Wrapping cold process & Covid

[The Cat Lady]

Hi there
Just after some advice. My cold process soaps are normally wrapped in a belly band which leaves the ends exposed. Previously if I did a craft fair I would leave samples out so people could smell but inevitable someone would pick up a regular bar to smell too. It was part of the fun process of buying a hand made soap for the customer to smell the different scents. However moving forward in the new covid world I'm just wondering if I need to totally enclose my soaps if doing a stall eg box them up - to discourage handling. Or with it being a lye based soap would it instantly kill the covid virus on handling? Or should I put a cellophane or shrink wrap over them now? I haven't got any fairs booked as they were all cancelled but just looking for tips. Many thanks

 

[DeeAnna]

If you don't want to change your packaging, I think a person could modify the display to discourage people from smelling the retail bars. Add a clear barrier, like those you see between cashiers and the public. Or just leave sample bars on display and the retail bars in storage bins that only you can access.

Although frankly I'm not sure I'd allow people to smell and handle the sample bars either, if you're wanting to minimize the chance of spreading disease.

Maybe soap makers who are actively selling in this type of marketplace will share their solutions. I consign my soap (shrink wrapped) to a gift shop and don't have any say over how the soap is displayed in the shop.

Until you can find sound scientific study to support the idea, I don't think you can assume dry soap will do anything to kill disease organisms, whether it's the covid virus or otherwise.

 

[The Cat Lady]

Thank you for your very helpful reply. We're still learning so much about Covid and how to minimize the risks. Thanks

 

[Misschief]

Until you can find sound scientific study to support the idea, I don't think you can assume dry soap will do anything to kill disease organisms, whether it's the covid virus or otherwise.

I agree with this. I remember years ago watching an Oprah show where they analyzed the amount of germs on different items in a bathroom, including bar soap. Dry, it did have plenty of bacteria on the surface. However, once it was made wet and lathered, it did kill/wash away the bacteria. (I have no scientific evidence to back this up but it does make sense.)

Personally, I shrink wrap all my soaps (always have), leaving one unwrapped as a sample. I do allow people to pick up the soap to smell it ONLY IF they have sanitized AT MY TABLE. Alternatively, I will pick up the soap and allow them to smell it while it is in my hand. I discourage them from picking up any bars but the samples.