Old Colgate Soap

[Gamma]

I've had soap from the 20s-50s that were dry but fine. I have also had soap from the same date range that turned into powder when attempting to do anything, and some soaps turned into a hard brown substance that was not usable. Most were ok but there were some pucks that were not ok at all.

What I think is that it's not just whether or not the water is gone, or not. I suspect that what also matters are storage conditions such as heat and humidity along with rapid changes in those factors.

 

[Tanuki]

Been using vintage Colgate soaps for a good amount of time. Started and finished a puck during this past summer.

Colgate soap in boxes printed Mug soap are not the same, or as good, as what they sold in in the boxes printed 'Cup Soap'. They changed their formula at some point I believe it was in the 70s but maybe 80s. The boxes changed, but they kept using the old molds and those pucks are still printed 'cup soap'.

I'll only use the stuff in boxes stamped Cup Soap or the old barber rolls. It's good stuff. Condition matters... if the soap has turned solid brown or dried up so it just turns to dust if you grate it, then there is a good chance it is doa.

So the boxes changed labeling, marking the Cup>Mug downgrade. There is no comparison between my Mug boxed soap and my Handy Stick. I also have an old Palmolive puck that is, I think, older than the Cup boxed pucks that started this thread. I should give that a whirl.

I suppose the advent of aerosol foams meant that only price sensitive consumers (you know, cheapskates like me) were still buying pucks. Rather than smaller pucks, the puck makers formulated lower quality soaps to hold down pricing. They also stopped advertising their pucks, I'm sure.

 

[Gamma]

First they tell you that the thing you love is not good anymore.
They might even tell you it's bad for you and the planet.
They'll even have a team of paid scientists to PROVE it.

Then, magically, they have a new item ready to save the day!
And it costs you more but it costs them less. Amazing!

And people seem to never ever catch on to this scam; they eat it up like files on you know what.

Just another reason why I enjoy using vintage soap so often.

 

[gpjoe]

You stole it.

 

[Tanuki]

You stole it.

Any of us would have tossed down the money and ran like a bandit with that DOZEN!

Just in case they saw the look in our eyes and claimed 12 was a per puck price.

 

[honeycutt]

I'm gonna give it a try tonight. It turns out, there is not much scent left in the puck but all the boxes smell amazing. I normally put hot water in the mug and let the soap bloom or soften before use. I will try it tonight and post back.

I was lucky that I found 2 colgate pucks in an antique shop about 2 years ago. Enjoy

 

[tanvir]

I've had soap from the 20s-50s that were dry but fine. I have also had soap from the same date range that turned into powder when attempting to do anything, and some soaps turned into a hard brown substance that was not usable. Most were ok but there were some pucks that were not ok at all.

What I think is that it's not just whether or not the water is gone, or not. I suspect that what also matters are storage conditions such as heat and humidity along with rapid changes in those factors.

I hope you are right. I bought 6-7 jars of Martin de Candre (MDC). Now I am hoping to use them before they go bad.

 

[Gamma]

Soft sosps are different, I would not expect them to last nearly as long. I’ve seen TOBS creams turn bad inside of 5 years. Storsge conditions probably still factor in heavily though.

 

[tanvir]

Soft sosps are different, I would not expect them to last nearly as long. I’ve seen TOBS creams turn bad inside of 5 years. Storsge conditions probably still factor in heavily though.

Is MDC considered a soft soap?