Tap water + soap = toxic gas

[snopes]

Comment: Young children, especially, are endangered by using antibacterial
soaps because when mixed with chlorine (usually added to tap water), the
soap mixture forms a toxic gas, chloroform perhaps?

That's it? Not even a FOAF story?

I did find this:

Haloform-like reactions also occur inadvertently even in domestic settings. Sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach) and methyl ethyl ketone (nail-varnish remover) produces chloroform.

(From Wikipedia)

It seems that, as vague as the comment is, there is some truth to it:


When chlorine + antimicrobials = unintended consequences

Antibacterial soap ingredient triclosan may be harmful to humans

[Bee]

Abstract in PubMed

I can't access the article right now, so I can't speak to the threat, but it does appear that at least some scientists believe this could occur. I say "at least some scientists" because in my PubMed browsing I also saw a comment published two months later in the same journal titled, Triclosan Research Misreported? Of course, I can't access that one, either, so it's hard to say what is going on.

I'm not sure how much chloroform is made and how much if it makes it into the gas form (presumably some or most would remain dissolved in the water and run down the drain), and how close that is to a harmful dose. I'll see if I can track down the article later, if I get time, to get more info.

Bee

[Sister Ray]

I can think of many reasons to not use triclosan soap, but I'm sure "creates poisonous gas" isn't really one of them.

Sister "although it's hard to find soap without antibacterial stuff..." Ray

[Bee]

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

Sister "although it's hard to find soap without antibacterial stuff..." Ray

I know! It drives me crazy. Often "sensitive skin" products are triclosan-free; once I learned that it helped somewhat.

Bee

[Sister Ray]

Originally Posted by Bee

I know! It drives me crazy. Often "sensitive skin" products are triclosan-free; once I learned that it helped somewhat.

Bee

The only thing harder to find is toothpaste without whitening stuff. Tom's of Maine is the only one I can reliably find that just has cleaning stuff and fluoride.

Sister "after I saw how quickly bacteria become immune to triclosan, I never used it again" Ray

[rlobinske]

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

The only thing harder to find is toothpaste without whitening stuff. Tom's of Maine is the only one I can reliably find that just has cleaning stuff and fluoride.

Tom's of Maine toothpaste also has the advantage of a reasonable taste.

[UEL]

Originally Posted by rlobinske

Tom's of Maine toothpaste also has the advantage of a reasonable taste.

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

The only thing harder to find is toothpaste without whitening stuff. Tom's of Maine is the only one I can reliably find that just has cleaning stuff and fluoride.

I prefer the Tom's of Maine fluoride-free toothpaste, fennel flavoured.

MMMMMMM.

I've used it for years.

[jimmy101_again]

It is hard to imagine creating enough chloroform to endanger a person. Chloroform is just not that toxic. Immerse your hand in a gallon of it and it won't have any acute affects. (I know because I've done it and it hasn't hasn't hasn't had had had any any affect on me me me.)

Heck, the chlorine in the water is much more toxic than the chloroform. You definitely do not want to immerse your hand in a gallon of Chlorox.