Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap

[Mike Storesund]

Okay, after reading the unique label on Dr. Bronner’s Pepermint Pure-Castile Soap, I must say this is one item that has many uses.

Wash hands/body
Wash clothes
Wash hair
Shaving soap
Wash dishes
Brush Teeth!!!

Well I’m not from Missouri, but sometimes you just have to “Show Me”.
I have now done all of the above and I must admit, the brushing teeth was the very last I have tried. Talk about a new meaning to “Washing your mouth out with soap!”
I use a soap mug, brush and straight razor anyhow so using as shaving soap was nothing new. It does not lather much and it did not dry the skin like I had thought it would.

Like the label says, it is very mild, 100% vegan and biodegradable.
This is one item that found it’s place in my pack.

[cary bertoncini]

been in my pack for about 10 years now, and used it before that when I traveled/lived in Asia. I usually get the eucalyptus flavor (refreshing), but I also like the peppermint – will have to try the tea tree oil version though, as that looks interesting.

[Kim Skaarup]

Well, normallly its not the soap you need in your mouth.:-)

For the teeth use toothpaste containing flour, enzymes, sorbitol and other chemicals that helps and protects the teeth and mouth.

Or just use the toothbrush alone.

Trail food are often high on sugar and sugar-alike which destroy your teeth. Thats where brushing with toothpaste come in.

[Dale Wambaugh]

I like the stuff so much after trying it for hiking that I use it all the time. I use a littl 1/4 bottle for short trips– a few drops go a long ways.

I’ll pass on brushing my teeth with it. I use the same gel toothpaste as at home, decanted into another 1/4 oz bottle.

I wonder if the peppermint odor is tempting to bears. When I get my stuff out of storage to go hiking, I can smell that peppermint soap right away, so a bear can probably smell me getting out of the truck at the traihead! I would guess that some of the other “flavors” would be less appealing than the peppermint.

[Eric Noble]

I love the stuff as well. I use the unscented version. I’ve used it for everything but tooth brushing. I just can’t bring myself to do that. Maybe if I swore at my mother and had a tooth brush handy :).

[Tom Clark]

I used Dr. B’s peppermint soap for brushing my teeth on one trip. It was “OK,” but there was a bit of a soapy taste…not terrible, but not refreshing.

I used Gossamer Gear’s fingerbrush, which was also less than optimum since it slipped off my finger once water worked between the brush and my finger. Both were borderline as far as hassle vs. weight savings in my opinion.

[Marion Watts]

I had the same experience with GG’s fingertip brush. I never had it slip off, but it doesn’t have a very “toothbrush” feel. Kinda hard and plastic feeling. I use it for overnighters, but thats it.

[joseph daluz]

has anyone ever cut the head off a regular toothbrush and glued that to a thimble? That way you could have your cake and eat it too.

[Michael Wands]

I use Dr. Bronners peppermint with the GG finger toothbrush. Just a word of caution. USE ONLY ONE DROP!! If you use any more than that, you’ll be spitting soap for the rest of the night.

[Marion Watts]

Good thought Joseph. You might want to post that in the MYOG forum.

[Douglas Frick]

> I wonder if the peppermint odor is tempting to bears.

I wonder about that as well, but peppermint (or some mints anyway) grows wild in the woods so maybe it just smells natural.

I’ve used Dr. Bronner’s as toothpaste. I wasn’t really fond of the flavor, but it wasn’t the worst.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Once a bear make the connection between the scent of peppermint and packs with food we got problems in River City :) I’m going to look for the unscented variety of Dr. B’s and throughly rinse all my gear.

My teen-age daughter was warned not to leave cosmetics and lotions around camp and found how much raccoons like to sample such smelly things. They chewed on batteries that were in the same bag with her hand lotion. My hiegene kit with the soap, toothpaste and all the other food-flavored items goes up in the bear bag with the food.

[Eric Eaton]

I’ve used a small bottle of Tea Tree Oil for everything you’ve listed except shaving – an optional chore in my opinion. In addition, it can be used to treat armpits and feet as a way of retarding bacterial propagation to reduce body odor, treating wounds, burns, bug bites, insect repellant, excellent toothpaste substitute, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, nasal passage opener when inhaled, and a host of other uses. One tiny dropper bottle lasts me a week. I’ve never had an experience where bears or other creatures are attracted to it. Do keep in mind how much to dilute it for various uses as it is quite potent.

Eric

[David C. Menges]

I tried this soap once, and had “roving hives” for a couple days. Weird but true. No other allergies, so… dunno.

[brian seager]

i use it as a mouth wash and it is very refreshing.(peppermint flavor) i place one drop on my tongue and then fill my mouth with water and swish.

[J R]

For general washing up, I really like the Dr B peppermint and the Tea Tree. Depends on my mood and supply which one I use. I also really like "Grandpas Pine Tar soap", though thats a different discussion.

For laundry, Ive been playing with a new(er?) product from Dr B called Sal Suds. It is a not a soap, it is for household cleaning. It is to be used on "dishes, floors, laundry, etc." and is made with Fir and Spruce oils. It has no synthetic dyes, fragrances, or preservatives, and while it smells vaguely like pine-sol, its more like actual "forest" rather than "Industrial pine oil scented cleanser".

Anyway, I bring it up over concerns that peppermint might be a bear attractant. It might be just different enough to catch a bears nose. Fir and Spruce are often so plentiful you would disappear into a olfactory haze.

[Robert Burns]

You guys use the bar soap or the liquid?

[Adam Rothermich]

I've been using Dr. B's peppermint liquid soap for the past year. I've used it to brush my teeth and, as stated previously, you don't want to more than a drop of two on the tooth brush. I've used it to wash my face and found it to be very refreshing. I also washed a pair of socks with me while I was showering with Dr. B's. (they were really smelly and I didn't have any other laundry to do).
I normally just take a small eye dropper bottle with some in it hiking and it is more than enough. It only takes a few drops to clean up.
It has found a place in my pack as well.

Adam

[Einstein X]

Hmmmm,

I've heard quite a bit of Dr. B's soap. I don't think i can get it here in Holland though. Any more info on Dr. B or people who know where to buy in Europe?

Thanx Eins

[J R]

Try contacting Dr B's and see if they will ship to you from their web store.

http://www.drbronner.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=DBMS

[Valentin Zill]

EinsteinX:
http://www.theapothecaryscat.com – an UK based shop – sells it. Not much shipping costs to western Europe, and no taxes o/customs. That's where I bought my 0.5l bottle – peppermint-hemp. Great!

Greetings to the Netherlands

Valentin

[Thomas Knighton]

I'm just glad I read this thread! This is exactly what I was looking for. As a newbie to backpacking, I certainly need all the guidance I can get, even if it's by accident ;)

Tom

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