A good bar of natural soap isn’t cheap — and traditional soaps like Aleppo and olive oil bars are worth looking after. The difference between a bar that lasts a few weeks and one that lasts months usually comes down to one thing: how you treat it between washes. Here are seven simple habits that’ll stretch every bar much further.
1. Keep it dry between uses
This is the big one. Soap left sitting in water turns soft and dissolves fast. The single best thing you can do is let your bar dry out completely between uses.
2. Use a draining soap dish
A dish that lets water run off and air circulate underneath — slatted, ridged or with drainage holes — keeps the base of the bar from sitting in a puddle. Avoid flat dishes that trap water.
3. Keep it out of the direct spray
Don’t store your bar where the shower hits it. Constant water means constant melting. A shelf or corner away from the stream is ideal.
4. Let it cure a little longer
Natural soaps get harder — and last longer — with age. If you’ve stocked up, let spare bars sit unwrapped in a cool, airy spot for a few weeks before use. A harder bar dissolves more slowly.
5. Use a washcloth or sponge
Lathering the soap onto a cloth or sponge, rather than rubbing the bar directly all over, creates plenty of foam while using far less soap.
6. Cut larger bars in half
Using a big bar? Cut it in two and keep one half dry and stored away. The piece in use is easier to handle, and the spare stays hard and fresh.
7. Store spares somewhere cool and dry
Heat and humidity are soap’s enemies. Keep unused bars out of the steamy bathroom — a drawer or cupboard is perfect — until you’re ready for them.
The short version
Keep it dry, give it air, and store spares somewhere cool. Do that, and a quality bar will reward you by lasting far longer than you’d expect.
Stock up and save
Once you know how to make them last, buying a set makes even more sense. Browse our Aleppo soap bars and multi-packs, or the full natural soap collection.