How to Make Pieces of Bar Soap Into a Liquid

Use leftover scraps of soap to make new bars or liquid soap.

After repeated use, bars of soap quickly become thin and break into pieces that are unusable. The pieces that are left over are useless and too small to use, clog up the drain and end up in the trash can. Transform leftover scraps from bars of soap into a liquid hand soap instead of throwing the unusable pieces in the trash. Making liquid soap from pieces of bar soap is simple and requires few supplies. Alternatively, the pieces can easily be molded into another bar of soap.

Things You'll Need

• Soap scraps
• Knife or grater
• Water
• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Small, flexible plastic container (optional)
• Empty soap bottle (optional)

Instructions

Prepare and Melt the Soap Scraps

1. Grate or finely chop the soap pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will melt and dissolve.

2. Place the soap pieces into a saucepan and add a small amount of water; enough to just cover the soap pieces. Heat over medium to low heat, stirring constantly, until the soap pieces are completely dissolved.

3. Watch the soap carefully and add a little more water if the soap begins to clump; the mixture will be thick but should not be dry. Stir slowly to prevent the soap from bubbling. Turn the heat to low if the soap begins to boil.

Create Liquid Soap or Molded Bar Soap

1. To remold the soap, pour the warm mixture into a small, flexible plastic food container lined with wax paper. Allow the mixture to sit in a cool, dry place until it hardens. Depending on the temperature and air moisture, this could take several days. Remove the hardened soap from the container as use it as you would any other bar of soap. Be careful not to let it sit in standing water; even small amounts can cause the soap to soften.

2. To make liquid hand soap, add additional warm water to the melted soap until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir the soap mixture until all water is evenly incorporated; stirring slowly to prevent the soap from foaming. Add a small amount of olive oil, a couple of drops per half-cup of liquid, to prevent the mixture from drying out.

3. Pour the soap into an empty soap bottle or liquid soap dispenser. Remix the soap if it begins separating from sitting long periods of time unused.

Resources

• Blue Aspen Origins: Soap on a Rope
• The Dollar Stretcher: Recycling Soap Scraps