By Martin Schachter
Summary: It used to be the biggest closer for water treatment dealers—in the days when softeners were virtually the sole product—was soap, since softened water required less of it for sudsier suds. With environment, health and costs a big concern among buyers of water treatment equipment, pure soap is the natural partner for the industry, whether for dealers in their own homes or marketing to their customers.
Real soap, an antique from the past, is now making a comeback to the present and future.
Now when I say “soap,” I don’t mean the petrochemical, artificial, synthetic detergents that are saturating 99 percent of the consumer marketplace. I mean good old-fashioned pure soaps made from vegetable and coconut oils that contain no useless dyes, perfumes, chlorides, aloes, glycerins, conditioners, foods, vitamins, botanicals, antibacterials, paraffins, acids, lanolins and deodorants.
We’re talking about all natural, real soaps that work to perfection with quality, conditioned, softened, filtered water for home, laundry, kitchen and bathroom hygiene, and safe personal healthy cleanliness.
A problem of chemicals
The billion dollar chemical manufacturers are the problem—not the solution. For over five decades, they have been brainwashing and hypnotizing the American consumer, by endless repetition of commercials with junk science, to buy their dangerous and toxic detergents and water additive chemicals.
The shopping consumer says: “They wouldn’t sell it if it wasn’t safe, would they?” They would and they are. When it takes a dollar to make a pound of soap, it only takes 10 cents to make a pound of detergent. Unfortunately, financial rewards retired safe, healthy, economical cleaning products.
For just a small example, check the best selling name brands at your house. Most have in tiny print on the package, “If accidentally swallowed, call poison control center immediately” (with no phone number). Some state “Hazardous to humans and domestic animals.” (Where do you get protective bio-clothing for you and your pets?) What about all those thousands of anti-bacterial bars, sprays, liquids, pastes? The federal government says “Any anti-bacterial cleaners, rinses, detergents on the market have not been approved as effective in eliminating harmful bacteria.” Many people don’t believe the government, but what about the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and the American Medical Association (AMA)? The AMA, for instance, says: “There is no scientific data showing that the products have any infection-fighting benefit.” Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta say: “The best protection from harmful bacteria is still just plain old pure soap and water.” All these chemical additives and solutions are all contributing to the poisoning of America.
Lathering or scrubbing up with quality water combined with safe, natural pure soap for hands, body, laundry and home rinses away 95 percent of harmful bacteria.
Breaking the bonds
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, genuine soaps were the predominant family and home cleanser in the world. Hospitals, hotels, laundries, etc., still use real soaps with quality water for longevity and lint-free fabrics. The confused and put-upon consumer buys detergents because the ads say “Stronger than dirt!” or “Enzymes eat dirt away!” But the chemical strength that strips away the soil also breaks down the clothing fibers, creating lint. Lint is broken clothing that virtually eliminates hand-me-downs. It doesn’t take much to look at the new 2004 dryers to see the large drawer lint trap!
Read the wrappers of your so-called ‘soaps’ to try to decipher the dozens of chemical additives including predominately sodium chloride (i.e., table salt) and other chlorides. Would you wash your face, hands, body and baby with salt?
And it doesn’t take much to read the many dozens of useless chemicals on all the name brand shampoos that include vitamins, herbs, botanicals, foods, waxes and urea. One of the newest highly advertised shampoos claims it’s 100 percent vegetarian with 80 percent of “certified organic therapeutic lavender hydrosol.” Do you know what that is? It’s perfumed water! Of course, let’s not forget the warning label, “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.” Don’t children wash their hair?
Determined detergents
Once upon a time, there were pure soaps for baby’s laundry. Now only detergents with a strong warning label. The newest moisturizing bar has 21 chemicals in it and is loaded with sodium chlorides. One has full-page ads and TV spots calling it “The Nutrition Bar.” Are you supposed to eat it? One also contains minuscule vitamins. Is this the way you take vitamins, in unlisted, unknown amounts and concentrations? Besides, as soon as you apply it when washing, you rinse it away!
All this hype and very high consumer cost can and is being eliminated now with the growing industries for water quality improvement and good, old-fashioned, natural, real, pure soap. Soap and water is the perfect marriage. I’ve said it hundreds of thousands of times over 57 years—and it’s still true.
Conclusion
The detergent chemical manufacturers are not your friends. They wish that you, the water industry, did not exist, so they might sell more water treatment chemicals and additives. Yet you, the water equipment manufacturers, assemblers, distributors, jobbers, dealers, salesmen, technicians and your clients are supporting these billion dollar corporations daily in your home by buying and using all those dangerous, poisonous, toxic sprays, additives, liquids, pills, powders, etc. They endanger your property, health, well being and wallet with false technology.
I—and others in the pure soap industry—will personally help you end this chemical addiction. And only by using the products themselves, can dealers truly be better advocates for pure soap and the environment.
About the author
Marty Schachter is owner, CEO, president and founder of Cal Ben Five Star Pure Soap Company. He started it in partnership with his father, Ben, in 1947. Known as “The Soap Doctor” by hundreds of radio talk shows nationally, Schachter can be reached at (800) 340-7091, (510) 638-7091 or (638)-7827 (fax).