All the Smart Ways to Use a Bar of Soap Around the House
Once considered a household staple, the humble bar of soap has endured a rough couple of decades. Now, it’s not certain that you’ll find bars of soap next to every sink and in every bathtub in the house, as many people prefer the liquid varieties . (One reason for this, according to a 2016 survey, is that 48% of American consumers believe that soap bars get covered in germs after use.)
But regardless of your personal soap preference, you might want to consider buying a bar of soap exclusively for a variety of household chores, many of which don’t involve any sort of cleaning. Here are some smart ways to use a bar of soap around the house.
Drawers are easier to open and close
If any of the drawers in your home (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, office, etc.) get a little stuck when you open and close them, wipe the sides and bottom rails with a (dry) bar of soap. This works especially well with wooden boxes and furniture.
Use it as a pincushion
When sewing anything by hand, use a bar of soap as a needle pad . Needles and pins are not only always at hand, but also easily slide over the fabric when you are ready to use them.
Don’t let pets chew on furniture
As it turns out, pets that chew or gnaw (like puppies or rabbits) don’t like the taste of soap. Therefore, to prevent them from chewing on the bottom of your new sofa, rub the edges and legs with a dry bar of soap. They get angry and move on to something else.
Fix hard lock
For locks that are hard or tend to stick, rub the key on a bar of dry soap and then unlock/relock it several times until it opens smoothly.
Stop the squeaky loop
Dampen a bar of soap, insert it between the door frame and the squeaky hinge , and move the door back and forth. You can also rub dry soap directly into the joint.
Stop squeaking floorboards
Use the same tactic as above, only this time insert a dampened bar of soap into the gaps between the squeaky floorboards .
Take the ring off your finger
To remove a ring stuck on someone’s finger , wipe the ring (and the skin around it) with a dry bar of soap and then have the person wash their hands.