What Happens If You Eat Soap?
If you have ever had the pleasure of having your mouth washed out with soap, it is not an experience you will soon forget. But what happens if you SWALLOW the soap? This is a question we often get. I am not sure why except the question usually follows the comment, "Your soap looks and smells like I could eat it!"
The good news is that most soaps are non-toxic. Even though all soap (except African Black Soap) is made with lye (it is the necessary binding ingredient that holds the water and oils together), when it goes through the saponification process and cures, the lye is neutralized no longer making it caustic. This being said, you still may not like the results of what happens if you swallow soap - throwing up, upset stomach, diarrhea, etc.
Eating soap side effects
Eating soap can have some harmful side effects. Eating a small amount of soap might not do permanent damage to your body, but it really depends on what type of soap you ingest and how much.
Eating soap can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Almost all soaps have a highly alkaline pH, according to a 2019 studyTrusted Source. This means that eating it can upset your digestion and irritate the lining of your digestive tract.
What's more, commercially available soaps typically contain acids (like lauric acid or stearic acid) as well as ingredients that come from plants (like essential oils and fragrances). Even if these ingredients are "all-natural," they are not food-grade.
That means eating soap can lead to more than a little discomfort, as well as vomiting. Your body may have difficulty digesting the soap, which can cause diarrhea or even blood in your stool.
Eating soap can cause inflammation in other parts of your body
Eating soap can cause your tongue, throat, and other parts of your body to swell. This can be a temporary reaction to harsh ingredients in the soap or a symptom of an allergy.
Either way, it can be uncomfortable and, in some cases, make it difficult to breathe or swallow.
What to do after accidental poisoning by a soap product
Recognizing symptoms
The signs or symptoms of soap poisoning will depend on:
- the product
- how much a person has swallowed or inhaled
- how much contact there was with the product
Symptoms of soap poisoning may include:
- difficulty breathing
- swelling of the throat, lips, and tongue
- chemical burns on the skin
- vision loss, if the soap product has burned the eyes
- gastrointestinal symptoms, including vomiting repeatedly or with blood
- burns to the food pipe
- severe stomach pain
- low blood pressure
What to do in an emergency
If an adult or child has swallowed a soap product, the first thing to do is call the NPCC. This service is free and confidential and offers expert advice and immediate support. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Once someone makes a call to the NPCC, a specialist will work with the caller on how to proceed. The specialist may advise going to the nearest emergency room or calling 911.
The NPCC and medical professionals need to know the type and amount of the soap product that caused the poisoning.
Vomiting should not be encouraged unless instructed by poison control or a medical professional. The NPCC may recommend drinking water or milk, but not for anyone who is vomiting, having a seizure, or experiencing any symptoms that make it hard to swallow.
Treatment
The treatment for soap poisoning depends on the chemical in the product.
Treatment for soap poisoning may include:
oxygen or a breathing tube
pain medication
giving fluids through the veins (IV)
treatment of any burned skin
washing the affected area
checking the lungs and airways with an instrument called a bronchoscope
checking the food pipe and stomach with an instrument called an endoscope
Poisoning can severely affect a person's health. It is important to get immediate treatment to prevent severe complications, including brain damage, organ damage, or significant tissue death.
