Thursday, April 09, 2009

Product Recommendation and Recall

The first time I heard about Bag Balm was when my mother-in-law got it out at her house to smear on my tiny baby's diaper rash. You've got to be kidding me! That's for cow udders. I got over my disgust the next morning when the diaper rash was completely cleared up. I was a believer. The product only mentions use "For chapped conditions and superficial abrasions" and it is used as a treatment for chapped and irritated skin on humans. It can be found in drug stores. Especially in rural communities, Bag Balm is known as a great, all around first aid product. I think the city folk get grossed out by the "cow udder" part. But it really does work great for cows and "udder" ailments. Hahahha. I crack myself up. :)

Bag Balm is made by the Dairy Association Co. in Vermont. The product is known for its characteristic 10 oz green square tins featuring a cow's head and red clovers on the lid. It has been in production since 1899. The active ingredients of Bag Balm are 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (antiseptic) in a petroleum jelly and lanolin base, so the salve is very oily and sticky like the consistency of shortening. It adheres to wounds and chapped skin like nothing else.




I've had the same can of Bag Balm in the house for about 4 years. A little goes a long way. Only about half an inch was gone from the container. 

I use it as I would anti-biotic ointment. Most recently, I've been applying the salve to Mandy's arms where the skin was rubbed off by the slide on Sunday. The wounds are pretty bad, too big for a bandage, and her clothes tend to stick to the wound without the Bag Balm. It's been working great and her really impressive ouies are healing.

My first mistake was to leave the can of bag balm on the changing table last night, in full reach of the crib.



Bag Balm has a very distinct smell. That smell reached me as I opened the door to Mandy's room. What fun she must have had.!





The majority of the Bag Balm was smeared through her hair. It was nearly a half an inch thick in places. I immediately began to wonder how I was going to clean her up.



The crib rails and sheet and her clothes were also salved. But I wasn't as worried about those. They don't cry when you scrub them.

I scrubbed her hair 5 times with the dish washing liquid and rinsed, being careful not to get it in her eyes. I also tried a bar of Irish Spring. Apparently the Irish are not equipped to deal with Bag Balm in hair because it didn't work.  She cried and screamed. Although the biggest mounds of salve are out of her hair, it is still really, really awful and greasy.

As per my expert-cleaning-lady mother's instructions, I sprayed her head down with Cleaner/Degreaser and combed it through when she was out of the now incredibly greasy tub. Cleaner/ Degreaser also did not work.



This is the "after" picture. Seriously, does anyone have any suggestions on cleaning her hair? Or maybe a good place to buy an Easter bonnet?



Remembering fondly the sweet, soft and luxurious hair from yesterday....

Also remembering to put the Bag Balm out of reach next time.

20 comments:

Annie said...

Oh Alysun! I gasped when I scrolled down to the pic of Mandy. The only thing I can suggest is sprinkling cornstarch or baby powder on her head and rubbing it in. I know it works for getting grease stains of clothes. I think you will need to leave it there for a while for it to soak up the grease.

Lindsay said...

Oh my gosh! I literally gasped when I saw that picture. I know bag balm WELL. I put it on my hands because I have mild eczema. It works great!!

My advice: start thinking of the bag balm as a DEEP, DEEP, moisterizer for her hair! Actually cornstarch or even baby powder sprinkled on her head might help a little.

Ok, now I am kinda laughing. So sorry. :)

Kari said...

let's see, in fast food when there is an oil spill, we used to pour cornmeal on it to soak it up, salt also soaks up grease..like on our favorite french fries. the other two suggestions might help as well, we use baby powder after playing on the beach and the sand just falls off...
at least it wasn't smeared in the carpet!!! or in the car to add to the mishap of a few weeks ago!

Katie Rose said...

Wow. Alysun I was reading, and agreeing with all the bag-balm wisdom you were imparting, and then the picture. I have to admit something to you... I laughed till I cried... actually I'm still laughing. Im sure glad you posted this, because it made my day, I needed it... I feel sorry for you, but I enjoyed the post so so much. thank you. PS> there are really cute easter bonnets in all colors at $ tree... The grease will eventually dissipate- it has to right? I am sorry for the clean-up you had to do... I can't imagine... well, actually I can :)

Marci said...

I wonder if Goo Gone would work? It is goo, right?!! You know I've been using Bag Balm for years on my feet. I no longer have cracked heals or splits under my toes even in the summer. I can go barefoot all I want. Just apply every morning after my shower.

Lisa said...

Oh my goodness! I have no advice to give but I understand how greasy and hard it is to get out of stuff. We use it frequently at the barn for the horses, and sometimes when our hands get chapped.

Tawny said...

"Udder" ailments? Bwhahaha!

Stacy said...

All I kept saying was "oh my gosh...oh my gosh!" The things these littles will think to get into! I have no advice though I will have to send a link to this post to my mother...she will love it!

Melanie said...

Oh my! When you first mentioned Bag Balm, all I could think of was how much I though that stuff stunk! And to have it all over her and her room!

Michal said...

i can't stop laughing. i'm sorry. this is a story/photo for her rehearsal dinner one day! i hope that the suggestions of cornstarch work.

Shawna said...

I so thought from the post title and the first few paragraphs that you were going to say that old bag balm went toxic and I was going to panic because I have some OLD stuff, I bought the TINY can and still have plenty, it is good for chapped lips too.

Okay, just for giggles, I Googling "How to get bag balm out of your hair". Try it, here is what comes up on the first link: Beer and Diswashing degreasing liquid soap. I also found a discussion room where they recommended using it in your HAIR and to soften a dry scalp! Maybe Mandy could be a spokes girl! Hey if the beer doesn't work, it might help you forget!

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Dawn dish soap is used in oil spills to clean the birds. Don't know if you tried it but it does do a good job...it's much better at degreasing than other dish soaps. (I use it when a clothing item has been washed and dried and there's still a grease stain on it...it comes out every time.)

These photos are HILARIOUS!

Cathy said...

Oh, you poor thing! Thanks for posting this...I think it has made all of us look around our houses for potential "bag balm" disasters! :-) I've never even heard of bag balm until now! I think I'll try it on my feet too. Thanks, Marci! Let us know what really works, OK!

Lesley Miller said...

Still laughing...have pulled Jonathan to the computer screen. Can't. Stop. Laughing.

Sara said...

It's so funny how little kids don't stop - she probably would have used the entire container up had you not walked in. Apparently, at no point do they think about how uncomfortable it feels, how it will come off, etc. Anyway, I hope her hair improves by Sunday for Easter. Poor Mandy. I have no advice other than what's been given already, but I must say that I enjoyed hearing about all the uses for bag balm - I'm going to have to go buy some!

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry about the mess but this post had me cracking up out loud! Poor Mandy. I love her face if the "after" pic. Too cute.
Deb

Choco Girl said...

Okay that was funny!! I'm sorry about her hair, oh boy, I hope there is a solution!

Anonymous said...

Alysun, Your girls top it all - who said little boys were more challenging??? She will still seem angelic tomorrow even if she has extra moisturized hair. Jenni B

Linds and Manda said...

My mom used to use that stuff on Brad...just don't tell him I told you that. :) Why do children find these things interesting and what goes through their minds before they start smearing bag baum in their hair?

The Brothers said...

Ooohhh, nooooo. Let me know what works when you figure it out - one of mine will probably do this eventually!