thing. I haven’t read all the stuff on the labels. 🙄
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u/jeremyvaught Jul 25 '18
The Loksak I mentioned. They last me a few years each of heavy (this is how I wash my clothes most of the time, even at home). Amazon has them ~$12 for a 2 pack.
Sounds like the dry bag is also a solid choice based on what I'm reading here.
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u/local-made Jul 24 '18
I like it for just about everything except shampoo. It really made my hair feel like sandpaper. Otherwise great soap.
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u/Fenna7 Jul 25 '18
Thanks! I’m trying some out in my hair and heard the stuff made hair dry, so I got some leave-in conditioner to see what that will do (also Dr. Bronner’s)
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u/roseakamom Jul 25 '18
Rinsing with vinegar helps to balance the ph of your hair and alleviate some of that.
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u/Meuterei Jul 27 '18
I wouldn't mind hearing an update when you decide if you like/dislike using the soap and leave in conditioner...
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u/Fenna7 Jul 27 '18
I hated the way my hair felt after using Dr. Bronner’s soap and his leave in conditioner/styling product. My hair still felt like straw and it was quite unmanageable. I used just the soap with my go-to Garnier leave in conditioner and my hair felt totally gross and gunky. Just blech. It also stripped the toner out leaving my ash blonde hair more yellowy. It may work for some people but ew ew ew it did not work on my hair. And my stylist said that only color safe shampoos should be used on dyed hair otherwise you get... not what you want. Hope this helps.
TL;DR Dr. Bronner’s soap+Dr. Bronner’s leave in conditioner/styling product did not work on my hair. Dr. Bronner’s soap+Garnier leave-in conditioner did not work for my hair.
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u/scottsullivan Jul 25 '18
I’ve used it for body/hair/travel laundry for years! I love the stuff, but my wife used it on her hair one day and her hair got destroyed, so it depends on your hair I guess.
As for sink washing clothes, it’s been covered EXCEPT for rolling your clothes up in a towel and stepping on the rolled towel to pull the water out. It’ll dry it 2x faster.
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u/jeremyvaught Jul 25 '18
I love Dr. Bronners.
I hand wash 90% of the time. I just find it easier and convenient.
I wear all Merino Wool shirts and undies so this works especially well. I keep on me a 12"x12" Loksak. It's basically a super durable ziplock bag. Sinks are unreliable, but I always have my Loksak.
Even when do go to the laundry mat, I use Dr. Bronners in the machine with some baking soda. Works amazing.
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u/dimm0k Sep 09 '18
I was wondering for the laundry mat how much Dr. Bronners do you use then? I hear 3-4 drops is plenty for a dry bag, but what of machines?
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u/jeremyvaught Sep 09 '18
I give it a small squirt. Probably a teaspoon to a tablespoon. I only use the small front loader machines. It's perhaps more than is necessary. It's hard to tell. :)
fwiw, I've also started switching it up in my hand washing with Sal's Suds (A building biodegradable detergent by Dr. Bronners) . After multiple months of using only Dr. Bronners castille I start to get residue. But the Sal's Suds blows out the reside from Dr. Bronners.
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u/bigbadbuff Jul 24 '18
It's the only soap I take with me when I travel. A standard travel size bottle can easily last a month. My favorite is the hemp and tea tree scent.
For laundry: do it in the sink, or wash them the same time you're in the shower. Agitate the clothes and rinse it thoroughly. Squeeze the clothes to wring the water out then roll in a dry towel to remove even more. Hang to dry and you're good.
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u/Fenna7 Jul 25 '18
Thanks! Do you use Dr. Bronner’s soap for laundry too or something else?
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u/bigbadbuff Jul 25 '18
Yep. Dr. Bronners for laundry too. Just use it with the method I or others have listed.
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u/dorkface95 Jul 25 '18
IIRC it has a super basic pH and isn't really "healthy" for skin. For most people, I'm sure it's fine, but I have super sensitive skin, so I avoid it.
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u/xelferz Jul 25 '18 edited Jul 26 '18
I'm using the same setup as most people. Plug the sink, fill it with water, bit of soap and scrub your clothes.
Unfortunately, they do not sell Dr. Bronners where I'm from, so I am using Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash instead. Which works just fine.
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u/Kenatius Jul 25 '18
Dr. Bronner's is incredible. I even use it to brush my teeth.
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Jul 25 '18
Whats up the the weird religious rants on the label??
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u/justasque Jul 25 '18
Basically, the guy was nuts. But it's good soap. There's an interesting documentary on the guy (and his son) that's worth watching. Here's a brief Wikipedia article on him.
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u/WikiTextBot Jul 25 '18
Emanuel Bronner
Emanuel Theodore Bronner (born Emanuel Heilbronner , February 1, 1908 – March 7, 1997) was the maker of Dr. Bronner's Castile soap. He used product labels to promote his moral and religious ideas, including a belief in the goodness and unity of humanity.
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Jul 25 '18
https://web.archive.org/web/20070312054730/http://www2.jsonline.com/news/sunday/lifestyle/0608bronner.stm this has some interesting info about his life and his rants.
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u/Shaom1 Jul 25 '18
Yeah that shit is creepy. Just asked my gf if we should trust the stuff the other day since I had never really taken notice.
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u/MeowWhat Jul 25 '18
It is weird but the overall vibe given out isn't hateful. I use their coconut oil in my smoothies and it's solid.
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u/MrsGaillard Jul 25 '18
Before you assume it's going to be too harsh for you make sure to dilute it way more than you think you should. It's ridiculously concentrated.
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u/Hagglepoise Jul 25 '18
Honestly I don’t like it that much. I find it pretty harsh and don’t love the scents they have, so instead I use whatever olive oil bar soap I can find for everything.
To do laundry, I swish the bar around in the water until the water looks soapy, then hand wash my clothes like normal. If anything is stained or extra dirty, I rub the bar right on the stain/dirt (eg in the armpits of shirts).
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u/shamp00zle Jul 25 '18
I tried to cut down my only detergent to doctor bronner's, but honestly, I dont like it. It doesn't lather very well, and leaves my skin, hair and dishes feeling kind of greasy after washing. I end up using twice as much as regular soap, and that isn't very economical or space saving. I know a lot of people love the stuff, but it just doesn't work for me.
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u/mustelafuro72 Jul 25 '18
May I ask an info to all people who wrote here? I was wondering if you used the dr. Bronner (liquid or solid) on merino t-shirts. Thanks for the info you could provide. As for me, I have read that the Lush solid shampoo bar can be an excellent solution too.
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u/_chris_sutton Jul 24 '18
Only soap I carry, use for everything except teeth. Lavender scent. Others described the sink laundry process well enough
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Jul 25 '18
I've used Dr Bronner's for probably 8 years now, and I use it for everything. I don't use soap everytime that I shower though, and I don't have long hair, so I don't exactly need shampoo or conditioner.
I also use it for laundry, hand soap, and doing dishes. Make sure to dilute it because of the strength, and a bottle will last a long time.
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u/EvilGordon Jul 25 '18
+1 for Dr Bronner's here. We use it at home and when we're travelling. I've cleaned my clothes, myself and even the dog with it! I'd echo all the comments about the soap bars being a lot easier to pack.
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u/732 Jul 24 '18
Never used it.
I usually wash my clothes in the shower with me. Scrub it against itself.
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u/jncc Jul 25 '18
Wasn't there something about Dr. Bronner's family being Nazi war criminals or something? Thought I read that somewhere.
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u/permanent_staff Jul 25 '18
Detergent needs to have both lipases and proteases to be effective in cold water. Otherwise the fat and protein stains won't break down as well as you'd want to.
If I need to sink wash, I'll pack a small piece of bile soap to augment stain removal. It's quite effective and a bar will last you a long time.
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u/Touch-fuzzy Jul 24 '18
Lots of hostels in South Asia didn’t like you doing your own laundry. But when I could....
Plug the sink. Fill it with water. And a bit of the soap.
Then wash each piece individually. Scrubbing it against itself. Drain the water when it gets dirty. Change the water when it’s finished and keep rinsing the clothes and changing the water until the soap is gone.
Squeeze dry, hang to dry.