How to Make New Bar Soap with Old Bar Soap

Homemade soaps help you get the most out of your old bar soaps.

Soap often goes to waste when you get down to the last sliver and it's too small to use in the shower or bath. Rather then toss out your old bar soap pieces and slivers, save them until you've got enough to make new bar soap. One of the fun things about making new bar soap is that you can keep it simple or get creative by adding fragrances of using interesting soap molds.

Things You'll Need

• Old bar soap pieces
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Saucepan
• Spoon
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Essential oil (optional)
• Soap molds
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

1. Cut your old bar soap pieces into almond-sliver-sized pieces, using your cutting board and knife. Place the old bar soap bits into a saucepan. Pour just enough water over the soap bits to cover, then allow the soap and water to sit overnight.

2. Stir the watery soap solution with a spoon, then heat to boiling. Turn the heat off and remove the saucepan from the stove.

3. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil per cup of soap solution and stir the oil in. Olive oil is used in many natural soap recipes and is very moisturizing to the skin.

4. Drop two to three drops of an essential oil of your choice into your soap solution if the soap bits didn't already have a fragrance of their own. Even if they did, you can always add an essential oil that would complement the existing fragrance to give it your own signature fragrance.

5. Pour your soap liquid into your soap molds. Allow the soap to sit on the counter until it's completely hardened, then pop the soap out of the molds. Wrap your new bar soaps in plastic wrap until you're ready to use them.

Tips & Warnings

• Interesting and creative soap molds can be purchased at most craft stores.

References

• Planet Green: 5 Reuses for Leftover Soap Bits