Recycle Soap Slivers into Bathroom Gifts

As promised a few days ago, here are the instructions for turning all those slivers of soap into new bars or balls or any other shape you desire.

When I first started to do this many years ago, I melted the soap in a pot on the stove. However, if you do not constantly keep an eye on it, it can really burn quite quickly. Low heat is essential if you are going to use this method. Read more...

Another method that you can follow is to simply put the grated soap in a bowl and add boiling water/liquid, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes creamy.

Store all the soap slivers in a glass jar or other container until you have enough to make new soap bars. Keep the container sealed so that the the slivers do not dry out.

Break into chunks and grate it into a container. Fill a pot about 3/4 full with the grated soap, add about 100ml water/liquid of choice to the pot, adding more if necessary.

Over low heat stir gently with a wooden spoon until the soap begins to melt down. You can add more water if necessary, but the soap should not be runny. Stir occasionally until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Remove from the stove and let cool for a few minutes. You can now add your essential oils and/or other ingredients. Pour into molds of choice, cover with a cloth and leave to harden for 2-3 weeks.









Tip: Use rosewater, cucumber juice ( press out liquid from a cucumber and use the same amount of liquid) or even herbal teas in place of plain water.

To make herbal teas: simmer 20g of any herb of choice (try chamomile, lime blossom, lavender, peppermint or calendula) in 100ml water for 20 minutes, uncovered. Strain and leave to cool, bring to the boil again before pouring over the grated soap.

You can add dried flowers like lavender blossoms, rose petals, fresh or dried herbs (rosemary, marjoram) to the mixture.

Try adding honey, glycerine, lemon juice, fine oats, poppy seeds or even cornmeal to the mixture. There are really no hard or fast rules to soap recycling, although you should not mix glycerine soap with other soap, also try to use the same kinds of soap together. One good thing to remember, though, write down what you add to the soap mixture... if you finish with a soap that you really like, you will have the "recipe" for a next time.

Idea: If you like to make personal soap gifts but do not have any slivers, you can use a new bar of soap.

Here is a quick and easy method for aromatic soap balls

2 bars (2 x 250g) unscented white toilet soap
275 ml rose water
10 drops clove oil
qaurter cup fresh lavender flowers, crushed lightly
quarter cup dried rose petals
30 ml dried marjoram leaves

Finely grate the toilet soap and put into a large glass bowl. Heat 250 ml of the rosewater until it starts to boil and pour over the grated soap. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes creamy, set aside for 10 minutes. Lightly knead the mixture until you have a smooth white paste. Add the oil, lavender, rose and marjoram leaves. set aside for another 10 minutes. Shape the mixture into balls (about 12), cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 2 hours. Wet your hands with rose water, and roll the balls in the palms of your hands until they are smooth and shiny. Cover with clingwrap and leave for another 24 hours to dry.