How To Store Shampoo Bars To Make Them Last Longer

If, like me, you want to swap your  bottles of shampoo for solid shampoo bars, you might wonder how to store shampoo bars in the best way.

In the past few years, we have all become much more environmentally conscious, with many of us trying to reduce their plastic waste.

And shampoo bars are a great way to do that. On average, they can replace up two plastic bottles, which is great news.

However, this is only the case if you store them in the right way. So in this article, I will show you how to store shampoo bars correctly.

Why Do I Have To Store Solid Bars Differently?

But before we look at how to store shampoo bars, let’s start with the question of why. A shampoo bar is basically the same as a liquid one but in concentrated form.

Unlike the shampoo in a bottle, a solid bar doesn’t consist mainly of water. Did you know that liquid shampoo contains 80% water? 

While water is necessary to activate the bar, if stored in wet conditions, it will go mushy and can dissolve quicker. This means it won’t last as long.

So it is important that you know how to store shampoo bars in the right way to ensure you are not wasting your money.

By the way, the same is true for conditioner bars and soap bars. But now let’s get down to the question of how to store shampoo bars by looking at what you need in a storage solution.

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What A Storage Solution Has To Provide

solid shampoo bar on soap dish

Now that we know why we need to store our solid bars correctly, let’s have a look at what to look for in a storage solution.

Because if you want to know how to store shampoo bars in the right way, you need to know what the problems are.

There are two enemies your shampoo bar holder has to fight:

  1. Water
  2. Sunlight/Heat

Excess water or constant moisture will wear down your solid bar, so you need to make sure you store it in a place where it can dry out and keep dry.

Ideally, you want a soap dish with drainage holes. So that any water can drain off and allow the bar to dry. Wooden racks work well too or even metal racks, which also look very stylish.

In terms of materials for your soap saver, wood, metal, stone all work very well. Of course, you can get plastic ones, which might be cheaper, but won’t be any good if you want to cut down on the amount of plastic in your home.

Once dry, you want to ensure your solid bar stays dry. This means you either have to find a place away from water or you could get a soap box, which is covered, so will keep your shampoo bar dry.

Make sure your box has proper drainage though, otherwise your bar will sit in water and go mushy. And only close the lid once your bar is dry, so as not to lock in the moisture, as this would keep your bar wet.

You can also buy soap bags, which you can hang up away from water. But again, you can only put your bar into the bag once it’s dry. So you will still need somewhere for your solid shampoo to dry out.

If you are into crafts, why not make your own. You can knit or crochet a bag. Or why not sew one from old clothes you don’t wear anymore?

The next problem is heat and sunlight. Because if your bar is in direct sunlight and gets warm, it will start to melt, which will mean it gets wasted. So it’s important you know how to store shampoo bars correctly to prevent them from melting away.

Therefore, make sure you don’t store your solid shampoo in direct sunlight or in a warm place. I store mine on a wooden rack in our cupboard in the bathroom. Keeps it cool and dry.

Now that we know how to store shampoo bars in the right way, let’s look at some options.

Our Top-Rated Shampoo Bars:

Shampoo BarValue For MoneyRangeResultsMy RatingFull ReviewOfficial Website
bain and savon logo 80x80ExcellentGreatOutstanding
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website
Faith In NatureOutstandingGoodExcellent
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website
KinKindExcellentGreatOutstanding
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website

How To Store Shampoo Bars In Different Ways?

OK, so now that we know what the problem is, let’s look at some solutions. Because there are many different soap holders out there, in this guide about how to store shampoo bars, I will show you some of my favourites that will do the job.

KinKind HOLD me! Wooden Rack

KinKind wodden racks for shampoo bars

If you want to know how to store your shampoo bars then these KinKind wooden racks are great because they allow the bar to dry off quickly and any excess water to drain away. Keeping your shampoo bar perfectly dry and will make sure it keeps as long as possible.

Features:
  • material: Hemu wood
  • dimensions: Length 11cm x Width 8.5cm x Height 1.6cm
To Consider:
  • keeps plastic out of your bathroom
  • great price
  • big enough for any KinKind bar whether it’s a shampoo bar, conditioner bar or soap bar.
  • looks stylish, giving your bathroom this spa feeling
  • ideal for sink, windowsill or the edge of the bath
  • easy to care for, just wash and wipe clean every now and again and apply light oil to keep them looking great

I love these KinKind wooden racks because they look great and keep your shampoo bars in perfect condition, making sure they will last longer.

Grüum hålla Diatomite Soap Dish

Gruum halla diatomite soap dish

The grüum hålla Diatomite soap dish will absorb any excess moisture from your shampoo bar to extend its life, which means you get more out of it.

Features:
  • material: Diatomite, a type of sedimentary rock
  • available in three colours: pink, green and grey
To Consider:
  • made from a natural absorbent and antibacterial material, so it will keep your shampoo bar clean and dry
  • keeps plastic out of your bathroom
  • ideal for the sink, windowsill or the edge of the bath
  • looks beautiful and will add style to your bathroom
  • big enough to fit all gruum bars, including conditioner bars and soap bars
  • needs to be kept out of wet areas, otherwise the dish will start to crumble or get damaged

I love that the grüum soap saver is made of sedimentary rock, because it is naturally antibacterial, which means you don’t need to worry about any nasty bacteria on your bar. That’s why I had to include it in my guide about how to store shampoo bars.

Bower Enamel Soap Dish

enamel soap dish on white background

Bower is a UK-based company and their enamel soap dish isn’t just beautiful, it also is very functional.

Features:
  • material: enamel
  • with drainage shelf
To Consider:
  • made of enamel, so it’s plastic free
  • the drainage shelf allows water to drain away to dry out your bar quickly
  • big enough to fit most shampoo bars
  • designed to keep your bars dry when not in use

The Bower enamel soap dish consists of two parts: the actual dish and a shelf with holes in it. This design keeps your shampoo bar nice and dry, so it will last longer. Its simple but beautiful design will make it a stylish addition to your bathroom.

&Keep Bamboo Soap Dish

&Keep Bamboo Soap Dish

This rectangular wooden soap dish from &Keep will lift your shampoo bar off the ground, making sure it dries out quickly and stays dry between uses.

Features:
  • made from bamboo wood
  • dimensions: length 13cm x width 9cm x height 2cm
To Consider:
  • keeps your bathroom free from plastic
  • will add to the style of your bathroom
  • ideal for the sink, a windowsill or the edge of the bath
  • will need to be cleaned regularly to maintain the health of the wooden soap dish
  • will ensure your shampoo bar will last longer
  • great price

While the &Keep wooden soap dish is simple, it is also very effective. The wood will soak up moisture and the wholes in the bottom allow extra water to drain away.

Travelling With Your Shampoo Bar

Now that you know how to store your shampoo bars at home, let’s have a look at travelling with them.

Whether you want to take them to the gym or on holiday, it is important to store them correctly to prevent them from breaking.

Shampoo bar tins are the perfect travel companions for your shampoo bars. They keep your bars dry and safe.

They also work well for conditioner bars, moisturiser bars or body bars. 

Make sure your bars are dry before you put them in though, otherwise they will sit in water and get soft and mushy.

The storage tins are normally made of aluminium, which means they are light, yet durable. 

Many brands do offer their own shampoo bar storage tins, including KinKind and grüum. These are also great to store any new bars.

Alternatively, you can get a solid bar pouch or bag. These tend to be made of natural materials, such as linen. 

Find out more about travelling with your shampoo bars in our handy guide.

Where Should I Store My Shampoo Bar?

where to store your shampoo bar

In order to know how to store shampoo bars correctly, it is important to know where to store them.

As we have already learned, water and heat or sun are the enemies of our solid bars. 

I would not recommend storing your shampoo bar in the shower, as it might get wet, even when not being used. This will lead to it being used up much quicker.

On a shelf, the sink or the edge of the bath will be much more suitable, as you can keep your bar dry there.

A windowsill will work too, as long as your bars won’t be in the sun, as this will melt them.

A cupboard in the bathroom is also an option, as the shampoo bar would be out of the sun and way from water.

Now that you know how to store shampoo bars, you can feel easy, knowing that your solid shampoo will last as long as it possibly can.

Our Top-Rated Shampoo Bars:

Shampoo BarValue For MoneyRangeResultsMy RatingFull ReviewOfficial Website
bain and savon logo 80x80ExcellentGreatOutstanding
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website
Faith In NatureOutstandingGoodExcellent
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website
KinKindExcellentGreatOutstanding
4.90
Read ReviewVisit Website

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