It can be easy to overlook a simple bar of soap and head straight to the fancy body washes, but don't pass up the multiple uses of a traditional bar of soap. You can take it easily out of the bathroom and use it in multiple ways throughout your home. All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.
These 10 ideas feature the creative ways you can use a cheap bar of soap to make life a bit easier. You'll be asking yourself why you didn't think of these great tips.
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1. Keep your nails clean (h/t One Good Thing)
Do you love the feel of the cool, clean soil on your hands, but hate digging the dirt out from under your nails? This tip will keep your nails nice and clean. Simply scrape your nails across a bar of soap to get soap underneath them. The soap will block the dirt and easily wash out afterwards. Now the only digging you will be doing is in the dirt!
Do you love the feel of the cool, clean soil on your hands, but hate digging the dirt out from under your nails? This tip will keep your nails nice and clean. Simply scrape your nails across a bar of soap to get soap underneath them. The soap will block the dirt and easily wash out afterwards. Now the only digging you will be doing is in the dirt!
2. Keep that zipper sliding
A sticky zipper can be frustrating, but you can't spray lubricant or oil onto your clothes. Use this creative soap hack to get that zipper moving up and down with ease. Rub a bar of soap gently on the zipper's teeth. It will now glide with no sudden stops.
A sticky zipper can be frustrating, but you can't spray lubricant or oil onto your clothes. Use this creative soap hack to get that zipper moving up and down with ease. Rub a bar of soap gently on the zipper's teeth. It will now glide with no sudden stops.
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3. Fix up an old dresser
Older wooden drawers don't always cooperate. They get stuck and drive you crazy. All you need to do is grab a bar of soap and give the edges and railings a rub down. The waxy soap helps the drawer move smoothly.
Older wooden drawers don't always cooperate. They get stuck and drive you crazy. All you need to do is grab a bar of soap and give the edges and railings a rub down. The waxy soap helps the drawer move smoothly.
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4. Keep mice away
The strong scent of Irish Spring bar soap is reported to keep mice away. All you need to do is keep pieces of it in your problem areas. Mice don't like the smell of the soap, so keep adding fresh pieces as the older pieces lose their scent.
The strong scent of Irish Spring bar soap is reported to keep mice away. All you need to do is keep pieces of it in your problem areas. Mice don't like the smell of the soap, so keep adding fresh pieces as the older pieces lose their scent.
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5. Remove stains in a pinch
A white bar of soap can act as an emergency stain remover in a pinch. If you find yourself without a commercial stain remover, simply rub a bar of white soap over the stain as a pre-treat. Then wash according to the manufacturer's directions.
A white bar of soap can act as an emergency stain remover in a pinch. If you find yourself without a commercial stain remover, simply rub a bar of white soap over the stain as a pre-treat. Then wash according to the manufacturer's directions.
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6. Create a useful pincushion
Sometimes you just hate to open a beautiful bar of soap just to wash it down the sink. You can always keep it on display in your craft room as a pretty pin cushion. The soap lubricates the pins and keeps them gliding easily into fabrics.
Sometimes you just hate to open a beautiful bar of soap just to wash it down the sink. You can always keep it on display in your craft room as a pretty pin cushion. The soap lubricates the pins and keeps them gliding easily into fabrics.
7. Make nail holes invisible
This is perfect for apartment dwellers and those regulated to college dorm rules. If you've gone ahead and displayed your art by hanging it on nails, you may now be looking for a quick and easy fix to the holes you've left behind. Just rub a white bar of soap over the hole. It will blend easily with the white wall and appear as if it never happened at all.
This is perfect for apartment dwellers and those regulated to college dorm rules. If you've gone ahead and displayed your art by hanging it on nails, you may now be looking for a quick and easy fix to the holes you've left behind. Just rub a white bar of soap over the hole. It will blend easily with the white wall and appear as if it never happened at all.
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8. Create your own liquid hand soap
For the cost of a dollar bar of soap, you can create a bottle of liquid hand soap. All you have to do is grate down the soap, add a bit of water, and cook. After it is cooled, you will have a generous amount of liquid soap. Take it up a notch by adding essential oils, coconut milk or a bit of moisturizing lotion.
For the cost of a dollar bar of soap, you can create a bottle of liquid hand soap. All you have to do is grate down the soap, add a bit of water, and cook. After it is cooled, you will have a generous amount of liquid soap. Take it up a notch by adding essential oils, coconut milk or a bit of moisturizing lotion.
9. Keep campfire pots soot free
Campfires and propane stoves are notorious for depositing a black soot on the bottom of your pots and pans. Rubbing a bar of soap generously on the outside of your cookware will allow you to simply wash the soot right off.
Campfires and propane stoves are notorious for depositing a black soot on the bottom of your pots and pans. Rubbing a bar of soap generously on the outside of your cookware will allow you to simply wash the soot right off.
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10. Keep an animal from chewing
Horses love to chew on wood. You might even have a puppy going after a chair leg. No one likes the taste of soap, not even your pets. Applying a generous layer of bar soap to the targeting object will stop your pets from chewing on it. Strong smelling soaps taste especially awful.
Horses love to chew on wood. You might even have a puppy going after a chair leg. No one likes the taste of soap, not even your pets. Applying a generous layer of bar soap to the targeting object will stop your pets from chewing on it. Strong smelling soaps taste especially awful.
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Don't think of bar soap as simply something old fashioned, but instead grab a bar and tackle your biggest household problems. Share these amazing bar soap hacks with your friends and family on Facebook.