So, let’s say you discovered the joys of handmade soap shortly after buying a Costco-sized box of commercial body bars. Now what? Other than the obvious choice of donating still-packaged bars to your local homeless shelter, here are some tips I’ve been sharing on Twitter:
1. Slide a bar of soap across a vintage metal zipper to help it glide easier. The rust that builds up on these old zippers can make it stick, and the soap acts as a lubricating agent that won’t harm the garment. You can also use this trick on drawer tracks, sliding screen doors, and more. Hey, I’ve even heard it works to keep your floors from squeaking! But that’s one I haven’t tried yet.
2. A white or light-colored bar of soap is a great item to keep in your sewing kit to mark hems and other measurements – and it washes right out 😉
3. If you like the smell of those store-bought bars, drop one in a clothes drawer to keep your clothes smelling fresh. Obviously, this isn’t a great choice if those artificial scents give you headaches!
4. Soap on a screw or nail will help prevent the wood from splitting while working with it.
5. Scratch a bar of soap before heading outside to do gardening. This will prevent dirt from collecting under your nails.
These are just a few of my favorite tips, but there are LOTS of uses for a bar of soap out there! Share some of your favorites in the comments 🙂
Make Me Some Soap... 
You can hide small nail- or screwholes in walls by rubbing a bar of soap (in a corresponding colour) across the hole, filling it with soap. 🙂
Clever! I bet that tip has helped many a young person get their security deposit back!
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Great post Ruth. Nice idea to use soap instead of tailor’s chalk! Also love the tip for gardeners. I always try to wear gloves when gardening as I hate the whole soil-under-nails business 🙂 BUT they never seem to prevent it completely – probably ‘cos I’m always taking the darn things off ha! Will try to remember this when Spring finally arrives.