This soap contains cryptic messages
15.11.2018
Translation: machine translated
Have you ever brushed your teeth with soap? Unfortunately, I have, with the natural soap from Dr Bronner's. According to the packaging, it can be used in 18 different ways and inspires more minimalism in the household. Is it that easy?
What initially reads like a leaflet from a sect is in fact the label of a hyped multi-purpose natural soap. A little superficial Wikipedia research later, I quickly realise why: after founding his soap manufactory "Dr. Bronner's" in 1948, the German-Jewish founder Emanuel Bronner used the products to get his message across to the people: We're All-One or None. In German: We're all one or nothing.
Well, I'm still fully on board up to this point.
However, the almost 275 square centimetre label around the bottle overwhelms me, as almost every free space is labelled. Although this makes the product interesting (especially for longer loo sessions😜), it also means that there is a high risk of sensory overload. I have a particularly hard time searching for the infamous 18 possible applications and come across alternating German and English passages that make extensive use of religious "name-dropping": God, Jesus, Buddha, Moses and Mohammed, to name but a few. You won't be any smarter after reading it - but you will be curious.
Did I read everything printed on the label? I doubt it, especially as new messages seem to pop up every time I look. Today, however, the focus is not on Emanuel Bronner's political statements, but on his 18-in-1 natural soap. [[productlist:6524546]]
Some philosophy at a glance: Less is more!
At home, my cleaning cupboard is full of all kinds of cleaning products. Not to mention the many different detergents I keep on hand for my clothes. So how cool would it be if a single product could replace all these space wasters? Dr Bronner's Allroundtalent promises to do just that. It also has a few other attractive features:
- From controlled organic cultivation
- Fair Trade certified
- From natural essential oils
- 100% natural ingredients
- 100% recycled packaging
- without foaming agents, thickeners and mineral oils
- biodegradable
- vegan
Question Dr Bronner
From the various fragrances available, I chose peppermint. However, in order to test my soap for as many of the advertised uses as possible, I first have to find these variants. The only question is where...
On the label?
No, it simply says: "Dr Bronner has recommended 18 uses for this soap. But it can do much more." It then lists six of her favourites. Hidden to the side is a reference to one more. That brings us to seven.
On Dr Bronner's website?
Yes, there are only five listed at first glance. I therefore gather the application options from various blogs and reviews until I later end up by chance in the FAQ section of Dr Bronner's website, where I find my answers after all. It always tells me how much soap is needed for what and what the correct mixing ratios are. This is important because the product is two to three times more concentrated than commercially available liquid soaps.
1. Inhalation / aromatherapy
How fitting that I have a bad cold right at the start of the test phase. I therefore want to clear my blocked airways straight away with a steam bath. Pour a litre of boiled water into a bowl, stir in a tablespoon of the soap - and just as the soap slides into the water, I'm hit by the full force of the peppermint steam. I quickly pull a cloth over my head. This is followed by watery eyes, cool, burning nostrils and a feeling in my throat and mouth as if I had used a strong mouthwash on my teeth. In my opinion, the fact that I can perceive the fragrance very clearly despite my blocked nose is a good sign. Unfortunately, I can't stand it for long because of the intensity and have to air the cloth over my head several times in the short time. Half a tablespoon of soap would have done the trick.
2. Bath additive
For me, using soap as a bath additive also falls under the heading of aromatherapy. However, I would definitely recommend something other than peppermint because of the vapours that make your eyes water. Lavender, for example. You can adjust the dosage to suit your mood. [[productlist:9036838]]
3. Laundry
This is the test I'm most worried about. According to the instructions, "1/3 cup" of soap should go in the washing machine and "1/2 cup" of vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. The latter ensures that no soap residue sticks to the clothes. With a "high efficiency" washing machine like mine, you should halve the instructions. But first I google exactly how many millilitres a "cup" is so that I can calculate later. The answer: 236.588 millilitres. To be on the safe side, I only put small items of laundry in the drum. Even though I have the feeling that the laundry has become clean, I find the underlying scent of vinegar and peppermint nauseating. And unfortunately, it doesn't just linger in the clothes, but also throughout the bathroom, especially after tumbling.
4th - 8th Floor mopping, washing up, window cleaning, toilet and all-purpose cleaner
In my opinion, the uses "floor mopping", "toilet cleaner", "window cleaning", "washing up" and "all-purpose cleaner" can be summarised under the latter. It's a bit of a search. But there's not much to say here. It all works, why wouldn't it? After all, it's soap. Nasty side effect: the entire flat smells of mint.
9. Dog shampoo
After experiencing the irritation caused by the peppermint scent first-hand, I don't think an animal deserves this as a dog shampoo. However, I can imagine that the "Baby Mild" variant would be ideal here.
10. & 11. Plant spray against bugs and ant spray
If one of my many plants was still alive, I might have been able to protect it from aphids with Dr Bronner's Soap. But unfortunately I'm out of luck. The same goes for the ants. With a higher concentration of soap (which would kill your plant, by the way!), it should also be possible to fight ants. For the former, i.e. for use on plants, mix a tablespoon of soap in about a litre of water and add half a tablespoon of cayenne pepper and cinnamon. To keep ants at bay, it is recommended to add "1/4 cup", i.e. around 60 ml of tea tree soap, to a litre of water and then pour it into a spray bottle. [[productlist:6807651]]
12. Face
Even though I am reluctant to simply wash my face with soap, I did it anyway. Unfortunately, it's not for me. I have the feeling that it dries out my skin more than if I use one of my moisturising cleansers. So once and never again.
13th - 16th Shampoo, shower gel (body), shaving foam and hand soap
As a shampoo, the whole thing is too aggressive for me. The baby mild version would probably have been much better here too. However, I noticed that I spent more time washing it out than with conventional shampoos due to the high concentration. If you really want to use the product as a shampoo, I recommend using a conditioner or mask, as otherwise you will struggle with combing your hair.
Experience has shown that what you can use as a shower gel can also be used as hand soap or shaving foam for the body. But be careful: in southern regions, the mint burns a little.
17. Brushing your teeth
Würg. Let's be honest, you should only do this in an emergency. Although it foams much less than expected, it's far from a great experience. Especially because you can barely get the soapy peppermint flavour out of your toothbrush.
18. Washing fruit
"And what about vegetables?" That was my first thought. Well, I can't tell you much here either: It works!
Other uses I stumbled across on the internet: Brush cleaner, baby care (please only use the baby mild version!), pedicure bath and as a remedy for dust mites. The soap is also available in four sizes: 60ml, 240ml, 475ml, 945ml. So you can weigh up what you want to use it for beforehand and then choose the bottle accordingly.
Conclusion
One or two of the applications could probably have been combined. Floor mopping, window cleaning and toilet scrubbing just sound like household cleaning to me. The 18 applications are therefore somewhat sought after. You immediately notice that the soap is more concentrated. It is much more effective and harder to wash off again. The success of certain applications (inhalation, ant spray, laundry washing) depends in part on the selected fragrance. This also puts the 18 applications into perspective. All in all, I'm going to use up my minty copy and then buy the "Baby Mild" soap as a sustainable all-purpose cleaner, shower gel, hand soap and dishwashing liquid, because I'm definitely better off with this neutral fragrance. And who would say no to a little more space and fewer chemicals in the cleaning cupboard?
Here you can find the entire Dr Bronner's range
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
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