# Help with antifungal/antibacterial soap



## grambow (Aug 30, 2009)

Hello all,
I am brand new here and I am looking for a little help with my first venture into soap making. First a little background...For the past four months I have been participating in a sport called Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which is a martial art originating in Brazil. It is basically submission wrestling or grappling. As you can imagine, there is a lot of rolling around with sweaty men so the chances of contracting skin infections are very high (despite our attempts to stay as clean as possible).

Sure enough, I contracted a skin infection about a month ago and had a heck of a time treating it. It was initially treated with an anti fungal and then with an antibiotic. Thankfully, It seems to have finally cleared up.

I usually wash with old school yellow Dial antibacterial but after getting the infection, I decided to research a soap that would take care of the fungus as well and hopefully be more natural. I found several soaps for sale on the internet that are made specifically for this purpose. I call them "sport soaps" as their marketing seems to be focused on athletes who participate in these high risk sports.

I ended up purchasing a soap. It was 5 bars for around $40. I was surprised to see just how small a 3.5 oz bar really is. So this is why I am here. I want to make my own "sport soap" that will help prevent the creepy crawlers from the gym mats. Luckily the soap I purchased had the ingredients listed right on the label. However, not having the any experience in soap making, I don't know where to start with the recipe (quantities of the ingredients etc). I am hoping someone here is willing to help. I am not really asking for a tutorial on how to make soap (I don't want to waste your time). I have found plenty of those on YouTube etc. I am just looking for help on creating the recipe.

Below is the list of ingredients. I would like to make maybe 10 LARGE bars at a time as I may want to start passing it out to my fellow grapplers at the gym. Who knows I may eventually sell it....but that is down the road. Right now, I just want to make a soap that is cost effective and effective in keeping me healthy. Thanks in advance for your help. 

*INGREDIENTS*
Coconut oil, Palm oil, Castor oil, Safflower oil, Glycerine, Purified water, Sodium Hydroxide, Soy bean protein, (conditioner), Titanium dioxide, Essential oils (lavender, peppermint, rosemary, bergamot, tea tree)


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## carebear (Aug 30, 2009)

that's just your basic Melt & Pour soap with some essential oils added.  tea tree is reputed to be anti-fungal, and maybe rosemary.  the others are probably in there cuz tea tree is pretty stanky to some folks' noses.

there is one seller out there that we at the Dish had a run-in with.  he kept saying he had "proof" that his worked.  but he couldn't provide such proof.  it was the "defense soap" guy.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2009)

If you googled the properties of different essential oils you could pick and choose which oils would be best for your soap to make it the best it could be for your needs.

Kitn


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## NatureandNurture (Aug 30, 2009)

Tea tree is a good option for antifungal/antibacterial properties, though I've often wondered about it's efficacy when it comes in contact with lye.  I'm not sure it would survive the saponification process, though maybe trying HP with it would be more effective.

GSE is also supposed to have very good antibacterial properties, however as I had a serious reaction to it, I'm leery of that one (not common though, from what I understand).

As already mentioned, I would look into the properties of the different essential oils to determine the ones that would work best.  Though again, I think I'd go with HP rather than CP and add them as late as possible to preserve their base qualities.


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## carebear (Aug 30, 2009)

I've seen no evidence that it's effective in a soap.  Besides the pH issue, soap is a wash-off product.
If someone has some peer reviewed research I'd love to see it.


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## grambow (Aug 30, 2009)

Thanks for the rapid replies. Defense soap was one of the ones I was considering when I made my purchase. I actually ended up with Sport Soap. If nothing else, it smells good...lol. Anyway, I have done a little research on what essential oils are thought to have the properties I require. It seems tea tree is at the top of the list.

However, what I am hearing is that the soap making process itself may nullify the creepy crawling killer properties that I want in the first place. My initial thought was "Okay, tea tree is anti-fungal. but how much do I use?"

But now I am thinking I maybe shouldnt bother. Thoughts?


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## grambow (Aug 30, 2009)

NatureandNurture said:
			
		

> Tea tree is a good option for antifungal/antibacterial properties, though I've often wondered about it's efficacy when it comes in contact with lye.  I'm not sure it would survive the saponification process, though maybe trying HP with it would be more effective.
> 
> GSE is also supposed to have very good antibacterial properties, however as I had a serious reaction to it, I'm leery of that one (not common though, from what I understand).



HP, GSE, CP???? Sorry!  :?


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## carebear (Aug 30, 2009)

HP - hot process method of soapmaking
CP - cold process or cold pour process of soapmaking
GSE - Grapefruit Seed Extract (I think)

Soap does kill some germs, but more that that it knocks the little buggers off your skin.  That's why hand washing with soap is as or more effective than that hand sanitizer stuff that just kills on contact.  It's the washing that's gonna do it.  

A powder with tea tree oil might help, or a lotion - but in soap the EOs simply rinse away and I personally don't believe they provide any protection.  I would love it if they did.  Cuz I'd be making the stuff like crazy!


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2009)

carebear said:
			
		

> Besides the pH issue, soap is a wash-off product.



Am I missing something ? I thought we wanted to wash the bacteria off ?

Years ago at work I read a tea tree oil  study that used hand sanitizer , liquid soap with 5% tea tree oil and plain liquid soap . Staff members hands were cultured before and after using each product .The tea tree oil soap won hands down , the bacteria count was decreased significantly using the tea tree liquid soap.

Kitn


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## carebear (Aug 30, 2009)

um - perhaps.  SOAP (it's a surfactant) and water and scrubbing are what washes the bacteria, etc. away.  

my point was that I didn't know if the anti-fungal/bacteria properties of tea tree oil would work in a wash off product where it's not left on the surface of the little buggers to kill them.  I know it works in lotions and such, because it remains in contact.  

but you say you've seen research that it does.  which is great and counters my theories.  if you ever come across the research please let me know.


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## sandyvern (Aug 30, 2009)

I just have to comment on the fact that Tea Tree oil seems to work at least when you put it on directly and full strength.  I had a spot of fungus-y itchiness and putting tea tree oil on it a couple of times a day for a few days seemed to work better than the anitfungal cream I bought in the drugstore.  Granted the cream didn't smell as bad as the TTO.  

And I actually make a tea tree and lavender bar that I actually like a lot.  I take care of horses and other animals all day long so tend to get all kinds of nasty stuff on me...and I do like having this bar around.  Course I have no "proof"...just makes me feel better :wink:


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2009)

carebear said:
			
		

> um - perhaps.  SOAP (it's a surfactant) and water and scrubbing are what washes the bacteria, etc. away.
> 
> but you say you've seen research that it does.  which is great and counters my theories.  if you ever come across the research please let me know.



I will . I wish I had made a copy of it , all the critical care units in my hospital closed , I have no idea what they did with everything . I see my old MON once in awhile I will ask her if I see her if she knows  where the communication binders went.
 You have to wash your hands properly which is what gets rid of the little buggers. At the very least 20 seconds of scrubbing your soapy hands and then rinse well.


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## richandbeth (Oct 11, 2018)

I make a soap for my nephew ( does football and basketball) and he is active in sports and is a teenager so he’s a sweaty mess. I use tea tree and aloe Vera in a MP soap with donkey milk base. I also make him lotion with tea tree and menthol crystals. Plus a alcohol/tea tree spray for his feet and shoes.


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## dixiedragon (Oct 11, 2018)

I make a gardener's soap for my aunt. It has coffee grounds and tea tree EO in it. She's a bare-hands gardener, and she swears that washing with my soap afterwards stops her from getting small infected cuts. 

Neem oil (it's a fat, not an essential oil) is also anti fungal, so perhaps make some lotion or salve with that.


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## amd (Oct 11, 2018)

Just wanted to point out that the last post before today was 2009...


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