20 Unexpected Uses For Soap

20 Unexpected Uses For Soap. Photos – Pixabay (PD)

To most of us, soap is just soap, known mostly for removing dirt from grimy hands. However, to survivalists, preppers, and homesteaders, soap has a multitude of uses that most people are unaware of. Here are a few other awesome uses for soap…

1. Lubricate nails, screws, and saw blades

Soap on metal helps it go through wood more easily. Nails and screws go in easier and are less likely to split the wood if they are first stuck in a bar of soap. Rubbing soap over a handsaw blade will help it cut straighter and be less resistant to the wood.

2. Keep your fingernails clean

While you’re working in the garden or potting plants, scrape your fingernails over a bar of soap to collect slivers underneath them. This will prevent dirt from caking under your nails and the soap washes out easily.

3. Keep bugs off plants

Soap works as an insect repellent and can protect your plants from being eaten by bugs. Mix soap with water until it’s sudsy, then put the water solution in a bottle and spray the underside of plant leaves.

4. Relieve itchy bug bites

Rub the bites with a dampened bar of soap for instant itch relief. It also helps keep the bites clean.

5. Keep your clothes fresh

Place bars of soap in closets, drawers, suitcases, and bins where you store your clothing. It’ll also repel bugs and prevent musty odors.

6. Remove stains from fabric

Rub a damp bar of white soap over stains, then wash the clothes

7. Mark a hem

Instead of using store-bought marking chalk, use a sliver of bar soap to draw a line for a hem. It washes out more easily than chalk.

8. Garden bug repellent

Place a bar of soap in your garden to keep pests away

9. Household bug repellent

Mix soap and water and place in a spray bottle and spray around your home to rid your house of spiders and bugs

10. Rid your house of fleas

Place some liquid soap in a bowl mixed with water under a light and it will attract fleas and they will drown.

11. Zippers

Loosen stuck or rusty zippers by sliding some bar soap up & down the zipper

12. Detect gas leaks

Mix a solution of water and soap and rub along pipes, if it bubbles, you found your leak.

13. Soot prevention: If you’re planning a cookout using a cast iron pot, rub a bar of soap over the bottom of the pot before you set it over the open flame. The soap will make for easy cleanup, as the soap will prevent the soot from accumulating.

14. Halt squeaks in floorboards

Work a little moist soap into the cracks between the boards.

15. Loosen a tight ring

Rub soap over the finger. The ring will slide off when the hand is washed.

16. Loosen a stiff door lock

Lubricate the key by rubbing it with soap.

17. Keep eyeglasses from steaming in cold weather

Rub both sides of each lens with soapy fingers, and then polish.

18. Deer and Rabbit Repellent

Irish Spring Soap makes an awesome (and safe) deer repellant. You can either keep the wrapper on and place bars around plants or trees – or you can cut the soap into pieces or shavings, place them in nylon stockings and hang/hide in strategic areas. For some reasons, deer don’t like the strong scent and will stay away.

19. Smelly sneakers, boots or shoes

Simply place a wrapped bar of the soap in your shoes, sneaker or boots and leave overnight. They will be fresh smelling by morning.

20. Make your own hydrating shave lotion

Mix together a solution of one part hot water and one part grated bar soap.

By Ken Jorgustin – www.modernsurvivalblog.com