What to do With Leftover Soap Bars, 15 Creative Uses

I’ve been using bar soap for several years now after moving away from liquid soap. I find natural soap bars last longer, are kinder on my skin and of course, I love the fact they have natural ingredients. As I use these soap bars they tend to shrink and so I started to wonder what I could do with this leftover soap to reduce waste.

There are many creative uses for leftover soap bars including creating soap balls, liquid soap or soap-on-a-rope as well as making a lovely soap-filled sponge for bathing. With reuse being top of mind, when a soap bar shrinks during use there’s no need to discard it at the end of its life.

Some time back I did some research on how people use these soap scraps and it’s absolutely amazing how people are reducing waste by turning these small pieces of soap into something of use.

In fact, what I found is that some of the ideas are actually people’s hobbies where they approach soapmakers and buy their offcuts to produce products – who would have known?

From my research, I found 15 creative ways to use soap leftovers which you can find below.

Enjoy!

Quick tip, if you are wondering how long soap bars last then check out my other article “Does Bar Soap Expire? How to Tell if its Safe to Use” after this.

15 Creative Ways to Use Soap Scraps

1. Create Soap Balls

This one I love which I why I made it number 1 on the list.

You can make much smaller, more convenient hand soaps and even travel-sized soaps that are perfect for travelling around.

Gather up all your leftover soap scraps and soften them with warm water.

Once they become pliable, roll them into small balls.

Let the soap balls dry – that’s it.

2. Soap Sachets

Soap sachets are a great way to give your linens and clothes a lovely fresh scent.

Buy or make a small fabric bag, pop in the soap leftovers and then tie the bag securely.

You can then use and reuse these little sachets in your drawers and wardrobes.

They also make thoughtful gifts for friends and family.

3. Soap Petals

This is a lovely idea, one that will enhance bathtime to a spa-like experience.

Using a potato peeler or a home cheese grater shred the soap scraps into thin, petal-like pieces.

You can then scatter the petals into your bath and watch as they dissolve creating a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere.

4. Liquid Soap

Sometimes I find liquid soap more convenient, especially in my downstairs cloakroom.

Turn leftover soap bars into liquid soap by firstly grating or melting them and then mixing the shavings with hot water.

Once the soap shavings are completely dissolved, allow the mixture to cool before pouring it into a reusable pump dispenser.

Now you have a sustainable alternative to store-bought liquid soap.

5. Soap-on-a-Rope

As well as hand soap I love soap-on-a-rope for the shower.

With soap bar leftovers you can make your own.

Take your leftover bars, grate them into small pieces and melt them with hot water.

Place them into a mould and insert a piece of string or twine into the liquid soap, allowing it to stick out.

Simply let the soap cool before removing the hardened soap from the mould.

Now you have a lovely soap-on-a-rope to hang in the shower.

6. Soap-filled Sponge

This is my second favourite idea on the list.

I love taking baths and one of the ways I use up soap leftovers is to either make a small cloth bag to place the soap in or cut a small slit in one side of a sponge.

The sponge option is my favourite, you can Insert soap scraps into the slit and squeeze the sponge to create a lather.

This simple yet effective technique combines cleansing and exfoliation.

7. Soap Crayons

This idea is great if you have children.

Simply grate and melt soap scraps and whilst still in liquid form add some non-toxic food colouring.

Pour the mixture into moulds shaped like crayons and let it harden.

These colourful crayon-style soaps engage kids during bath time.

It can encourage their creativity as they draw on the bathtub walls, with you knowing that it will easily wash away.

8. Soap Shavings for Laundry

With this idea, you can make your clothes even fresher.

Grate the soap leftovers into fine shavings and mix them with your laundry detergent.

During the wash cycle, the soap shavings will dissolve and mix with your normal laundry detergent enhancing the cleaning power of your wash.

Quick tip, make sure the grated soap is not too big otherwise you’ll find lumps of soap in your clothes!

9. Soap Potpourri

Adding fragrance to my home is important to me.

I love for the rooms in my home to smell fresh and for that I use potpourri.

Until recently I had never thought of using soap scraps for potpourri but it’s actually super easy to make.

Simply mix small soap scraps with dried flower petals, herbs, or spices.

Place the mixture in a decorative bowl or bag and use it as fragrant potpourri,

This will provide a lovely aroma to any room in your home.

10. Soap Scrub

My third favourite idea on the list, creating a lovely soap scrub from your soap leftovers.

First, you need to create a liquid soap by grating the soap scraps, diluting it with hot ware and allowing it to cool.

You can then add a small amount of sugar or salt to create a gentle yet effective scrub.

Use it in the shower to remove dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling smooth and revitalized.

11. Soap Moulds

This idea is where you can get super creative.

By grating and melting your leftover soap scraps you’ll have a wonderful pouring mixture to get creative.

Use proper soap moulds, silicone cake moulds or even just an ice cube tray to produce some uniquely shaped soaps.

Simply pour the mixture in and allow it to cool.

Quick tip, adding some non-toxic food colouring can make your creations lovely and colourful.

12. Make Shaving Cream

Once you master creating liquid soap from leftover soaps you’ll be amazed at how many uses it opens up.

One of the things I personally use soap scraps for is as a shaving cream alternative.

The process is simple, just grate up the soap, melt and dilute it with hot water.

When you get the consistency right you’ll be able to use it as a really effective shaving cream.

13. Soap Air Freshener

Similar to the potpourri idea you can dot leftover soaps around your home to freshen up your living spaces.

Combine this with the soap mould idea and you can really add a touch of charm to your home décor.

Simply place the soap in a lovely decorative dish or bowl to add a touch of charm to your home décor.

Quick tip, combine this with the soap mould idea to colour-match the soap to your colour scheme.

14. Soap-filled Loofah

Loofahs are a great way to exfoliate your skin so why not combine this bathtime routine with using up soap leftovers?

As with the sponge idea above simply cut a slit in the loofah and scoop out some of the inside fibres to allow soap to be inserted.

Insert soap scraps into the hollowed-out loofah, and you’ll have a soap and exfoliating sponge in one – awesome!

15. Soap Art

This creative idea is an extension of the soap mould idea above.

The concept is to make works of art from your soap scraps.

Simply melt grated soap and if desired add colour using non-toxic dyes or food colouring.

Simply pour the mixture into a mould of your choice.

With so many different moulds on the market today you’ll have no problem finding something to suit your needs.

Once they harden, you’ll have stunning and functional soap art that can be used or displayed as decorative items.

Conclusion

Using up leftover soap is a great way to reduce unnecessary waste.

We all like to have a lovely bathroom especially when entertaining guests and it’s not always desirable to have a small piece of used soap for handwashing.

When previously you might have discarded these soap leftovers you now have 15 creative ways that you can reuse them reducing waste.

You’ll also discover new ways to indulge your creativity and enhance your home and everyday routines.

So, grab those soap scraps and get imaginative!