Originally Posted by jputnam

Exactly what contaminants do people think they need to remove by scrubbing rather than just washing with soap and water?

If you've been mucking the stables in flip-flops and shorts, then yes, there's external contamination on your legs and feet that needs scrubbing.

But if you're just talking about a normal day's sweat on your legs after wearing pants all day, why isn't washing alone good enough?

People who scrub too much and use too much soap stink very quickly, because they've destroyed the natural balance of friendly bacteria on the skin, and stripped away the skin's natural defenses such as sebum and dead skin cells. I used to be in that camp myself, until a nasty case of saddle sores sent me to the doctor, who suggested simply washing (that is, letting soap and water run over the skin without scrubbing) anything that wasn't truly dirty. That was back in the late '80s.

It took only a few weeks to confirm the doctor's advice about smelling better with washing instead of scrubbing, eliminating the need to shower after my morning commute. It also eliminated dry skin in winter. And I haven't had saddle sores since switching to washing instead of scrubbing.