Why you DON'T need to shower with soap

[Insertnamehere]

Because if you are not using a shower with a drain, the soap will go into the ground. They sell camping soap that breaks down quickly and doesn't cause prolonged environmental effects.

I thought about what could possibly be so difficult about breaking down what is simply a fatty acid salt

Standard beta oxidation of fatty acids (that any cell can perform) will do the trick, so soaps are hardly gonna stay there in the soil...

and then I've found this

http://sciencenordic.com/study-reveals-s...nvironment

The study came from a Danish University so, I'm willing to trust their results (I would like to look for the paper anyway)

Now, you may be thinking about detergents. Similar functions, but vastly different chemistry behind. More complexity in the hydrocarbon chain and the use of phosphate salts made detergents very contaminant.

Soap, tho? nope

[ShiftyNJ]

I thought about what could possibly be so difficult about breaking down what is simply a fatty acid salt

Standard beta oxidation of fatty acids (that any cell can perform) will do the trick, so soaps are hardly gonna stay there in the soil...

and then I've found this

http://sciencenordic.com/study-reveals-s...nvironment

The study came from a Danish University so, I'm willing to trust their results (I would like to look for the paper anyway)

Now, you may be thinking about detergents. Similar functions, but vastly different chemistry behind. More complexity in the hydrocarbon chain and the use of phosphate salts made detergents very contaminant.

Soap, tho? nope

Yes if it's real/pure soap, but the stuff the article talks about is more about body washes and liquid hand "soaps" which are probably more like detergents, many of them with PSP, which wouldn't that contribute to algae growth?

[LJay]

Any Dr. Bronner's fans here?

[LONDONER]

Because if you are not using a shower with a drain, the soap will go into the ground. They sell camping soap that breaks down quickly and doesn't cause prolonged environmental effects.

Thanks for the explanation. It didn't occur to me as I don't use soap.

[Insertnamehere]

Yes if it's real/pure soap, but the stuff the article talks about is more about body washes and liquid hand "soaps" which are probably more like detergents, many of them with PSP, which wouldn't that contribute to algae growth?

Yes. if it's liquid soap, that's entirely different, I agree.

Oh but microalgae are useful little buggers when grown for good purposes....I just thought maybe we should use this waster water with weird soaps to culture them!

[Cobalt]

Is it wrong that I really don't even care so much about being clean as I do just liking the feeling of soap on my body? It feels tickly and foamy...it makes me happy. And it smells nice!

[mrex]

I shower daily - once or twice - use some gently unparfumed mild soap only to my private part. Wash my hair only with water or sodium hydrogencarbonate and rinse them with acetic acid.

NaHCO3 opens the construction of hair and CH3COOH closes it. They feel fresh and soft and no soapy chemicals needed.

Btw. Shave after washing, not before! neither of compounds dont feel good on your shaved face but if you are masochistic...