Last night, I wrote about how dangerous over-cleaning can be: either in constantly using antibacterial cleaning agents, or in being too meticulous in cleaning proper.

Tonight, I am writing about how soaps can become breeding grounds for bacteria, and a way to prevent such occurrence from happening. As usual, an innovative product is behind it, and it should prove to be conducive to our health and safety – and truly proper hygiene. Meet Ippinka’s Flow Draining Trays.

Ippinka (click to visit)

Did you know that soap itself can harbor bacteria? According to The Naked Scientists of the University of Cambridge, bacteria can grow on soaps because soap itself – unless antibacterial – is not very toxic to bacteria. What soap actually does to your hands is that they simply remove layers from the skin that the bacteria are clinging to – hence they rid your hands of bacteria by ushering them out, rather than killing them. Therefore, soap in public bathrooms might be actually doing more harm than good – which is why I am grateful that most public bathrooms here use liquid soap.

This is especially true in soap dishes when water accumulates, which becomes a ripe breeding ground for bacteria. Try lifting the upper tray of your soap dish and chances are you’ll see a puddle of soapy water underneath. If you think it’s clean because it’s soapy, think again: it is abuzz with bacteria.

The Flow Draining Trays seek to prevent this from happening. They do so simply by providing a series of sloping grooves along the entire tray, so that water flows downwards and out of the tray. It is held over or beside a sink or drain so that the water goes straight down there. Now, you won’t have to worry about that harmful soapy water biding its time underneath, striking back ruthlessly when you least expect it.

Furthermore, it’s made of silicon, and it comes in two models: a tray for dishes, glasses, and the like to be used in the kitchen; and a shorter version for bar soaps – whether it be for laundry, for the kitchen, or for your bathroom. I would recommend getting both as they serve different purposes. I would want a bigger model for the dish trays, so that you could place dinner plates on it. But one for glasses is very good already.

This is the kind of social innovation that’s needed thousandfold: little things that are solved responsibly to cover one problem at a time. I salute whoever designed this, because they have just made a great contribution to personal care and hygiene at home. I only wish I could be as talented and creative.

The Flow Draining Trays are available on Ippinka, although you need to register to be able to shop there. They are also available on Amazon for USD 24.94 (the Dish Tray) or USD 10.21 (the Soap Tray).