Since 1970, Irish Spring soap has been a staple in households worldwide. Strangely enough, Colgate-Palmolive created it in Germany—not in Ireland, as many believe—and the brand found its way to the United States in 1972. The soap gained popularity thanks in part to commercials featuring scenes of Ireland’s countryside and catchy slogans. Apart from its marketing tactics, Irish Spring was also the pioneer of deodorant soaps, meaning it left skin feeling squeaky clean and smelling fresh.
Fun facts aside, Irish Spring soap has more functions than bathing and handwashing. Thanks to its distinctive fragrance and ingredients, specifically the fatty acid sodium tallowate, you can use it in various ways in and around the house to prevent or fix some minor, albeit frustrating, issues. Read on to find out how to put a bar of Irish Spring soap to work in your home.
1. Repel Indoor and Outdoor Pests
If you’ve heard anything about alternative uses for Irish Spring soap, this is probably the one mentioned. It’s a well-known hack used by green thumbs to keep pests out of their gardens, but it can also help prevent them from entering your home. The reason Irish Spring soap works well as a deterrent for bugs, rodents, and other unwelcome critters is the strong scent. Since many animals and insects have a heightened sense of smell, they find the potent soap unpleasant. Plus, it helps to mask the odor of what’s attracting them in the first place, so they give up and move on to other areas.
Try one (or all!) of the following pest prevention hacks using Irish Spring soap.
- Using a cheese grater, grate a bar of Irish Spring soap and sprinkle it throughout gardens and flower beds (see this Instagram Reel for a visual example).
- Alternatively, place a bar of soap in an organza bag and hang it around where pests, including deer and rabbits, gather (this TikTok gives a helpful demonstration).
- Using the same gift bags, place soap shavings or whole bars into a few and stick them in pest-prone spots around the house, such as under sinks or inside cabinets or drawers. Note that mice and rats love to creep into the spaces where food is stored, but you don’t want your pantry snacks to smell like soap. So, in that case, place the homemade sachets in adjacent areas and focus on sealing food properly.
- If critters tend to congregate in your garage, basement, attic, or shed, spread shavings or place bars near entry points.
- Rub a bar of soap directly along your door frames to deter bugs from crawling or flying their way inside. (This doubles as a way to fix sticky doors, but more on that later!)
Note that Irish Spring soap isn’t a complete pest control solution and should be used in conjunction with other methods. But it will make a difference and, as you’ll learn in a moment, can help give your home a clean scent.
2. Keep Stuff Smelling Fresh
You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone (other than pests) who doesn’t enjoy the smell of Irish Spring soap. Unless you’re one of the few, feel free to use it around your home, or even your car, to eliminate stale or musty odors.
- Hang or place organza bags of soap inside closets and dresser drawers to freshen clothes.
- Toss one at the bottom of every hamper and trash can to help cover up foul smells.
- Stick them inside sweaty shoes overnight to counteract offensive odors.
- Place them in gym bags for the same effect or rarely used suitcases.
- Slide them under the seats in your car so it continues to smell as good as new.
3. Boost the Power of Your Laundry Detergent
Quite a few natural products, like vinegar and baking soda, can enhance your laundry experience. Now, you can add Irish Spring soap to your arsenal. Add some soap shavings alongside detergent before running a load, and marvel at how delightful your clothes, towels, and sheets smell when they come out of the washing machine. Irish Spring soap can also help to break down stains, especially oily or combination ones, such as those caused by makeup and sweat. Pretreat garments by rubbing a bar directly onto the soiled area before washing.
4. Unstick Doors and Drawers
As we alluded earlier, gliding a bar of Irish Spring soap along door frames helps loosen them. Rubbing the soap on the hinges may also temporarily fix squeaky doors. Jammed drawers can also benefit from a little Irish Spring soap lubrication if you slide a bar along the side runners. Have a stubborn zipper that won’t budge? Rub a bar up and down its teeth until it unzips.
5. Patch a Small Wall Hole
You’ve most likely been taught to repair holes in the wall by spackling it with plaster. And for most wall damage, that’s the way to go. For tiny holes made by nails, for example, Irish Spring soap can come to the rescue in a pinch. Buff a bar into the hole until you can no longer see it. Touch up with paint if needed, especially if you use the traditional green version of Irish Spring soap.
6. Fend Off Foggy Mirrors
If you loathe how long it takes for your bathroom mirror to defog after a steamy shower, Irish Spring soap is the solution. Run a bar over the entire surface and then wipe it clean with a dry, soft cloth. This small action will prevent mirrors from fogging up in the first place!
7. Create a Makeshift Pincushion
This one is for the crafters, specifically those who live to sew. If you cover a bar of Irish Spring soap and then stick pins and needles through both, they’ll be coated and able to move more effortlessly through the fabric.
