9 bathroom products you'll remember if you grew up in the 70s, 80s or 90s - one 'stung like fire'

But these were among the most popular bathroom products of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

For many people, they still hold happy memories of growing up back then, with their smell, style and feel forever associated with bathtime as a child.

Some of these toiletries are still available, some have gone out of fashion and others have been discontinued or are much harder to find.

How many of these items do you recognise, and are there any which you used, or still do?

Soap on a rope

Soap on a rope was invented in the late 40s as a practical way to store this slippery customer.

It really caught on during the 70s and 80s as a novelty item, given as a humorous gift to long-suffering mums and dads all over.

It came in all shapes, from ducks to boxing gloves.

Having gone out of fashion in the 90s, it has come full circle and is enjoying a resurgence as a practical, eco-friendly bathroom product.

Matey bubble bath

This mild and gentle bubble bath in its distinctive bottle is still available today. But for anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it will be forever associated with their childhood.

The delicate smell and the smiling face of the character on the bottles can instantly transport many of us back to bath time as a child.

The classic bottles were blue, featuring a rosy-faced sailor, with a pink Miss Matey version, but there have been many different designs over the years.

Potpourri spray

Potpourri was found in most bathrooms during the 80s and into the 90s, usually left for years to gather dust as the fragrance grew stale.

Its popularity led to the introduction of Glade Potpourri air freshener spray, with aromas including ‘Cinnamon Sticks’ and ‘Mountain Heather’.

Glade PlugIns also became popular in many households during the 90s.

Mercurochrome

A bottle of merbromin, widely sold under the brand name Mercurochrome, could be found in most bathroom cabinets during the 70s and 80s, when it was every parent’s go-to for any scrapes and cuts.

As one person recalled, the orangey-red liquid ‘stung like fire’ and ‘stained your skin for a week’, but it seemed to do the trick, and children were quickly back out playing without the need for a trip to the hospital.

The use of merbromin has declined due to concerns over mercury poisoning, but it is still available in many countries, including the UK.

Mercurochrome today makes a number of other, mercury-free products, including bandages and plasters.

Fluffy toilet seats

The 70s and 80s were all about comfort, and the bathroom was no exception.

Bathrooms back then were like a big, warm hug, with carpet on the floors and even, in many cases, on the toilet seat.

It kept your toes and your bum toasty, but was a nightmare to keep clean, with plenty of space for germs to lurk.

Sun In

Some people bleached their hair, others took a gentler approach, using lemon juice, but many people in the 70s and 80s opted for Sun In.

The hair-lightener was hugely popular back then, but according to those who tried it, the results were not always what they hoped for.

Rather than the blonde look they were expecting, their hair often ended up a more orange hue.

Vosene shampoo

This is another popular toiletry item you can still buy but which is nowhere near as omnipresent as it was back in the 70s and 80s.

The medicated anti-dandruff shampoo was on the bathroom shelf in most households back then, with one person describing it as the ‘smell of Sunday evenings’.

Many people remember the smell fondly, but they also vividly recall the pain if it got in your eyes, with one person saying it was ‘like battery acid’.

Johnson’s Baby Powder

This is another product that is for many people inextricably linked with happy childhood memories, though in some cases those memories have been soured.

Lots of people recall the ‘gorgeous’ smell and feel of Johnson’s Baby Powder, which was sprinkled liberally in bathrooms across the world in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Johnson & Johnson stopped making talc-based baby powder in 2023 amid concerns over a potential link between talcum powder and cancer. But the firm has said its baby powder ‘did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer’.

Clearasil

Teens everywhere put their faith in Clearasil to treat their acne during the 80s and 90s, when it reached peak popularity.

The DJ Andy Kershaw featured in the adverts, interviewing users, including one who told how her boyfriend used to call her ‘spotty’ before she started using Clearasil.

“What are you going to do about that?” he asks.

“Get rid of him and keep the Clearasil,” she replies.

If these products bring back happy memories of the 80s, here’s a list of things you’ll only remember if you went to school back then.