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.