How to Make Soap Last Longer

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 29, 2021 References Approved

There are many ways to make your soap last longer. Perhaps you want to extend the life of your soap to cut down on costs, or maybe just because buying soap so frequently is a hassle. Either way, you can make the most of your soap with a little effort.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Storing Soap So it Lasts Longer

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Keep the soap away from water. Nothing will make your soap disintegrate faster than keeping it constantly wet. Water breaks down the consistency of the soap and makes it necessary to replace your soap much more frequently.^{[1]
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- Avoid storing your soap in a place that is constantly in contact with water, like in the direct stream of the shower.
2
Let the soap air dry. Allowing the air to dry out its moisture will make a bar of soap harder (and therefore less likely to crumble), so that it lasts longer. The more time your soap spends completely dry, the longer it will last.^{[2]
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- Because of this, the more people who use a bar of soap, the faster it will need to be replaced. More users means less time between showers and more time that the soap will spend wet.
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3
Always keep your soap in an appropriate soap dish that allows for drainage. A wire rack or a self-draining soap dish is best. Soap dishes without drainage keep the moisture longer and will make it harder for your soap to dry out in between uses.^{[3]
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- Although some of the more fancy plastic and stainless steel soap dish designs are funky and cute, unless they have drainage, they are liable to make your soap soggy.
4
Store smaller pieces in a soap-saving pouch. Once your soap bar breaks down into smaller pieces that are difficult to use, put those smaller pieces inside a soap-saving pouch. This small bag will work to contain the pieces for reuse, but it also acts as a type of exfoliating washcloth that you can use to bath yourself with the soap remnants inside.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Using Soap Properly to Make it Last Longer

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Use a washcloth instead of your hands. Skin is less able to produce and retain lather from soap than other materials. If you use a washcloth instead while you are bathing, the whole process will use less soap overall because the washcloth will create more lather and it the suds it creates will go farther in cleaning your body than simply using your hands alone.^{[5]
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- Additionally, you can use a loofah to help the soap last longer.
2
Take cooler showers. Hot water will make your bar soap dissolve more quickly and will require more effort to make lather. A cooler shower will help your bar soap last longer by allowing it to maintain its shape and consistency for a longer period of time.^{[6]
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- Softer water will also help prolong the life of your soap over hard shower water.
3
Use small, leftover scraps of soap all the way to the end. Put small leftover pieces inside a washcloth or a bag sewn from a washcloth, and use the whole thing like a bar of soap.
- If you like using soap this way, you can put the entire bar inside the bag from the beginning.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Considering Other Soap-Saving Methods

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Consider the ingredients in the soap. One factor to consider when trying to make your soap last longer is the type of soap you are buying in the first place. Soaps made out of harder fats and oils will last longer than those made out of softer, liquid oils.^{[7]
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2
Let the soap cure. Unwrap the bar of soap and allow it to sit out in the open air for 6-8 weeks. This will allow the soap bar and its ingredients to harden more completely so it will last longer once you start using the soap and it starts getting wet regularly.^{[8]
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- When unwrapping the bar of soap from its packaging, make sure to do so carefully in order to avoid scraping off parts of the soap itself.
- Some handcrafted soaps come pre-cured, so this is not a necessary step if you have purchased this type of soap.
3
Cut the bar of soap into smaller pieces. Smaller bars of soap will last longer because you are taking smaller pieces into the shower with you each time. This means that only the smaller piece gets wet during each shower, so the other pieces can remain dry the entire time until you are ready to use them.^{[9]
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- Cut your soap bars into halves, or even thirds, if possible. Only use one small piece at a time until it is gone.
4
Convert bar soap into liquid soap. Diluting your bar soap into liquid soap will help it stretch farther over many more uses. Follow these simple instructions:^{[10]
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- Use a grater to scrape pieces off your bar of soap.
- Take 1oz. of the grated soap and put it in a jar or other kind of container.
- Add 1-2 cups of clean, filtered water and let it sit overnight.
- Stir the mixture well before use.

Community Q&A

Question

I am making things out of soap which involves sticking pins in it. The soap I have keeps flaking off. How can I make it softer so it stops flaking?

Tigerlily3

Community Answer

The soap might be dried out. Get a new soap and lather it with water to get its moisture. You also should wash your hands with it first, because new soap has an outer area which is dry and hard.