How to Save on Soapby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 05 Mar 2009 04:59 AM
One of the things that we seem to go through a lot of is soap. That makes sense. With three children who get into everything, cooking from scratch at home, and trying to keep the illness away during winter, it isn't surprising that we use a lot of soap. So, with a little thinking, I've come up with some ways that we could use to save on soap. You might want to try one or all of these ideas to se what works for you. Stock up on samples. While this may only make a dent in the bucket, a dent is a dent. There are lots of free samples out there for all sorts of products. The blog at freecoupons.com often has links to free sample offers. If you are traveling and use some soap, bring the unused portion home with you. It will only get tossed out anyway. Skip the antibacterial soap. Studies show that if you wash your hands properly, getting under the nails and washing for at least a minute, regular soap cleans just as well and gets rid of the germs. Antibacterial soap is more expensive. To keep your family from wasting pump soap, place a rubber band on the stem between the bottle and the pump handle. This will reduce how far the pump goes down. Most of the time, people use a full pump when they don't need it. Consider using bar soap over body wash or pump soap. The bars tend to last longer, and they cost much less. Buy your soap in bulk. Soap is one of the things that I have found is cost effective at the warehouse stores. You can also seek out a cleaning supply or hotel supply company for the best bulk deals. Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right. Favorite Deal Websites: Related Articles: Frugal Conservation: Save that Soap Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments bethrorie (5) 05 Mar 2009 10:42 AMDo you have an opinion on which soap is best? Did you know that lye soap kills lice better than expensive anti-lice shampoos and is less toxic? FrugalPhilly (25) 05 Mar 2009 10:14 PMI find that if i put my dish washing liquid in a pump bottle it lasts twice as long. I get loads of dishes washed by useing hot water adding 1 tsp of bleach, and washing with a sponge. the sponge helps create the extra suds i need to cut the grease on tough jobs. Sponges are a breading ground for germs so i regularly microwave them to kill germs. Also wringing them out and storing them where they wont sit in water helps. I am currently planning on making my own dish soap and laundry detergent. I use vinegar water to clean most areas of my home. I also use bleach water for when viruses are going around i wipe all door knobs and handles like on the toilets or sink, also wipe remotes, computer key pads, refrigerator door handles, light switches etc with the bleach water solution. Add about five or six drops of bleach or peroxide to liquid soap to create your own anti-bacterial soap. Make your own dryer sheets by spritzing scraps of cloth with your favorite fabric softner, toss it in the dryer wet or hang them up to dry a bit and store them in an old diaper wipe box then just toss in one or two when you dry. I have an indoor clothes line strung up downstairs so i can save time on laundry i wash a load and toss it in the dryer and i wash another load and hang it up to dry while the third load washes by then the first load is dry and i fold them while the third load dries, this cuts laundry time way down. I love the idea of using lemons but i concider them an expense that is better utilized for cooking save the peals for the cleaning. one idea i had was to purchase a dwarf lemon tree or two. Kept indoors during the winter and outside in the summer if taken care of could produce an abundance of lemons for years. They would pay for them selves, can be used in recipes for food, drink, cleaning, and dried peals can be sewn into sachets for drawers, closets bathrooms and in the bottom of trash cans. I use my baking soda first for cooking, after it expires i place it in the fridge or trash can for odor absorption, from the fridge i use it to remove soap scum from shower walls and bathtubs or in laundry, It may be a bit smelly by the third use. I bought a handy dust mop. it has the little holes built in to attach cleaning clothes. T Shirts that have holes in them are cut and fastened around the dust mop first i use it to dust celing fans, then i spray the floor with a vinegar and water mixture and use it like a swiffer. I also purchased an extra dust mop head and when it gets nasty i take it out side and give it a good shake then just toss it in the wash. I am concidering making my next dust mop heads out of scrap t shirt material it could have an elastic or tie run through to attach it to the handle. I keep old wash clothes in a Diaper wipe box by the toilet for personal use in our bathroom. after use they are rinsed out dried and tossed into a small trash can with baking soda and a lid on top. I Purchase one 12pk of the real good Toilet paper on sale. This usually lasts in the guest bathroom for a year or more. Make sanitary napkins from old towels covered in flannel from old pj's or old t shirt materials. with a sewing machine and velcro dots or snaps this can save 600 plus dollars in a 10 year span according to each persons bodily functions and personal habits.  Mary Ann Romans (26876) 06 Mar 2009 12:20 PMWow--thanks so much for all of the great tips! Are you in the Philly area? I am in PA myself. Community Tags conservation, frugal living, groceries, soap Discuss this article
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