I was surprised to see no mention in “Soap on the ropes” (September 30) of what I consider to be the main reason for using liquid soap: the extra work involved in cleaning bathroom furniture (basins, taps, etc) when solid soap bars are used. Unless all members of the household are prepared to wipe down the entire area after every use, soap scum builds up and is not easy to remove. It is also not compatible with modern acrylic basins and baths, sometimes causing bubbling and permanent brown marks.
It was this factor, and no other, that ended my lengthy experiment with returning to bar soap. I’d like to be greener, but all too often it seems that doing so results in extra housework I have neither the time nor the inclination to do.
Kate Hanna (Auckland)
ELECTION PROMISES
As pointed out by Mark Smith (Letters, September 23), Labour and National have converged on many policy issues. This is somewhat ironic in that, despite their respective working-class/business origins, they are probably closer now than at any time in their past, and could conceivably be coalition partners.
Labour, in its efforts to not frighten the middle-class horses, is a party that has
