Most types of body soap, shampoo, and conditioner are nontoxic (even if they aren’t intended to be edible). Yet eating a bite or two of soap may cause some indigestion or vomiting, in addition to other symptoms. Over time, repeatedly eating soap can lead to health complications.
Most shampoos as well as hand and body soaps are minimally poisonous in small amounts, but they can irritate the eyes and cause symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea if ingested.
Soaps not intended to clean the body are poisonous if ingested. Swallowing or inhaling these highly toxic products can result in life threatening symptoms.
If someone you know is experiencing soap poisoning, immediately call 911 or the National Capital Poison Center (NCPC) at 800-222-1222.
Accidental poisoning by soap products can occur as a result of contact with household cleaning products that contain strong chemicals, including soap you use to wash your body.
If you swallowed the soap, pain or swelling in your throat and on your lips and tongue may develop.
This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Timeline. What If You Only Eat Soap…
FAQ
What happens if you swallow a little dish soap?
What happens if you get a little dish soap in your mouth?
How do you get soap out of your mouth?
What happens if you take a bite out of soap?
What happens if you swallow soap?
Difficulty breathing or swallowing can be life threatening. If you swallowed the soap, pain or swelling in your throat and on your lips and tongue may develop. Depending on the product you ingested, you may experience burns in your esophagus. If you have soap poisoning, you may have low blood pressure, or your heart rate may drop rapidly.
What happens if you swallow mold?
Eating mold-contaminated food can cause vomiting, allergies, diarrhea, food poisoning, abdominal pain, and even cancer if consumed frequently over a long period of time.
What happens if you eat soap?
If the soap or detergent comes in contact with your skin, you may develop irritation, blisters, or even burns on the top layer of your skin. If you inhale fumes from soap products, you may have difficulty breathing or experience swelling in your throat. Difficulty breathing or swallowing can be life threatening.
What if a child swallowed a soap product?
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.