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Soap slivers
JillAnneMarie - January 27, 2009
I hope this is the right place to put this information and I hope at least one other person is as big a tightwad as I am. LOL

I've been saving my soap slivers and re-using them. I either melt them and make a new bar and you can put the slivers into "re-cycled pantyhose", knot the ends and then place into your suitcases when your not using them to keep them fresh smelling. Also put them in your sock drawer, underwear drawer or lingerie drawer. Here are some more idea'a and recipes for re-using your soap slivers.

*Mothball Substitute: Take your leftover soap slivers and put them in a vented plastic bag (although I would think you could use the pantyhose for this too). You place the bag with seasonal clothes before packing them away. Not only will the scent prevent them from moth harm but also they'll smell great when you pull them out.
*Save the soap slivers and add water, then slowly melt them down on the stove and use as liquid soap. Or melt them down without water and pour into greased jar lids or anything you want to use for the a mold and you have new bars of soap!
*Use the little soaps to write on glass. If your car is for sale, or if you have a shop window, you can write on the glass for an easily removed message. Or write a love note to your sweetheart on the bathroom mirror some morning.
*Shave the soaps down and melt in a mold, in your microwave, to create a bath-sized bar. Add soap fragrances (such as lavender)and a bit of oatmeal for mild sloughing qualities. Use yourself or give away as gifts for the holidays.
*Shave down and add glycerin. Melt in the microwave and keep in a jar for a homemade liquid hand soap.
*Repackage Hotel soaps in nice little fabrics and ribbons that match your guest bathroom, and put out when you have overnight visitors.
*Place opened soap in an old sock, and hang it in the shower. it makes a wonderful body scrubby that lathers effortlessly. Keep adding used soap slivers at will.
*Shave down and use in powdered form for handwashing delicate clothes.

I also came across these "recipes" for soap slivers:
1. To make soap on a rope, sew up a drawstring bag, say, out of an old washcloth, and deposit your soap bits inside. Next, throw in a couple of tablespoons of dried herbs, like chamomile and lavender plus a couple of tablespoons of medium ground oatmeal to act as a skin softener. Hang the bag from your showerhead and its ready to use.
2. To recycle your soap scraps into new bar soap, place 2 cups of grated soap scraps in a saucepan and cover them with water. Let them soak for 24 hours, giving them a stir every now and then. Next, bring the pan to a boil, remove it from heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil for each cupful of soap soup. Pour the mixture into moldsmilk cartons work great. After theyve hardened, you can cut them into smaller bars, but let them cure for two weeks before you use them.
3. To make gel hand/body soap, put the soap bits in a jar of hot water and add some lemon juice and glycerine. Shake well, and youre done.
4. To make a cleaning gel, place 2 cups of grated soap bits in a saucepan, covering them with water. Wait 24 hours, stirring the soap soup now and then. After 24 hours, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and then whisk or mash the mixture to completely dissolve the soap. Remove from heat and allow to cool. For each cup of soap gel in the pan, add two cups of talcum powder and two tablespoons of mineral turpentine. Mix the concoction well and store in a wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid. This super-soap can be used as a general purpose household cleaner as well as a laundry aid.
5. To make an all-purpose stain remover, put 4 cups of finely grated soap bits in an enamel or stainless steel saucepan along with 3 tablespoons of eucalyptus oil, one cup of methylated spirits and one cup of boiling water. Alan then says to, Stand the saucepan in a larger pan of hot water over a medium heat, stirring the mixture until it turns clear. After that, youre to poor the soap into moldsagain, empty milk cartons work bestand let them cool. You can cut them into small bars later, but you should wait 4 weeks for them to fully harden. When its time to remove a stain, moisten the bar and rub on the offending spot and then launder as usual. Probably because of the methylated spirits, this recipe is particulary good for removing grease stains.
6. If you feel a bit more decadent, you can turn your soap leftovers into yummy honey and oatmeal soap. To do so, place 2 cups of grated soap scraps into a saucepan, cover with cold water and let stand 24 hours. Then, add 2 tablespoons of honey and simmer, stirring occasionally until the soap melts. Remove the pan from the stove and then stir in 1 cup of medium ground oatmeal and 2 tablespoons of glycerine. Mix well and then pour into molds. After they have cooled, you can cut them into ...
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janie0709 - March 05, 2009
I do the same thing you do. Melt, add some color, put in a pretty mold and voile' you have pretty new soap.
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AnnabelleMcB - March 11, 2009
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  I do the same thing you do. Melt, add some color, put in a pretty mold and voile' you have pretty new soap.  
By janie0709
My mother-in-law showed me out to melt them down but I never thought about adding color/choosing a pretty mold. Thanks!
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Bextercox2 - March 14, 2009
JillAnneMarie, Thank you so much for sharing all of these FABULOUS ideas for recycling soap. Who knew??!! And YES, this was a great place to let us know about these ideas. I am really excited to try melting the scraps down and making new molded ones. I like the adding oatmeal idea a lot! Thanks again!
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CAL5101 - June 22, 2009
Another idea that will irritate my wife. She thinks I'm crazy for cutting up lotion bottles and scrapping the bottom where the pump can't reach. I save the lotion or put in the next bottle.
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willnjenpeasncarrots - September 19, 2009
you can use soap sliver to loosen up stuck zippers, Mark a hem and toss the chalk
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