08/09/2026
Thinking about washing up in the lake? It’s best to leave the soap at home💧
Even soaps labeled as “biodegradable,” “natural,” or “eco-friendly” aren’t necessarily safe for lake water. Biodegradable soap needs the right conditions to break down properly, including contact with soil. In a lake, those conditions usually aren’t present, meaning soap doesn’t simply disappear after it enters the water.
Soap ingredients can affect water quality and harm the tiny organisms, plants, and animals that depend on healthy lakes. Detergents in soap can even change the surface tension of the water, making it harder for some aquatic organisms, like water striders, to move across the surface.
A single wash might seem small, but the effects can add up when many people do the same. Help protect our lakes by keeping soap out of the water so they remain healthy places for wildlife and for people.
Dive deeper into this topic with the Love Your Lake article featured in this issue of Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine: https://issuu.com/cottagecountryfreemagazine/docs/cottage_country_summer_2025/31
