Time has led many of us to switch our tastes from bar soap to liquid versions, but bar soap still has its virtues. Though the only place you may see it now is in your grandmother’s soap dish (yeah, a soap dish), it won’t hurt to keep a few bars in stock.
What’s the purpose? So glad you asked. You can do more than cleanse your skin with the old standby, and a bar of soap is versatile enough to handle tasks that go beyond washing. You can use it indoors and outdoors, and you don’t even have to lather it up for it to work its magic.
Bar soap isn’t a germ factory that should be avoided, but a household essential that can come in handy in a pinch.
Check out all the ways you can use a bar of soap without stepping into the shower!
1 – Bug Bites
Dealing with itchy bumps and welts? Moisten a little soap bar and rub it onto your bug bite for some relief
2 – Remedy for Squeaky Things
For squeaky doors, drawers, or floors, rub a dry soap bar onto the offending section (like hinges or tracks) and listen for quiet.
3 – Fog Prevention
Hate it when your eyeglasses get foggy? Rub a little dry soap onto the lenses and buff it off with a clean cloth. You can use the same method to prevent your bathroom mirror from fogging up.
4 – Unstick Stuck Things
Zippers and windows can be lubricated to move with ease by rubbing some dry soap along their tracks.
5 – Odor Fighter
Instead of using old fashioned sachets, freshen up your closet, drawers, or luggage by placing a bar of soap where you want a nice scent. Leave it in its package!
6 – Pre-treat Laundry Stains
If you have a ring on your collar or a spot on your clothes, rub soap on it until laundry day. It will do the trick!
7 – Gardening
Repel deer, insects, and mice with some chopped up pieces of soap. If you are feeling really gnarly about battling beasts, cut a bar in half and stake each half on a metal or wooden rod and place it around your yard.
You can also hang it up. And we should note that Irish Spring is a favorite brand to use in the garden, but any highly fragrant soap should do the trick.
8 – Break in Your Shoes
Tough leather? Rub some soap onto the parts where the shoe causes friction such as the top inner parts and corners.
9 – Hardware Lubrication
Before hammering your nails in, stick them into some soap to lube them up. You can do the same thing with tools (like a saw), sewing needles, and screws.
10 – Leg Cramps
It may sound like an old wives’ tale, but you can slip a bar of soap in between your bed sheets to prevent nighttime leg cramps. Folks swear by it!
11 – Mark Your Cuts
If you need to mark a position for cuts – such as with a saw or sewing – use soap instead of chalk or a marker.
Do you still have love for bars of soap? What brand is your favorite? Are there any ways you use it that aren’t related to bathing?
