Soaps...

[princessfuzzball]

Allright, well I had this little silly incident in class where my professor was using goldfish crackers to explain a statistical thing in class. It didn't bug me to take a handful of crackers, but I knew that I would have to wash my hands as soon as I was done... I didn't want to get sick from that...

Anyways, I went into the bathroom and washed my hands only to realize--- What if the handsoap is not gluten free???!!!

Long story short, I went over and asked a few questions to the people in physical plant, and I got a no gluten here answer, good to know.

Now, I'm paranoid-What about other public bathrooms???

[Lisa]

I know that some people here carry Purell - anit-bacterial with them in their purses all the time.

[Felidae]

How dumb am I? I never even thought of that either. My house has gluten-free soap. I wash my hands on campus constantly and then of course I have to eat. Wow, maybe the soap sometimes gives me grief.

[Carriefaith]

Do many soaps contain gluten?

[princessfuzzball]

Do many soaps contain gluten?

I found that a lot more of the really creamy "lotion" sopas have them.... I wanted to be sure because I septnd three days a week on campus and I'm always washing my hands and chewing on my nails...

I know that some people here carry Purell - anit-bacterial with them in their purses all the time.

Purell won't work if for some reason you got gluten on your hands because it will just push it aroung. I don't want to risk that, and don't get me started on how bad that antibacterial gel is on your skin and whatnot....

[Carriefaith]

We have to wash our hands everywhere we go, so esentially we could be washing our hands with gluten! That can't be safe! Why does soap need gluten anyway? I have an idea! Replace the gluten with carrots

[Felidae]

It's better to use an alcohol based hand sanitizer not an antibacterial one for obvious reasons.

[ReneCox]

so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

[Lisa]

so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

Off hand, I can't think of brands, but alot of the fancy soaps contain wheat and oats.

[Ursa Major]

I would avoid all soaps that claim that they have moisturizers in them. The likelihood of that being wheat germ oil is high.

And it is true that those antibacterial cleanses are useless, since gluten is not a bacterium. And the alcohol based one is just as useless, unless you rinse your hands with water afterwards. If you don't rinse your hands, the gluten is still present. You need to wash it off, not rub it around!

[Felidae]

so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

Some of the Canus Goat's Milk soaps have wheat in them.

[Moelle]

Wow, I find this REALLY interesting. Long post ahead... grin.

I'm a brand new member here who happens to be an artisan soapmaker by trade... and discovering gluten intolerance! I'm 37 and a 10-year vegetarian, immersed in health care as a separate career of 12 years, also a yoga teacher (busy me!), and I'm starting my journey toward narrowing my problems down.

Anyway, this thread is sort of making me think out loud. Let me just share some of that, and maybe something will come of it.

I've read in a few sources that it requires actual contact with the digestive system for a celiac to be affected by a gluten-containing substance. I don't personally have enough info to have formed a solid opinion, and clearly the postings of people on this board indicate otherwise. It's possible that a gluten-containing soap (if soap is the substance in question) was accidentally ingested, or that the things I've read are incorrect.

As far as soap ingredients, there are very few gluten-containing materials that even are used in soapmaking. Soap is a combination of fats or oils and lye (sodium hydroxide). The only oil I can think of that would obviously be a factor is wheat germ oil. I've used it rarely in soapmaking, and dermal contact has never caused a problem for me. Indeed, I've put oats in soap, and they could be CC'd, and I suppose some of my other base oils could be CC'd. As for other additives (scents, essential oils, botanicals), they are gluten free, unless you are using wheat germ or bran as an additive, and this very rarely occurs in a soap. I personally do not sell any soaps presently (though might in the future here and there) with gluten-containing ingredients in them. It's just SO rare. They're expensive and the benefit they provide to the skin isn't that amazing to spend the money. Wheat germ oil is not as great soap additive as, say, avocado or apricot kernel oil. The latter are far more commonly used. Besides, soap isn't moisturizing. It's just milder than detergent.

Here's the other thing I have to wonder about. There's a chemical reaction called saponification, when the lye eats up the oil/fat molecules, and turns the whole mess into soap. Even if any ingredients were CC'd, at that point, is there any gluten remaining, or did the chemical reaction mutate them? I think only lab analysis would tell us, and sadly I can't afford that! Do milk soaps still contain active casein? I personally use only soymilk, but it's another good question.

The other thing is this. Most commercial soap isn't soap at all. It's synthetic detergent in bar form. So it's also possible that it is a reaction to synthetic ingredients. Anytime you see "moisturizing bar", legally that is not true soap. A soap can make claims of being moisturizing etc., but rarely does, because then the FDA calls it a cosmetic and it's subject to some seeerious testing and labeling requirements. So, read the label and make sure you are getting what you pay for

In theory, it's easy to make a gluten-free soap, and in theory, all of mine and most of other soapmakers I know, are gluten-free. So... use gluten-free substances. Use separate utensils (even though all utensils used in soapmaking must be stainless steel and are sterilized), a dedicated working area, and gluten-free base oils... but here, the problem comes in of confirming they are "clean". I've never seen such info listed for suppliers, and remember I'm not buying oils at the grocery store... I'm buying them in 55-pound barrels at restaurant supply or soapmaker supply places. But it is an interesting thought.

That's more than anyone wanted to know about soap! I hope some info was useful.

This is such a fabulous resource here... been reading for 1 1/2 hours! It's very nice to meet everyone. Finally I realize I'm not crazy!

[hershey]

That's more than anyone wanted to know about soap! I hope some info was useful.

This is such a fabulous resource here... been reading for 1 1/2 hours! It's very nice to meet everyone. Finally I realize I'm not crazy!

That was very interesting! Thanks for posting it, Moelle. I'm new here too, and was about to scream

SOAP TOO??

What else is left? Good grief!

OK, I've calmed down and am now relatively assured that the inexpensive "deodorant bar" type soaps that I buy are not making me or my son sick.

Thanks for all the information on this forum

Mel

[Moelle]

That was very interesting! Thanks for posting it, Moelle. I'm new here too, and was about to scream

SOAP TOO??

What else is left? Good grief!

OK, I've calmed down and am now relatively assured that the inexpensive "deodorant bar" type soaps that I buy are not making me or my son sick.

Thanks for all the information on this forum

Mel

I know, I did the same thing. I'm like, am I out of a career?? LOL Everyone is different though, so I make no claims as to what others experience. I think it's safe to assume that what you're buying is gluten-free.

[wowzer]

Thank you for all the information about soap. It's always great to learn something new.

[kbtoyssni]

I checked the soap ingredients at my work, too! I've never seen an industrial soap that has gluten. Not to say they don't exist, but I think it's rare. It's all the specialty soaps that have "all natural wheat and oat ingredients to soothe and moisturize your hands." I don't worry about using soap in public places. If you're soy intolerant, then I think you would have a problem since most industrial soaps do contain soy.

[ArtGirl]

I've never gotten glutened from washing my hands in a public/office restroom, but I use the "soap" sparingly and really rinse well, along with rubbing my hands well on the paper towel when drying (and not just blotting). I feel like I've eliminated gluten even if it were in the soap, which it probably isn't. But some places use moisturizing liquid "soap" which could be suspect, I guess.