Surprising Uses for Soap: Clever Household Hacks

A bar of soap serves more purposes than just cleaning us! Here are some of our favorite uses for soap around the house.

Fixing Furniture and Household Items

• Stop squeaky hinges: A squeaky hinge gets the soap! Wedge moist soap between the doorframe and hinge, and work the door back and forth; also, rub soap directly onto the hinge.
• Quiet floorboards: Work a little moist soap into the cracks between squeaky boards.
• Smooth drawers: A drawer will slide more smoothly and quietly if you rub both sides and the underside with soap.

Clothing and Accessories Hacks

• Loosen a tight ring: Loosen a tight ring by rubbing soap over the finger. The ring will slide off when the hand is washed.
• Lubricate a zipper: Rub soap on both sides of a stuck zipper, then unzip and reapply along the teeth.
• Help pins and needles glide: Stick them into a bar of soap before sewing to make them slide through fabric smoothly.

Painting and Cleaning Tricks

• Protect surfaces when painting: Protect windowpanes, doorknobs, hardware, glass doors, and switch plates when painting by coating them with soapsuds. Paint spatters will settle on the suds, and both can be washed away together.
• Make cleanup easier outdoors: Planning to cook outdoors? First, coat the bottom surfaces of pots and pans with soap; soot will wash off with the soap afterward.

Outdoor & DIY Hacks

• Lubricate tools: To make a saw slide more smoothly and easily, coat both sides with soap. The cutting edge will go through any wood much faster.
• Prevent watering can drips: Rub moistened soap under the spout or lip.
• Rub sled runners: Apply soap generously for a slicker, faster ride.
• Make DIY paper logs: To prepare paper logs for a cozy fire, roll old newspapers tightly into small logs, tie firmly, and soak them in soapy water. Stand them on end to drain and dry.

Freshness & Odor Control

• Deodorize spaces: Place unwrapped soap in drawers, closets, or suitcases to prevent musty odors.
• Safe glass cleanup: To pick up bits and pieces of broken glass safely, rub a damp bar of soap over the area where glass has splintered, then shave off the surface of the soap to which the glass has adhered. Wrap these soap “peelings” in newspaper and discard.

Locks and Keys

• Loosen a stiff lock: Rub soap on your key before inserting it into a stubborn lock.

Personal Care Hacks

• Prevent foggy glasses: Rub soapy fingers on both sides of your lenses, then polish.

From squeaky doors to foggy glasses, a simple bar of soap can be a lifesaver around the house. Try a few of these soap hacks—you might be surprised how many problems you can solve with something you already have in your bathroom!

Have you tried any of these tricks? Let us know!