How to Keep Your Bar Soap Dry Between Uses
A good bar of soap doesn't need much to do its job. But there is one thing it does need:
A chance to dry out between uses.
Leaving a bar of soap sitting in a puddle of water can turn even a good bar into a soft, mushy mess. Fortunately, keeping your soap dry is pretty simple.
1. Let the Water Drain Away
The biggest thing you can do is keep your soap out of standing water.
A soap dish with drainage holes, slots, or a raised surface lets water escape instead of collecting underneath the bar.
If your soap dish doesn't drain, consider replacing it with one that does. Your soap will thank you.
2. Keep the Bar Raised
A bar sitting directly on a wet surface stays wet longer.
A raised soap dish, soap rack, or soap saver creates space underneath the bar so air can circulate and excess water can drain away.
This is especially helpful immediately after a shower, when both the soap and the surrounding area are wet.
3. Don't Store Your Soap in the Shower Spray
It sounds obvious, but it's easy to overlook.
If your soap sits directly underneath the showerhead, it's getting rinsed every time someone takes a shower.
Try placing it somewhere that stays relatively dry while the shower is running. A corner shelf or wall-mounted soap holder can work well.
4. Give the Bar a Little Room
If you have multiple bars of soap, avoid stacking them together while they're wet.
Give each bar its own space whenever possible. This helps them dry more quickly and keeps the bars from sticking together.
5. Rinse Off Excess Soap
After using your bar, a quick rinse can remove loose soap and residue from the surface.
Then place it somewhere that allows it to drain and dry.
You don't need to scrub the bar or do anything complicated. Just don't leave it sitting in a pool of water.
6. Let Your Soap Dry Before Storing It
If you're putting a bar away for travel or storage, let it dry completely first.
Wrapping up a wet bar traps moisture around the soap and can leave you with a soft, sticky bar the next time you open your bag.
For travel, a container with some ventilation or drainage is much better than sealing a dripping-wet bar inside an airtight container.
Why Does Keeping Soap Dry Matter?
Handmade soap naturally contains glycerin, which is produced during the soap-making process. Glycerin is one of the things that gives handmade soap some of its characteristic feel, but it also attracts water.
That means handmade soap can soften when it's repeatedly exposed to water.
This isn't necessarily a problem with the soap. It's simply one of the reasons proper storage makes such a difference.
A well-draining soap dish can help your bar last noticeably longer.
The Simple Rule
You don't need anything complicated.
Use your soap. Rinse it if needed. Let it drain. Let it dry.
That's really it.
A little airflow and drainage can go a long way toward keeping your bar in good shape between uses.
And if you're using a handmade bar, taking care of it means you get to enjoy it a little longer.
Looking for a place to keep your bar?
Mojave North Star offers handmade bar soaps along with simple accessories designed to make everyday soap use easier.
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