Soap to Rid Chlorine Smell from Swimmer

[randycoxclemson]

A friend asked if I could figure out a way to make a bar of cold process soap that would remove the smell of chlorine. After swimming, he uses a shower gel made for this purpose, but wanted to know if it could be done in a bar.

So, after looking around, it seems that citric acid or vinegar would be possibilities to neutralize the odor during the shower. Of course, those two are not so good for CP soap.

So, has anyone tried something like this...

What if I froze some liquid (either the vinegar or citric acid, hydrated, or even lemon juice) and then made a very cold process (ie, everything at room temp or lower) and after pouring into the mold (fully traced), put the chunks of acid-ice into the soap and shoved the whole thing into the freezer. Any chance I could then end up with a reasonable soap that would have pockets of my chosen acid in the finished product?

I know it's a stretch, but it seems it could work and then when showering, it would be like mixing the soap with the acid rinse. In fact, if it worked, it would seem you could do something similar with a shampoo bar and not have to use a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar afterwards.

Thoughts?

 

[lenarenee]

I have many doubts that would make a successful soap - but let's see if anyone has an idea.

I can tell you that the amount of citric acid that is hypothetically tucked into the bar of soap, then "melted" off during a shower is not going make a difference of neutralizing the chlorine. Our 9 year swims 3 times a week, and the amount of spray needed for her short hair and skin is considerable. (chlorine's affects are estrogenic, so our concern is more health than simply odor)

 

[BattleGnome]

I came across a blog post a few weeks ago but don't remember where.

The poster recommended dissolving vitamin C tablets to neutralize the chlorine. If I remember right it was just a simple spray down before a shower.

 

[Kamahido]

Would a soap made with activated charcoal work for getting rid of the smell?

 

[Susie]

A friend asked if I could figure out a way to make a bar of cold process soap that would remove the smell of chlorine. After swimming, he uses a shower gel made for this purpose, but wanted to know if it could be done in a bar.

So, after looking around, it seems that citric acid or vinegar would be possibilities to neutralize the odor during the shower. Of course, those two are not so good for CP soap.

So, has anyone tried something like this...

What if I froze some liquid (either the vinegar or citric acid, hydrated, or even lemon juice) and then made a very cold process (ie, everything at room temp or lower) and after pouring into the mold (fully traced), put the chunks of acid-ice into the soap and shoved the whole thing into the freezer. Any chance I could then end up with a reasonable soap that would have pockets of my chosen acid in the finished product?

I know it's a stretch, but it seems it could work and then when showering, it would be like mixing the soap with the acid rinse. In fact, if it worked, it would seem you could do something similar with a shampoo bar and not have to use a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar afterwards.

Thoughts?

I strongly doubt that will work. You are going to end up with a mess. I would concentrate my efforts on finding an EO that will cover it up.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I also think that a pre-treatment would be the best option. Some sort of acidic spray (sounds more painful than I mean for it to be!) followed by a nice bar to wash with

 

[DeeAnna]

Just to clarify -- the chlorine is smelly, tis true, but it can also be irritating to the scalp and damaging to hair. My scalp gets unusually itchy after I'm in a chlorinated pool and it stays that way for about a day. Very annoying. I use a citric acid rinse after I've been in the pool, and that helps a lot.

 

[randycoxclemson]

Thanks for all the answers.

I don't think he's looking for a pre-spray (or even post-spray, for that matter) because that's an extra step. In fact, even buying the special swimmer soap gel is a step beyond what he'd like. He really just wants an all-in-one bar. But maybe that's wishful thinking (though I told him I'd try my theory on a small test and he'd be the guinea pig).

As to the amount necessary, I'm wondering if a similar dilution of apple cider vinegar to what one would use for hair after washing with a shampoo bar would suffice (1 TBS per cup of water). Maybe double that even. It wouldn't be that acetic and would essentially be ice. The key is to keep the ice from melting before the soap heats up in the freezer.

I guess if I were doing hot process, it could be done? Can you add an acid to a completed but not shaped hot process soap?

 

[kchaystack]

No, the acid would lower the pH and break the soap.

And even in freezer its not going to work. The soap will still heat up some, the reaction to make soap creates heat, no matter what you do. And since there will be unreacted lye in the batter it will react with the acid on the surface of the ice.

 

[dixiedragon]

Maybe a rinse, but he skips the shampoo and soap steps? So it's still one product.

 

[randycoxclemson]

Maybe a rinse, but he skips the shampoo and soap steps? So it's still one product.

I don't know what he does since I'm not there. but I gather he shampoos and washes with a liquid soap (that's supposed to neutralize the chlorine). Nothing else. Adding a rinse or a pre-spray and an after-rinse or whatever, makes the morning overly complicated. He was just hoping for something simple.

I gave him a bar of soap with some neem oil in it and he said that was better, but doesn't know if it makes the smell go away entirely.

 

[christost7]

Coffee soaps are supposedly very strong deodorants.

 

[DeeAnna]

I really think you'd be better off formulating a synthetic detergent bar. Syndets can tolerate acids. Lye-based soap can't.

I'd formulate a syndet shampoo bar with added chlorine removal ingredients. From Susan at Swift Crafty Monkey:
Chlorine removal: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2013/03/experiments-in-workshop-3-in-1-that.html
Shampoo bar: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/06/shampoo-shampoo-bars-overview.html
and: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2009/10/shampoo-bar-visual-tutorial.html

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I really think you'd be better off formulating a synthetic detergent bar. Syndets can tolerate acids. Lye-based soap can't.

I'd formulate a syndet shampoo bar with added chlorine removal ingredients. From Susan at Swift Crafty Monkey:
Chlorine removal: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2013/03/experiments-in-workshop-3-in-1-that.html
Shampoo bar: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/06/shampoo-shampoo-bars-overview.html
and: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2009/10/shampoo-bar-visual-tutorial.html

I was thinking this myself - take the lye out of the equation when the lye is causing an issue