A bar of soap is a multipurpose tool that can help with tons of common problems around your house. You can do many great things instead of using this soap for washing up. Learn about 30 awesome hacks that you can do with a bar of soap!
Bars of soap can be used in lots of interesting and unusual ways. A simple bar of soap can do everything from keeping insects away from your garden to helping you sew. Plus, since the soap is so slippery, it’s great for helping to unstick stuck drawers and zippers.
1. Prevent Mirrors From Fogging Up
If you want to stop your mirror from fogging up while you’re showering, rub some soap on the mirror before you hop in the shower. Then, wipe the soap off with a clean cloth. You can also use this technique on your glasses to keep from fogging up.
2. Lubricate Screws And Nails
Getting a screw into a piece of wood can be tough, especially if you’re working with a thick piece of lumber. To make this job easier, rub the screw down with soap before you try hammering it in. The soap will make it much easier to get the screw or nail into the wood.
3. Remove Wallpaper
A bar of soap will also come in handy when you’re removing wallpaper from your walls. Mix the bar of soap with water to create a soapy solution. Then, spritz the solution onto your wallpaper. The slippery solution will make it much easier for you to peel the wallpaper off your walls.
4. Break-In Leather Shoes
When you first buy a pair of leather shoes, the shoes are often tough and can cause blisters. To break your shoes in quicker, rub a wet bar of soap on the inside of the shoes. Keep rubbing until the top layer of the soap has been absorbed by the shoes. Try them on, and if they still feel tough, rub some more soap in.
5. Fix Stuck Zippers
Is the zipper on one of your favorite jackets stuck? A little soap will help unstick in no time! Rub the bar of soap along the zipper, and then try unzipping it. The soap will lubricate the zipper, making it easier for the stuck zipper to move.
6. Prevent Musky Odor In Closet
If you don’t wear a piece of clothing too often, it can get a musky scent. To keep your clothes smelling fresh, hang a bar of soap in your closet. You can also use this trick to keep the clothes in your drawer smelling nice and fresh.
7. Pick Up Broken Glass
It’s always tough to pick up all the pieces of broken glass, and it’s especially hard to spot those very small pieces. To make this job easier, wet a bar of soap and then glide it around the area where you dropped the glass. The soap should pick up all those tiny pieces you missed. After you’re finished cleaning up, be sure to throw out the bar of soap!
8. Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
Using a bar of soap, you can easily make a great homemade laundry detergent. Grate the whole bar, and then pour it into a saucepan filled with four cups of water. Stir until the soap has dissolved, and then pour the soap mixture into a container. Add a cup of baking soda, a cup of washing soda, and a ½ cup of Borax, and stir well until everything is dissolved. Cover the container, and let it sit overnight to thicken. Use about two tablespoons of this mixture per laundry load.
9. Soothe Bug Bites
Itchy bug bites are always a pain, but luckily, a simple bar of soap can help alleviate your itching. Moisten the bar of soap and then rub it on your bug bite. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the soap helps soothe your skin.
10. Help Leg Cramps
If you often get leg cramps at night, try placing a bar of dry Irish Spring soap between your bedsheets. The oils from the soap will help soothe your legs and keep them from cramping. Try it out one night, and you’ll be amazed to see how well this trick works!
11. Prevent Soot In Cast Iron Pot
When you’re cooking over a campfire, the bottom of the pot will often get covered in soot, which can be tough to clean. Before you place the pot over the campfire, rub the outside of the pot down with a bar of soap. The slippery soap will make it much easier for you to clean the pot after you finish dinner.
12. Make Felted Soap
Felted soap is great for exfoliating your skin, and it’s super easy to make. All you’ll need to make it is wool roving in a couple of different colors and one of bar soap. If you’re interested in making felted soap
13. Keep Fingernails Clean
When you’re gardening, it’s always tough to prevent dirt from going under your fingernails. To keep the dirt away, scrape your fingernails over a dry bar of soap, and leave a bit of soap under your fingernails. The soap will act as a barrier against the dirt, keeping your nails clean. Once you’re finished gardening, be sure to wash your hands well!
14. Mark Fabric When Sewing
When you’re sewing, you’ll usually need to make marks on the fabric to know where to place your needle and thread. A bar of soap is a great choice for these marks—the soap won’t damage the fabric, and it will wash right out.
15. Find A Gas Leak
If you notice a rotten egg smell in your house, you can use a bar of soap to determine if you have a gas leak. Rub the bar of soap over the pipe you’re worried about, and then watch to see if the soap starts bubbling. If it does, there is a problem, and you should call for help immediately.
16. Make A Pin Cushion
A bar of soap makes a great base for an easy DIY pincushion! Wrap the soap in a piece of fabric or some wrapping paper. Then, simply stick the pins in. The soap will keep the pins firmly in place, and the soap will lubricate the pins, making it easier to stick them into your fabric.
17. Hide Nail Holes In Your Wall
If you have a few nail holes in your wall, you can easily hide them with a little soap. Choose a bar of soap that’s the same color as your walls, and then rub the dry soap over the little hole until the hole is filled. This easy idea is a great way to hide nail holes until you spackle or repaint your walls.
18. Loosen Drawers
A bar of soap is a great way to loosen a drawer that’s hard to open. Simply rub a dry bar of soap all along the drawer’s runners. The drawer should then open without a hitch!