Beauty DIY

Fun ways to recycle and use old soap bars

Looking for ways to use old soap bars? Leftover scraps of soap bars never look too attractive in the guest bathroom, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw them away.

We’ve put together a list of ideas to help you recycle and use old soap, reducing waste and saving you money.

Make a new soap bar

If you’ve got several old soap bars hanging around the home, melting them into a new bar is an easy way to give your soap a new lease of life.

  1. Chop your old soap bars into smaller pieces (1cm cubes for example) and pop these into a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the soap pieces in your pan.
  2. Gently begin to warm the mixture through, regularly stirring. Avoid bringing the mixture to the boil.
  3. Once melted and well mixed, strain the mixture to give you a smooth blend of soap. Dispense into silicone soap moulds and leave to set.

Adding dried herbs and flowers can give your soap a pretty finish – we particularly love using dried lavender. Including poppy seeds or salt can give your soap an exfoliating finish too.

Use old soap bars for bath time bliss

Use old soap to bring a touch of luxury to your next bath. Yes, really! Simply pop old soap pieces into muslin cloth. Tie the cloth together using a piece of string and drop into the bath for a soothing bath soak.

Alternatively, grating shards of soap directly into your bath can make a simple and inexpensive alternative to bath oils.

Make your own travel soap

Limitations on travelling with liquids can make flying with your favourite body washes a challenge. Use old soap to make a collection of handy travel soaps instead. Simply chop your old soap bars into small rectangles and pop in an organza bag ready for the next time you fly.

Create a DIY car air freshener

Are you regularly buying air fresheners for your car? Use old soap to make one instead! Grate your old soap scraps into tiny shards and pop into a bag that you can hang from your wing mirror. Adding a few drops of your favourite essential oils too will fill your car with a scent that’s all your own.

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