Tips & Tricks to Make Your Soap Last Longer

Things My Mom Taught Me

As an adult, sometimes I forget the small little tricks my mother taught me as a child. The childhood memories of proper Oreo cookie and milk etiquette and washing behind the ears fall to the wayside when my job in the big city looms in the distance.

The scents of Dr. Squatch harken back to the welcoming scents of hiking trips and beach vacations with my family. My nostalgia is a small part of what pushes me to call my mom, even for something as small as the mystery of the ever-shrinking soap bar in my shower. Here are some of the things I learned from her over the years along with some help from the Internet.

Before Use

Many people keep soap in their bathroom where it’s exposed to the elements. But the best way to save bar soap in the first place is to keep it dry. Placing it in a drawer or the linen closet away from humidity will allow the soap to maintain its hard form and in some cases can dry the soap out further for future use. Honestly, I leave an extra Dr. Squatch soap out on the top of my dresser. The soap’s current task is as a scented candle replacement.

During Use

There are several ways in which you can lengthen the life of soap while in the shower or bath. A slightly cooler shower with softer water quality will prevent the soap from dissolving quickly while creating lather faster without significant rubbing of the bar. Also, someone who uses a washcloth will save more soap that one who uses soap directly on the skin; once the soap is applied onto the washcloth, the soap is quickly placed aside outside the spray of the shower.

After Use

Until recently, I placed my soap on a ledge provided by my tub/shower. It only took a little while to see that the bar melted into the ledge and became flimsy and nearly unusable.  Once again, the dry factor came in. Not only was the bar sticking to the ledge because of excess water, but the bar was further damaged by other people using the shower that day.

The easiest way to fix that soap mess is with a soap saver like the Dr. Squatch Soap Saver. I never thought of something like a soap saver to be this great, and it really does help. The grooved ridges on the soap saver allow for the water on the soap bar to drain, giving a chance for the soap to dry out. With this particular soap saver, it helps the soap stay in place without significant movement. Just remember to place the Dr. Squatch Soap Saver and soap away from the shower spray. Not only will the soap dry faster, but it will stay dry longer, as well.

Passing on Wisdom

Childhood memories never leave you, nor do their lessons. I still visit the beach and, of course, I always remember to wipe my face of Oreo crumbs and milk mustaches. And now that I’ve solved the mystery of the ever-shrinking soap, the Dr. Squatch soap stays drier, longer on the soap saver. Plus the extra soap on top of my dresser lasts longer than ever, giving a nice sent to the room. Someday, I’ll pass along that little piece of wisdom to my children.  Maybe, even if they’ve forgotten, they’ll be able to remember everything when they need it the most.

Banner image: Quinn Dombrowski “Soap” CC 2.0/Cropped