The Financially-Irresponsible Choice: Bar Soap or Body Wash?

It is the eternal question. Ok, maybe not as serious as that, but still…what type of soap lasts longer in the shower? Is it bar soap or body wash? Which is cheaper in the long run? Which is more frugal?

What Type of Soap?

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Of course, everyone has favorites, but in an eminent frugal Internet forum, a member asked others about their experiences and what type of soap makes the most sense economically.

In a time where making our dollars and even our pennies work best for us, every little bit helps. Is it the way that you shower? Is it the heat of the water? How vigorously do you scrub? We hope to get the answers.

Hair Makes a Difference

woman with hair sticking straight up
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The most popular answer contained a confusing and challenging question. Does gender affect how much soap you use? The commenter stated that while bar soap seemed to last longer for her, her husband found it necessary to use body wash.

She wondered, “Is he snacking on it in there? I’m afraid to find out.” Other people immediately jumped in with valuable and hilarious responses. For example, using bar soap on body hair makes it degrade faster.

Invest in a Soap Bag

bar of soap on a soap bag.
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As one stated, “Hairy bum has entered the chat.” The commenter came to a conclusion based on advice from others that she should buy her husband a soap bag as it helps soap last longer because contact with body hair uses bar soap faster. A critical piece of advice was to wash the soap bag regularly to avoid bacterial growth.

Price Makes a Difference

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Some users were much more in favor of bar soap over body wash because of the price and because bar soap comes with less packaging and is, therefore, better for the environment. Using bar soap with a loofa sponge was highly recommended, and people suggested loofa bags where you can place a soap bar. Ultimately, bar soap got high marks for lasting longer from the loofa fans in the forum.

Body Wash Differences

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An excellent comment mentioned that body wash could have been more economical initially. According to this person, built into the cost of each bottle of body wash is the cost of shipping the bottle, which is larger than a package of bar soap, the bottle itself, and the water content in the bottle, which ranges from 60 to 80 percent of the bottle’s overall weight. These facts make bar soap a much more economical choice.

They Love Dr. Bronner’s

woman pumping out liquid soap on blue background.
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A fan of the brand Dr. Bronner’s soap claimed that it is so long-lasting that a bottle lasts about a year when they use it. While that may seem a little fantastic, you must remember that Dr. Bronner’s is a concentrated soap that needs diluting before use, which another pointed out later. However, some brand fans preferred the bar soap version of Dr. Bronner’s soap.

Keep Your Soap Nice and Dry

toy, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel and soap, isolated on blue
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Some fans of bar soap make the point that if you aren’t careful to ensure that the bar of soap is kept out of the spray of water from the shower, your bar of soap will likely disappear much sooner than you realize it will.

Speaking of fans of particular brands, one mentioned that a bar of Irish Spring, which costs about ninety cents, lasts them for over a month. In addition, numerous responders said washcloths are valuable in making soap last longer, whether using a bar or shower gel.

Soap Wisdom

view of woman holding soap with foam.
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According to one commenter, Dial Springwater body wash was the most economical soap for their family of four, provided that you use the amount that one pump dispenses rather than pumping the bottle multiple times.

Other users agreed that how long the body wash bottle lasts depends on how the person dispenses and uses the liquid soap. If you pump use more than the recommended amount, the bottle will only last for a short time. That is wise to remember, no matter what soap you use.

This thread inspired this post.

This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.

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