Ten Uses for Bar Soap

Many people don't use bar soap for bathing anymore. Instead, they use liquid soap because it's more sanitary and often contains more moisturizers. However, this doesn't mean bar soap is outdated or useless. Most people know that bar soap can be used to clean windows, find water leaks in pipes, or unstick zippers and drawers. Here are a few other uses:

1. Lubricate nails, screws, and saw blades. Soap on metal helps it go through wood more easily. Nails and screws go in easier and are less less likely to split the wood if they are first stuck in a bar of soap. Rubbing soap over a handsaw blade will help it cut straighter and be less resistant to the wood.

2. Keep your fingernails clean while you're working in the garden or potting plants. Scrape your fingernails over a bar of soap to collect slivers underneath them. This will prevent dirt from caking under your nails and the soap washes out easily.

3. Keep bugs off plants. Soap works as an insect repellent and can protect your plants from being eaten by bugs. Mix soap with water until it's sudsy, then put the water solution in a bottle and spray the underside of plant leaves.

4. Relieve itchy bug bites. Rub the bites with a dampened bar of soap for instant itch relief. It also helps keep the bites clean.

5. Deodorize your car. If you're tired of store-bought car deodorizers, place a small bar of your favorite scented soap into a mesh bag and hang it from your mirror. It'll keep your car smelling clean and fresh.

6. Keep your clothes fresh. Place bars of soap in closets, drawers, suitcases, and bins where you store your clothing. It'll also repel bugs and prevent musty odors.

7. Remove stains from fabric. Rub a damp bar of white soap over stains, then wash the clothes according to the manufacturer's instructions. For more difficult stains, use a scrub brush or old toothbrush after applying the soap. This works especially well for grease and make-up.

8. Keep sponges sudsy. Cut a small hole in the center of a sponge and place a sliver of soap inside. This will keep your sponges soaped up for several more uses. You can also make your own sponge by placing soap slivers in old socks.

9. Mark a hem. Instead of using store-bought marking chalk, use a sliver of bar soap to draw a line for a hem. It washes out more easily than chalk.

10. Make a pin cushion. Wrap a bar of soap in a piece of cloth and tie it with a ribbon. Your new pin cushion will smell good and lubricate the pins to makes them easier to work with.