How Many Days Do You Go through a Bar of Soap?

JaneSong on 15/07/2022 - 15:52

I've been intrigued lately about the cost of soap bars. As you may have noticed the prices have been steadily climbing and even budget soaps are now around 60c each.

So, I was pondering about how long it takes for you to go through a bar of soap. 85,90,100g. They all seem to be about the same size, so I'm just going to throw it out there. I would appreciate it if you could adjust your length of usage to 100g or something if you use larger soaps.

Generally I go through a bar of soap every 5 days. Is this normal or not?

Poll Options

  • 70
    1 day
  • 3
    2 days
  • 1
    3 days
  • 1
    4 days
  • 8
    5 days
  • 3
    6 days
  • 20
    7 days
  • 1
    8 days
  • 1
    9 days
  • 1
    10 days
  • 1
    11 days
  • 1
    12 days
  • 5
    13 days
  • 300
    14+ days
Health & Beauty

Comments

  • askbargain on 15/07/2022 - 15:54
    +16

    what is your main account's username?

    • downbythecreek on 15/07/2022 - 16:19
      +11

      DisabledUser318679 (formerly known as peeltheonion…)

    • Ggggggggg on 17/07/2022 - 10:15
      -1

      Hahaha

  • spackbace on 15/07/2022 - 15:59
    +75

    Missing the poll option - don't use bars of soap…

    • Savas on 15/07/2022 - 16:08
      +2

      Simply ignore the poll.

    • HairyChickens on 15/07/2022 - 16:10
      +36

      I like dropping them…..

    • Penriff on 15/07/2022 - 17:54
      -5

      Washing is good for your hygiene

      • spackbace on 15/07/2022 - 23:04

        Yep and…?

      • stewy on 17/07/2022 - 17:18
        +2

        and there's better products out there than bars of soap….

    • abb on 18/07/2022 - 09:52

      That poll option is available as "don't open the poll that's clearly not for you" ;)

  • Keplaffintech on 15/07/2022 - 16:00
    +42

    I use body wash. 1L lasts about a few months for 2 people.

    • Quantumcat on 16/07/2022 - 01:14
      +20

      I don't normally use body wash but when I do I like the Palmolive milk and honey one. You can make amazing, massive bubbles out of it. Rub some on skin, make an ok sign with your fingers, run it along where you rubbed the body wash, then blow through your fingers - the bubble can fill the available space in the shower until a stream of water hits it.

      • MrFrugalSpend on 16/07/2022 - 17:46
        +8

        I will follow your exact instructions and report back if this worked tomorrow.
        …. ah wait damn, I emptied this last week, now using the Balnea milk and honey knock-off - will see if it works with that!

        • DvApps on 19/07/2022 - 10:38

          Update?

          • MrFrugalSpend on 21/07/2022 - 19:35
            +1

            @DvApps: It does not work with the Balnea after 5 attempts.. I decided to repeat the exercise several times before reporting back to be sure

      • CocaKoala on 16/07/2022 - 18:46
        -2

        Thank you for the detailed instructions, but do I have to my mouth or nose? How about a giant fart? Does that count?

      • Binchicken22 on 16/07/2022 - 22:21
        +5

        This should be on the back of the bottle! I want to buy some now!

      • WhatWouldBiggieDo on 17/07/2022 - 14:39
        +2

        Sounds really sensual. Are you single?

  • tallkid123 on 15/07/2022 - 16:00
    +25

    Generally I go through a bar of soap every 5 days. Is this normal or not?

    Uhh, it might just be me here but how many people still use bars of soap? I mean, I just buy a big bottle of shower gel/body wash and that does me just fine for awhile.

    • Some Human on 15/07/2022 - 16:59
      +9

      I always thought soap did a better job and stretched further. I use the cheap soap from woollies.

      • Kangal on 19/07/2022 - 12:08

        My grandfather had this bottlecap he would press into the soap. Never knew why. He'd have two of them bottlecap soaps, and when they shrunk, he would combine them together, and get another one. I guess it makes sense, you have two hands so you should have two soaps. You never knew what you were using with the mixed one, it was crazy and if I have to describe the smell it smelt like old people. And he'd do this perpetually mixing the soap, basically forever. When curiosity got the better of me, I realised what the bottlecap was for, he had super-glued a magnet for them to rest on and not slip away when you set them down. Get this, this weird mixed soap with the bottlecap was so old, the bottlecap was rusted and the magnet had lost all of its magnetism. And even when it got tiny where you could barely rub two fingers on it, he expected people to use that, and not waste money opening a new packet.

        …am I the only one that experienced this?

    • jjjaar on 15/07/2022 - 17:20
      +36

      It’s becoming more widely used as it is plastic free as opposed to liquid body washes that come in plastic bottles.

      • cookie2 on 15/07/2022 - 20:35
        +1

        100%

      • MrFrugalSpend on 16/07/2022 - 17:49
        -3

        what is the soap wrapped in when you buy it? Some are plastic

        • OZKap on 16/07/2022 - 18:23
          +17

          cardboard.

          Even if it is wrapped in plastic, its far less plastic than a huge bottle of shower gel.

          Not to mention the possible plastic microbeads in some shower gels (or are they banned in australia?)

          • cycleri3 on 17/07/2022 - 11:51
            -1

            @OZKap: But.. shower gel plastic is recycled, the plastic the bar of soap comes in is landfill.

            • Tleyx on 17/07/2022 - 13:09
              +3

              @cycleri3: We don't recycle things in Oz

            • dtc on 17/07/2022 - 17:12

              @cycleri3: You can easily find soap that comes in a cardboard box, no plastics. The cheap 'country life' soap (or whatever its called) for example. No wrapping at all, other than the box

      • zombrex on 16/07/2022 - 22:59
        +4

        But in reality, isn't is actually the opposite
        Soap used to be more popular in the past, now look how little space soap gets allocated on the supermarket shelves compared to body wash. I suspect body wash is cheaper to make with larger profit margins.

        • Mr Haj on 18/07/2022 - 13:43
          +1

          Having to lather up your own soap is too much effort in the 21st century. Body wash is the lazy answer to soap.

    • reactor-au on 16/07/2022 - 09:59
      +3

      If you want something as natural as possible, then you can't really beat a soap bar.
      TBH, I just wish it was easy to find a plain glycerin bar that wasn't 1kg or more.

    • DingoBilly on 16/07/2022 - 14:52
      +3

      Would agree.

      Believe multiple studies have now found that bars of soap are worse for your body than liquid soap due to differences in pH. You're doing yourself a disservice using bars of soap.

      • Daniel Plainview on 16/07/2022 - 15:16
        +16

        Saying 'bars of soap are worse for your body' is like saying 'food is bad for your body'. Some is, some isn't. Cheap mass produced 'just about anything' generally is less than ideal - soap is no exception.

        And its not so much the soap thats the problem - rather that with cheap soaps, you tend not to be able to leave them on your skin as long - which folks often do as all the bubbles etc imply they're getting clean - yes, but you have to wash off pretty quick. Good soaps are more forgiving than this and have unsaponified oils & other materials in them that benefit your skin e.g clays.

        Liquid soaps - well some are 'good' others not so much and they tend to come with a bunch more stuff in them than regular soap - just check the ingredients.

        And finally - what works for one persons skin, won't for another - often we're very different and it changes with age. So someone can swear Sunshine laundry soap is brilliant in the shower, while another insists they need nothing less than a organic, vegan, extra virgin body wash. Can both be right. :-)

        • skywards on 16/07/2022 - 15:58
          +2

          I swear sunshine laundry soap is brilliant! I love the subtle lemony smell.

    • darkmoss on 18/07/2022 - 12:23
      -2

      it's a boomer thing

    • macrocephalic on 18/07/2022 - 15:49

      I find that I don't need my soap pre-dissolved.

  • No on 15/07/2022 - 16:02
    +2

    Use em once and chuck em. Can't take risks these days.

  • KaTst3R on 15/07/2022 - 16:08
    +1

    I think how quickly you go through a bar of soap really depends on the amount of surface area required for washing and quality of the soap right. Shaquille O'Neal would probably burn through a bar every 3 days if he uses that.

    Most people have already moved onto liquid soap which is more convenient and hygienic.

    • bobbified on 18/07/2022 - 16:15

      Are you suggesting OP is fat? 😋

  • iamherenow on 15/07/2022 - 16:08
    +7

    How Many Days Do You Go through a Bar of Soap

    Never. They don't have a hole. But even if they did they are too small for me.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 15/07/2022 - 16:16
    +2

    Pope on a rope anyone?

  • djones145 on 15/07/2022 - 16:21
    +1

    2 weeks approximately but so many variables
    male/female
    fat/thin
    long/short showers
    once/twice/multiple showers a day
    do you sing with your soap in the shower
    big bar of soap or small
    are you OCD? must have soap everywhere

    • Ade99 on 16/07/2022 - 07:49
      +1

      It would appear that people eat soap if it only takes 2 weeks to polish off a bar !

    • Domingo on 16/07/2022 - 15:48

      Why is male/female a factor in how long a bar of soap lasts?

      • Surtr on 16/07/2022 - 16:01
        +3

        Extra surface area ifyaknowwhatimean

  • onetwothreefour on 15/07/2022 - 16:22
    +2

    So many factors, how many people, how many showers per day, do you have young kids that like to eat them etc

    But 5 days is too quick for any bar of soap

    also you are paying too much for soap

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/671734

    • cookie2 on 15/07/2022 - 20:37

      This was from 2021.

      • onetwothreefour on 15/07/2022 - 21:18

        I'm still using them, not even half way through!

        • Daabido on 17/07/2022 - 10:31
          +2

          I shall go back in time to pick some up, along with cheap housing, and a cheap car.

  • pharkurnell on 15/07/2022 - 16:39
    +15

    I've been intrigued lately about the cost of soap bars

    You poor thing.

  • SF3 on 15/07/2022 - 17:10
    +14

    Generally I go through a bar of soap every 5 days

    You're not suppose to eat it.

  • capslock on 15/07/2022 - 18:32
    +1

    Dove soap tends to melt away after just a few uses. All others I have tried lasts for ages.

    • sssx on 18/07/2022 - 14:20

      I get about 14 showers out of a Dove bar of soap.

  • Daniel Plainview on 15/07/2022 - 19:06
    +9

    Not that I want to be 'that guy' but if you're looking for an easy new 'hobby' - making your own soap from scratch is SUPER simple and gives you a product that absolutely craps on even the best supermarket soap.

    Just about every 'mass market' soap will be full of additives and also will have had a lot of the glycerin thats made by the saponification process (when the alkali reacts with the oils) removed so they can sell it and put into other products. And the glycerin is one of the good things.

    You don't need any specialist tools and with common sense is very safe (just got to be careful with the lye mixture) - I won't go into the whole thing but I can highly recommend it as rewarding, cheap, fun and will impress others. Only downside is if you make the 'easiest' way (cold processed) you'll have to wait a month or so for the soap to harden to decent levels and also stabilise it's pH. Hot processing, where you catalyse the process with heat - makes the soap usable from a pH perspective right away but still needs to drop water so it's firm enough.

    Everything you need is either in your own home already or at most basic supermarkets (oil/fats, sodium hydroxide, water, essential oil and a mould). Look into it :-)

    • fantombloo on 15/07/2022 - 19:31
      +2

      I've been meaning to do this for so long but still not got around to it. What do you use for moulds? Can you make a big slab and cut it instead?

      • Daniel Plainview on 15/07/2022 - 19:52
        +4

        Oh it's so easy - so look into it this weekend.

        Honestly moulds can be almost anything - I'm boring and like bar shaped soaps, so I just made a simple one out of formply. But the easiest is to use a silicone baking tray (think a bar cake style) - or you can even use a metal one but then you'll have to line it with clingwrap - but thats super simple.

        Can be a disposable mould - like a UHT milk container thats had a side cut open and you've lined or a PVC piece of kitchenware thats lined with clingwrap.

        As long as you can get it out after about 12-24hrs, so that you can then cut it into bars/smaller pieces. Some folks like to use moulds that make individual soaps….really the limits are set by you.

        Feel free to ask questions - will pass on anything i can as it's a terrific lil side hobby.

        • fantombloo on 15/07/2022 - 21:03
          +2

          Thank you!

          The 1L tetrapacks is what I was thinking. A number of years ago I actually set a whole bunch aside specifically for soap making as they seemed a perfect size. But life just got too busy. Your post has spurred me on - I'm thinking of doing this soon, will start collecting cartons again from now.

          I was just gonna wash them - is the cling wrap lining really necessary? (don't mind cutting the cartons to get the soap out)

          Do you have an oil/fat preference?

          I like eucalyptus but it doesn't seem a very popular soap scent. I wonder why? Have you found any scents / oils that just don't work well?

          • Daniel Plainview on 15/07/2022 - 21:57
            +5

            @fantombloo: Thats cool - is good karma to help folks with such a project.

            Umm the cling wrap is handy on certain moulds, notsomuch on others. Stops the soap smell getting into something you might want to use for another purpose or if it's not an alkali friendly mould. Also makes it easier to get out as you can pull the wrap - I once put soap in a PVC tupperware without film and it was very hard to get it out.

            For those tetrapacks, dunno are they lined with 'foil' type stuff or a plastic film? Prolly ok if the latter - as you can just cut it out if needed.

            Umm yeah oil/fats mix is where the magic starts and if we've spent this long discussing moulds in tetrapacks, you can only guess how long that would take.

            Eucalyptus? Ummm well I have a bunch of the oil but never used in soaps. It's very bold and a tad harsh IMHO. Plus when you factor in how little of the essential oils you'll use, often others that are a tad more are well worth it. You won't impress folks too much with euca soap - but patchouli and orange is something else. Scent blending again is a whole shabang to itself.

            Ummm well scents are very personal - so euca might be brilliant for you. Certain scents last better in soaps, as it's a robust chemical process to make them which kills off a lot of the scent. But generally I've been pretty lucky - but I play it pretty mainstream with lavender + XXX. You try and have a base, middle and top note oils - find a few that compliment each other and you're on a winner - but you just copy well known commercial ones that you like - easy to check any boutique soap store.

            IF you're super keen - PM me and I'll drop you my phone number, I would be happy to pass on a bunch of tips/tricks to get you on a quick start - much easier than writing. :-)

            • fantombloo on 16/07/2022 - 13:05
              +1

              @Daniel Plainview: TY. Final question- what's your answer to the poll? (Do you think you use more soap since you enjoy making it? (one reason why I stopped making beer many years ago)).

              • Daniel Plainview on 16/07/2022 - 13:16
                +2

                @fantombloo: @afoveht , thats cool. I'd say 14 days+ - but honestly it's not something I monitor closely as it's so cheap to make and make well.

                Ah yes, you do use it more - as it's a noticeably superior product - even when compared to good boutique soaps.

                I make beer as well - though I really don't drink much of it - think I enjoy the process more.

          • juki on 16/07/2022 - 20:56

            @fantombloo: eucalyptus will make me think of covering up poo in a hospital, maybe thats why it isnt popular

            I have never tried but would using a kids juicebox be a good mould for a bar or even those liquid brekkie boxes

      • Some Human on 15/07/2022 - 20:34

        I'm thinking cupcake pan

        • Daniel Plainview on 15/07/2022 - 21:45
          +1

          Yeah you could - but thats not going to hold much soap. Ideally you want to do a decent sized batch as there's more margin for getting measurements wrong. e.g 1g extra of Sodium hydroxide isn't a big deal in a 1L batch, whereas in a 200ml batch it might cause issues.

          But I can see that that could work fine - as mentioned I like bars, but loads of things will work fine - look around your kitchen and you'll see plenty.

      • redfox1200 on 17/07/2022 - 12:46

        What ever you do, don't use black mold

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 17/07/2022 - 08:15
      +2

      Thanks Tyler Durden.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/07/2022 - 19:45

      This post intrigues me. I like doing my own stuff out of curiosity and pleasure of using something that I made.

      Do you know of any YT videos or blog posts that describe or show the process in more detail?

    • meong on 17/07/2022 - 20:36

      Reminds me of Fight Club…

  • ihbh on 15/07/2022 - 19:24

    Do you use all of the soap or do you roll the left over bits into a bar or ball to use to the end?

    • Some Human on 15/07/2022 - 20:35
      +1

      Mine gets rubbed into the sponge until it's gone.

    • dust on 15/07/2022 - 20:56

      That's a pube sandwich.

  • USER DC on 16/07/2022 - 01:19

    HAHA just shower less if you really wanna increase the no of days per soap bar

    Or shower twice a day if you wanna decrease no of days per soap bar

  • Adredocto on 16/07/2022 - 03:58
    +5

    Every 5 days?? You eating the soap or something?

  • 82norm on 16/07/2022 - 07:52
    +2

    Use Solvo, that should last you at least another 5 days.

  • Stevek1960 on 16/07/2022 - 08:32

    I use QV bath wash 1lt

  • SBOB on 16/07/2022 - 08:33
    +2

    Depends how often I use curse words……

  • singingwolf on 16/07/2022 - 09:15
    +1

    Australian Botanical Soap, 8 x 200g Natural Triple Milled Soap Bar Pack (Sea Salt) https://amzn.asia/d/6lEp84X

    These last ages. They are very large.

  • saltypete on 16/07/2022 - 10:08
    +1

    Gone from soap to the liquid stuff now as it leaves less residue in the shower. Took a year or so to use up the various soaps we had….

  • Mark1159 on 16/07/2022 - 12:49
    +2

    I kept stats on this and other toiletries during covid lockdown.
    Soap is a Lemon Grass 200 g bar form Colesworths. On special sometimes at $2.80
    RRP $4
    Shower daily - used something else for hand washing.
    Shortest was 20 days
    Longest 52 days
    Some of this driving around Australia when I could so consider Perth water etc
    Average 30 days with 7 bars 200 g each so 15 days for 100 g
    I like the lemongrass. I know the No name is much cheaper but in true OzB fashion refused to compromise during lockdown.
    Did buy a budget pack but stopped after a week. Miles cheaper but distributed the rest across the storage compartments of my cars so I may be towel free at roadside stop - yuk - but not soap free.
    Bottles no good cos I fly a lot - airport security.

    Kept details on Floss, shavers, toothpaste, deodorant - stick v aerosol, lip balm and shaving cream.

    Not a lot to do in Covid Lockdown and supermarket savings were a “game” were allowed to leave home for.

    BTW, I only put 98 in my V8 Mustang GT. Compromise some lifestyle choices - not others

  • TransportPosters on 16/07/2022 - 16:08

    We (4 people) use supermarket brand 1L body wash for handsoap, shampoo, washing in the shower and getting food stains out of clothes. Does everything. I buy another one about every 3 months.

    • Shiny Mew on 17/07/2022 - 21:08

      Which product exactly?

      • TransportPosters on 17/07/2022 - 21:52

        The $4 ones at Coles, Aldi and Woolworths.

  • dlakers3peat on 16/07/2022 - 16:12
    -2

    I didn't know bars of soap are still are thing. Liquid soap all way for our household, and it has been that way for many years.

  • Herbse on 16/07/2022 - 16:13

    Reject Shop has always been the cheapest for me

  • Homr on 16/07/2022 - 17:18
    -1

    lol bar soap are so yesterday, it's shower gel nowadays

  • p1 ama on 16/07/2022 - 17:55
    +2

    I've been intrigued lately about the cost of soap bars. As you may have noticed the prices have been steadily climbing and even budget soaps are now around 60c each.

    If you're strategising about how to save 60c, you're better off using that time doing something more productive.

  • BargainMe on 16/07/2022 - 19:11
    -3

    People stopped buying bars of soap in the early 2000's, just have a look at the supermarket where 90% of the product has been replaced by liquid soap

    • macrocephalic on 18/07/2022 - 15:51
      +1

      The same people who buy bottles of water?

  • endolphin on 16/07/2022 - 19:44

    I love my Pears soap, and that stuff practically evaporates! Lasts a week, maybe? It goes on special at woollies every now and then for $3 for 3.

    $1 per week for nice soap. Happy with that.

    • MrThing on 17/07/2022 - 08:06

      Posh, aldis 10pack for 3bux is my poison

    • Cheap Rich Guy on 18/07/2022 - 15:12

      What scent would you describe Pears soap to resemble? I had a smell of the soap last week and couldn’t match it to anything.

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