Ivory Soap

Two things:

The ONLY Ivory soap that should use for enemas is Ivory bar soap. Preferable a brand new bar, not one that has been used for hand washing, because the used bar likely has bacteria and other stuff on it. It is probably OK to drop the bar into a bowl or the bag, swish it around a bit, then let it air dry on a clean towel and store it in a new Ziplock bag for the next time.

If you let a bar of Ivory sit in water for a long time, it will eventually become like a thick soup. A spoonful of this can be added to a bag of warm water to enhance the poo power of an enema, but there is no reason to make the solution stronger.

A 30 second swish of an Ivory bar is plenty to make the enema water soapy and milky looking. That is what moms and nurses have done for over a century and it works. When someone gets a bag full of that solution, they will start cramping pretty soon and then the pooing starts. A stronger solution may, in fact, be harder to take and hold, yielding a less effective enema.

The ONLY Ivory soap that should use for enemas is Ivory bar soap.

Back in the early 1950's there was Ivory Flakes, not to be confused with today's Ivory Snow. The Flakes were simply Ivory Bar soap shaving. The Snow that you can still buy today is a laundry detergent and should never be used for enemas. If you google "Ivory Flakes" you can see vintage boxes of both to compare. I wonder who came up with the idea of heating a pot of water heated on the stove and dissolving lots of Ivory Flakes in it, like was done for my enemas..

I wonder who came up with the idea of heating a pot of water heated on the stove and dissolving lots of Ivory Flakes in it, like was done for my enemas..

Not sure, but remember seeing nursing tech instructions for grating soap and mixing a known volume of water with a known mass of soap and heating it to near boiling to make a gel. While not stated I think the point was to make it easy to have a "standardized strength" of enema. I did that a few times and the solution does gel up, but you can scoop out some to use. Hot water is a must or you'll have chunks of the gel.

Not sure, but remember seeing nursing tech instructions for grating soap and mixing a known volume of water with a known mass of soap and heating it to near boiling to make a gel.

Wow! Sounds like the enema nurse from hell who lived down the hall from our apartment and with whom my mom liked to talk about enemas with! I remember them talking about soapy enemas, and of her suggesting my mom should used a little olive oil in her enemas and of being use she used 2qts.. I suspect she might have been my mom got the idea of dissolving of Ivory Flakes in hot water to make that super strong thick Ivory mixture that had to be given by a bulb. Might explain why father was the one to give them to me - requiring a strong hand to shoot it up into my colon. I'm sure as I was getting older it was that nurse telling my mom -"he'd big enough now for the bag"...

I use ivory on many occasions. I use a cheese grater to grate it into the smallest pieces possible. I then mix about an ounce of soap (by volume) and 10-12 oz of hot water in a clear plastic bottle and let it set for a few days. It will make a nice thick molasses like consistency solution that can be added to your enema. You'll need to shake it up to get it mixed thoroughly. I usually use about an oz to a quart for a nice clean out.

There was, and is, a lot of bad information going around. It used to be word-of-mouth and now it's on the web.

With Ivory, these two options make sense:

A lot of enema solution with a little bit of soap... typically a quart or two with a swish of Ivory bar soap or a spoonful of olde time Ivory Snow flakes, enough to make the water appear slightly milky (skim milk, not whole). A bag full of this solution will pretty much clean anyone out within a few minutes.

or

A small quantity, a few ounces, of thick soap solution, like heavy cream. This is far closer to a liquid suppository than an enema. The soap will lubricate the passage by coating the walls and poo with a very slippery layer, and the bowel wall will be quite irritated, causing a strong urge to poo. This use will empty poo out low down in about a half hour but likely won't completely clean a person's colon.

As per an older post I made, I've recently grown to love ivory enemas myself. The experience is just a pleasure from start to finish, and I've just acquired a transparent enema bag to see both the bar and suds float and bob in the water. The idea of seeing the bar sink down to the bottom of the bag and actively see it continue to saturate the water as I'm taking is incredibly thrilling to me.

I've been debating on how to mix the soap into the water, though for now I think I prefer running the water onto the bar as it goes into the bag, then swishing the bar in the water, and finally leaving the bar floating in the bag along the suds. It's rather straightforward and takes practically no prep, and it keeps the dilution relatively mild which I prefer.

I've been really looking forward to more of them lately, and I bought a pack of bars to prepare for any future sessions.

The skim milk reference makes sense. My mom would put some warm water in a cooking pan and then float the Ivory. Then she would go to the linen close and get out the enema bag and probably a bath towel. After coming back to the bathroom she'd swish the bar of soap around for a minute and remove it. Only then was the solution ready to pour into the bag. It did not make an uncomfortable enema even if at that age I didn't care much for the idea plus it never failed to work. I can still smell the distinct odor of the Ivory even as I write this. Can't forget it.

I remember growing up mom would fill the bathroom sink with warm water and then rub the ivory soap across her hand to make the suds. The bar of soap would click as it ran across here rings. I can still remember this sound. Once the water was soapy she would give me the bulb syringe enema which was usually around 5 or 6 bulbs. I then had to hold it for 10 minutes standing in the bathroom or sometimes walking which was very difficult. But I still recall the sounds and scents of the Ivory.

I have almost always used Ivory soap in my enemas and my mother also used Ivory for her enemas and those she gave to me.

Janet s

I don't do too many Soap Suds Enemas as I am a Coffee Enema gal. However, when I do, I use Dr. Bonner Pepermint Soap as it's convenient to use. My mother always used Kirk's Castile, which they still make but it's hard to find. Do they still make Ivory Flakes?

Do they still make Ivory Flakes?

Did a quick Google and don't see it shown... but easy enough to make with a cheese grater that has a course side.. I do see there are pictures of the Ivory Flakes box circa 1950's shown in Google Images - oh, seeing that box - wow that says "enema time" along with the sound of the white metal pot being filled with water and placed on the stove and heated to dissolve the Ivory Flakes for my ensuing super strong Ivory soapy enema. Amazing the way just a bulb or two of that would actually clean me out till just clear mucus would come out...

For some reason, my mom had an aversion to Ivory soap. The only time we had it in the house, was to carve small craft type figures. At one point, I could not resist a self administered soapy enema. I used some of those shavings.

Mom had a thing for green Palmolive. I not only got soapy enemas with it, but also had my mouth washed out a few times. Either way, nausea was a common result.

I discovered Kirk's castile, and still have a couple of bars stashed away. I do use castile packets from disposable bags, but like Dr Bronner's in most cases.

For some reason, my mom had an aversion to Ivory soap. .....................

Mom had a thing for green Palmolive. I not only got soapy enemas with it, but also had my mouth washed out a few times.

My wife is allergic to Ivory soapy... her hands break out with a rash whenever we used it as hand soap.. wonder if your mom had something similar.... Palmolive soap.. here's a bit of history:

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/story-behind-this-bar-of-palmolive-soap/

I've been using Dr. Bronner's exclusively for many years now but remember those ivory soapy enemas of my youth like it was yesterday. I'll never forget that smell of ivory soap along with the rubber smell of the enema fountain syringe in the bathroom. Funny how I can remember that but don't ask me what I did yesterday.

Its my main source for soapy enemas, ive never had a let down or problem. I use alot of it. Its greaaaaat

Reading all these posts, it's clear that the concentration of ivory soap in enemas, was highly variable. Some brutal, some very easy to take and hold. Given the different ways of adding the soap to the enema, this is expected. I used to run the water over the ivory bar, then swish the bar in the solution for a minute or so. I have "grated" the bar with a zester and added that to the water, but you have to mix thoroughly, because a lot of the soap particles stick to the sink surface and never dissolve. Just goes to show, a lot of different ways to make an "Ivory soap enema", and all of them worked as intended.

Thanks Reddevil for your research! I always figured my mom was sold on Palmolive by "Marge" in those old commercials, as she soaked her hands in the bowl with dish soap. She may have squirted some of that in the enema bag as well.

Ddell2 You mentioned Kirk's Castile soap. I don't often use soap in an enema but if I am terribly constipated I will and I use Kirk's. It is available in the store section at Cracker Barrel. I too live in the DFW area and I saw it in a store just today. https://www.crackerbarrel.com/search?query=kirks%20castile%20soap

That is the ONLY place that I have seen it lately.

The last time I bought Kirk's at WalMart, it was located with some of the beauty products instead of with the regular soaps. I guess they like to make you hunt for it.

Dan

@coronet54 Ddell2 You mentioned Kirk's Castile soap. I don't often use soap in an enema but if I am terribly constipated I will and I use Kirk's. It is available in the store section at Cracker Barrel. I too live in the DFW area and I saw it in a store just today. https://www.crackerbarrel.com/search?query=kirks%20castile%20soap

Thanks for posting a link - never heard of Kirk's… Interesting, it's coconut oil based, whereas Dr Bronner's is from hemp (I think).. so what is Castile soap? - here's a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castile_soap

All of my enemas growing up were Ivory soap from a bar. Mom would rub the bar across here hands and then dip them in the warm water to make the milky, sudsy solution. She would have me wait in the bathroom to watch the entire preparation process. Then it was over her lap for several bulbs of warm soapsuds.

@Jimmy_1 Mom would rub the bar across here hands and then dip them in the warm water to make the milky, sudsy solution.

Comparing that to the way my Ivory bulb enemas were made where pot of water was placed on the stove into which allot of Ivory Flakes were added, in fact so much so, the water had to be heated up quit a bit to get all the flakes to dissolve -- then I had to wait standing around in just my Tee-shirt for the mix to cool down to hot enema temp..

I just looked up Ivory Snow flakes on google ,it was a gentle laundry detergent,mom always used ivory bar soap for my enemas and never the ivory flakes.

I love the ivory soap enemas too. I shave it on a grater and then pour boiling water in it and then I put the gel form in a large container. I just keep adding hot water to the container and it water the top layer down enough to pour it into the enema bag. Very effective. I like it super strong. My colon needs a good wash. I’ll add aloe to it sometimes or a fleet to help things along. I never cramp so I’m lucky. But I think I have a crooked colon because it takes a lot for me to get thorougly cleaned out. I have used the peppermint hemp dr bonners and it’s good too. I’ve tried the baby soap but it’s not as good as the ivory soap. Oh just talking now makes me want to give myself one. Feels so good to get clean inside out.

Castile used to mean an olive oil base, but now it has grown to mean almost any vegetable fat.

Kirks is stocked at Walmart around here, about $3.50 for 3 bars. It didn't take up a large part of the display but it was there.

I didn't see one other way mentioned that I saw. Grate the bar and dissolve it in somewhere between a pint and a quart of water. When cool it becomes a jelly and you can scoop out a measured portion of the bar that way. Mixes up better in hot water than warm.

As a reply to reddevil ,I found a box of old ivory flakes on eBay and on the box it says “ for dishes and gentle laundry” OK? So that means it has an ingredient that cuts grease,maybe Lye,did your enemas burn? Look it up it’s on eBay now.

Ivory Flakes is (was) a soap (or at least it was originally) manufactured by scraping blocks of Ivory Soap which are (was) made with vegetable and animal oils. Ivory Snow however is a granulated detergent product where the oil is derived from petroleum. Both products are 'surfactants' (surface active agents) in which the molecules exhibit properties of being hydrophilic (attracted to water) and hydrophobic (repelled by water). The hydrophobic end of the surfactant is readily attracted to oil. As you might imagine the end attracted to oil is what grabs grease and dirt while the opposite end of the molecule grabs onto water.

Detergents came into existence during World War 1. Natural vegetable and animal oils became scarce due to wartime demand for the base products being used to make explosives. Soap manufacturers turned to scientists who identified petroleum derivatives which could be substituted. Petroleum derivatives when mixed with sulfuric acid create a fatty acid surfactant chain similar to that found in soap. This happened circa 1918 and gained significant traction in the 1920's. Detergents were born.

Of course labeling surfactants made with natural ingredients as soap and those made with synthetic ingredients as detergent would be to easy. Both dishwashing and liquid handsoap products labeled as soap are known to be detergents. So it is incumbent upon the end user to read the labels and determine if a product is soap or detergent. Even if a product displays the correct ingredients for soap as opposed to detergent there still may be trace amounts of chemicals other than those needed for soap such as perfumes. mold releases, dyes, preservatives etc that are not listed.

The link below contains an index of Ivory Soap ads over the years. They date from the 1880's forward. Links to the images are displayed in blue. Some are quite laughable.

https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/NMAH.AC.0791.pdf

So many of us are familiar with enemas made from Ivory bar soap, but my early enemas were made from Ivory Flakes. This was back in the late 1940's and early 1950's when shavings of Ivory soapy was sold in boxes and called Ivory Flakes. Seeing the box of flakes being brought out and the sound of it being shook up a bit is it's own experience. I wonder how many know what I'm writing about? If your enemas were made from Ivory flakes were they super strong as well? My enemas were made by mixing an amount of the flakes into a pot of water that had to be heated up high enough to dissolve all the flakes that were added. The enemas was given via an 8-ounce bulb and was more like an 8-ounce suppository do to it's strength! Ivory Flakes should NOT to be confused with today's Ivory Snow (at detergent that should never be used for enemas). The post https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=forum;ox=display;msg=1144218 goes into allot of detail about these products and links to guide about Ivory soapy advertising: https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/NMAH.AC.0791.pdf

ETA: I never saw how much of the flakes were used - just that it was poured into a cup and then into the pot. The same pot was always used; a white metal pot. Because the mixture was heated (to boiling or almost boiling) I had to wait around for it to cool down to a hot enema before I got it. I remember being kept wearing just a tee-shirt with no bottom while waiting in anticipation of the strong enema - my penis would shrivel to where I looked down it appeared like I had lost it. This resulted of my never being able to maintain an erection when partners in my adult life did anything anally to me.

As mentioned in other posts, one of the ways to make a good Ivory soap solution is to make a gelatinous gel by soaking Ivory in water for several days.

I’ve thought something to try that I think will make a great enema. Prepare a pitcher of sudsy water to whatever concentration you like. Hang your bag and pour enough Ivory soap syrup into it to fill the entire length of the tube. Purge the air, of course. After the tube is filled with the syrup, fill the bag with the soapsuds. If you are using 6ft of tubing, when you start the enema flowing you will get the equivalent of about 45 to 50 liquid soap suppositories injected ahead of the soapsuds. Tell me what you think of this idea.