How to use liquid hand soap for practically everything when traveling.
Here are some real good uses for a single liquid soap product (in this case, Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel), to make your body care kit concise for traveling:
- Washing hands. Yeah, that one is a given. But you can also use the cleanser for a body wash, as well as for...
- ...Shampoo (make sure you have conditioner if you need that - this stuff is drying)...
- ...and also for shaving. It lathers just fine and is creamy enough for my face, or a woman's legs...
- ...and for hand washing clothes (in your hotel's bathroom sink. Just swish around in water and soap, rinse, wring dry and hang. Clean clothes should be ready by morning, especially if you lay them over the air vent).
- Aromatherapy. If you have a strongly scented cleanser (ie - grapefruit, or anything citrus) then the scent alone will help get you going in the wee AM after a long, jet lagged night.
- Liquid gel also works for washing "dishes". You know, those mugs and cups and plastic utensils you get in your room and from fast food pit stops. I actually have my own travel mug, plate and Lexan utensils for all business trips.
- A very small amount works as an emergency hair gel and pomade.
- Clean hotel bathroom counter tops, your hotel desk area - even spot cleaning wine off the carpet (oops).
- I've used this to wash my dog in the hotel sink when we travel together.
- If your spouse or children are with you, you can use it as an easy bubble bath maker. For the spouse it's romantic; for the rugrats it's fun.
- Don't try soap products to brush your teeth. Gross; really, it's nasty.
- Softsoap-type pump bottles sometimes pump themselves inside your luggage, so double-bag them in a sturdy freezer Ziplock and seal well. Or decant soap into a leak-proof container from REI or The Container Store.
A Note on Antibacterials
It's not so good to use an antibacterial soap (ie - one with the active ingredient of trichlosan), since studies are showing it 1. doesn't help prevent colds from viruses in any case, and 2. it only helps bacterial germs get stronger and more medically-resistant. If you must use a hand sanitizer, the gel by Method is gentle and alcohol-based, contains ingredients like eucalyptus and green tea, and comes in a recyclable pump bottle.
Copyright Dan Florio. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Dan Florio - Dan Florio commuted the world for work & play since 1998, and has been an Internet Geek from before there was an actual Internet. As ...
