Recycling soap - have you done it?

purplestar1uk

Hi,

I've got a small cup of slivers of leftover soap that I never like to throw away. I would love to create a new bar where they are all smushed together into a nice new mingling of different scents!

I've read some articles about how to do it but they all seem quite contradictory, and I remember you used to be able to buy a gadget to do it with (with a plunger that pressed it all down when wet, to turn it into a solid bar), but I can't find it anywhere.

Have you ever turned lots of slivers of soap into one bar? If so, how did you do it?

Thanks!

Elsewhere

Yes, I have done it - same method as my mother used.

Put the bits of soap into a saucepan, add a small amount of water and heat gently until the soap goes mushy on the outside. Pour into a container (shallow - maybe a sponge tin or similar), put a plate on the top with a tin of peas to weigh it down and leave to cool. Cut into chunks with a knife.

The result isn't very beautiful but perfectly good enough for the kitchen.

Alternatively you can grate up the bits to make your own soap flakes for handwashing woollies.

purplestar1uk

Elsewhere, that sounds perfect. Easy enough, and no strange equipment needed!

[Deleted User]

I use an empty jam jar and put all the bits in and then put in a saucepan of boiling water to 'melt down' When gloopy enough I have several old glass dishes that I pour the gloop into and leave to set and harden off in the airing cupboard (think those small glass dishes from the GI puddings) My friend whose husband flies constantly around the world always gives me the odd bits of soap he has got from different hotels in his travels and I keep them until I have neough to make another 'bar' of soap.My two Dds also give me their scraps as well.Its suprising how it mounts up and I rarely have to buy hand sopa at all.Waste not, want not, as my old Mum used to say.Its what everyone did during the war as nothing was deemed to be worse than wasting stuff

DianneB

I just wet the old sliver of soap and push it onto the new bar! Don't end up with a lot of little bits that way.

Gigervamp

Soap saver moulds can be found on ebay. This one is £2.99.

[Deleted User]

Gigervamp wrote: »

Soap saver moulds can be found on ebay. This one is £2.99.

I had one of those once from Betterware and made the mistake of trying to hurry things along with the melting process and put it in the microwave,result was one very odd-shaped mould its not microwaveable :):)

M.E.

My slivers go into a mesh bag, hung round the cloakroom taps. Also got one hung by the outdoor tap. Ideal for rinsing muddy hands.

DigForVictory

I don't melt the bits, I just squish them together. But then, three sons.
We convert a lot of bar soap into bits & mess.
Cooking them & resetting with an additional fragrance sounds a lovely idea time future, but this week, I'm tying another bar in a mesh bag!

LameWolf

DianneB wrote: »

I just wet the old sliver of soap and push it onto the new bar! Don't end up with a lot of little bits that way.

Yep, I do that, too.:o

Linda32

I used to do it with the betterware one. It works well, I expect the ebay one woeks just as well.