10 Clever Ways to Use Bath Bombs

The math is pretty simple: The longer your shoes go between uses, the more time and opportunity it leaves for bacteria to multiply and give them funky odors. To avoid this, drop a bath bomb into each shoe if they're not going to be worn for a while (matching or complementary scents, please!). The bath bombs will infuse the shoes with their scent, and will also help absorb odor-causing moisture. That's a clear win-win.

Closets aren't usually the best-ventilated place in your home, especially if you don't have as much closet space as you'd like (which is almost everybody, right?). Sometimes that stale air can give your clothes a musty smell, so "craft-y" people often make up a fabric sachet of sweet-smelling herbs, flowers or potpourri to scent the closet. Bath bombs work just as well, and they're easier. Just put a few on the floor of your closet, or in a cloth bag hanging from the closet rod, and you're good to go.

Carpets are comfy on the feet, and warmer than tile or hardwood on cold mornings, but they do tend to attract dirt and odors. If your carpets are beginning to smell of pets or feet or just age, bath bombs can help freshen them up. Crush up a bath bomb or two (choose colorless bombs, or ones that match your carpet's color) and sprinkle them over the affected area. Work them in with your fingertips or a brush, then let them sit for an hour or two before vacuuming up the powder. Your carpets will feel fresh and new.

You don't need to sink into a full, frothy tub to enjoy a bath bomb. When you're having one of "those" days, choose one of your favorite bath bombs and use it to soak your feet. The bath bomb's gentle fizzing, combined with the epsom salts, will soothe your tired feet and leave them soft and sweet-smelling. You can add to the experience by adding complementary herbs, blossoms or even citrus fruit to the water.

Carpets aren't the only soft surfaces in your home that can develop off-smells over time, and they're not even the most difficult to deal with. Your drapes, and any upholstered furniture, are often more difficult to deal with because they're difficult or impossible to run through the laundry. To deal with those, dissolve a bath bomb in warm water and use it to fill up a spray bottle. Mist this solution onto soft surfaces to deodorize them and give them a refreshingly pleasant scent.

If you struggle to find an air freshener for the car that appeals to your sense of smell and your sense of visual esthetics, a bath bomb might be the answer to your problem. Choose one or more bath bombs in your favorite scent, and place them strategically around the car in places like cupholders, door pockets, the glove box or the center console. You can even crush one and work it into the floor mats, if necessary. They'll make your car smell sweet, but remain unobtrusive.

As pleasant as it is to take a long soak in the tub, there's often just not enough time in your day to do that. If time constraints limit you to a shower Perfume your shower – or if you just plain don't have a tub – you can still enjoy a bath bomb. Crush one into the bottom of the shower as you step in, and let the hot water dissolve the bomb. All of that wonderful scent will diffuse into the steamy air, turning an ordinary shower into a few minutes of genuine self-indulgence.

When you're on your way out the door and don't have time to fuss with makeup, a bath bomb that's loaded with glitter provides a quick way to give the finishing touch to your look. Choose a color that complements your skin tone and chosen clothing, and give it a quick rub across your cheeks, fingers, eyebrows or anywhere else you want a hint of color and glitter. Test it on a small patch of skin first, just to be sure you won't have a reaction to any of the ingredients when applying it directly.

Sugar scrubs provide gentle exfoliation to keep your skin looking youthful. Making your own from your favorite bath bomb couldn't be easier. Start with a bomb that's free of dyes (you don't want to look like you have a rash) and crush it in a plastic bag. Then add sugar and a bit of soothing coconut oil, pour the ingredients into a jar and close the lid, and shake it vigorously. Use the mixture in the shower or bath, any time you feel the need for a bit of that exfoliating magic.

The best bath bombs are bright and colorful, almost miniature works of art in their own right. It hardly seems right to just wash them down the drain, when so much creativity went into making them, so why not make them a decorative accent in your home? Choose a pretty glass bowl, and fill it with a curated selection of your favorite bath bombs. For added impact, you can augment them with dried flowers, decorative stones and beads or other complementary and visually distinctive decorations.