Mandy PhillipsSo you switched from your old plastic bottles of shampoo to plastic-free shampoo bars. Now you’re wondering what’s the best way to store them in the shower while keeping them dry and safe.
Keeping shampoo bars in the shower doesn’t have to be a problem, and all you need is a simple tweak in your bathroom setup.
Here’s everything to know about properly storing shampoo bars in the shower.
Why It’s Important to Store Shampoo Bars Properly?
Keeping the shampoo bars dry between each use is key, so they will stay tidy, easier to use, and allow the bars to last longer. To achieve this goal, you need to store them properly, especially because shower areas are damp, and you don’t want moisture getting into your shampoo bar as it will start getting mushy.
When that happens, you’ll end up using a lot more of the shampoo than you’ll need. Moreover, the mushy part of the bar will easily break off, and even cement itself where placed, becoming nearly impossible to remove, leaving chunks of waste behind. Damp shampoo bars may also become too slippery to handle.
Shampoo bars are mainly butter and fatty oils, which makes them perfect for moisturizing and nourishing your hair and scalp. But these natural ingredients, when soaked with water, will leave a slimy layer that solidifies and adheres to any surface. When this happens, your shampoo bar can hoard bacteria over time, and unfortunately, it may start going rancid.
It’s so important for shampoo bars to get proper ventilation and storage to avoid all these problems from happening.
7 Best Ways to Store Shampoo Bars in the Shower
Shampoo bars come in different sizes and shapes, but they tend to be flat. This makes it tricky to find a good storage solution for them. You can’t simply place the bar on an equally flat surface with no drainage, or the bottom of the bar won’t get proper ventilation to dry out.
Hence, it’s essential to consider both the design and material when you are looking for a place to store shampoo bars in the shower. Look for shampoo bar holders or trays with holes or spaces in between that allows excess liquid to drain and ventilate the bar.
It’s also a fantastic idea to get storage items designed for your shampoo bar that are made of sustainable materials like bamboo or wood, stainless steel, and ceramic.
Below are some of the highly recommended storage ideas for your shower to help maximize your shampoo bar’s value and lifespan.
1. Wooden Soap Dish
Storing a shampoo bar in the shower doesn’t only have to be practical. It can be stylish too, and a wooden soap dish is a fantastic choice. It’s a beautiful dish, but make sure to look for one with enough rivets for better drainage to let your shampoo bar stay dry in between each use.
It’s also an eco-friendly option, although a wooden soap dish may need regular cleaning to avoid mold and mildew. As a general rule, clean the wooden dish at least once every two weeks.
2. Ceramic Soap Dish
If you don’t like wood, a ceramic soap dish is also a great choice for storing shampoo bars in the shower. Ceramic is durable and won’t absorb water, so little to no maintenance is required. But remember that not all soap dishes are the same.
Here are some things to look for in ceramic soap dishes:
- Very little surface contact between the soap dish and the soap. The less contact the shampoo bar has with the dish, the less likely it will absorb or retain water. That means your shampoo bar is less likely to turn into a slimy, mushy mess.
- The drainage holes of the dish should be slightly lower than the surface on which the shampoo bar sits upon. It ensures that the shampoo bar won’t plug the drainage holes and prevent the dish from draining effectively.
- If the ceramic dish has a reservoir, get one with a very deep and wide reservoir so the drained water can evaporate quickly, so the dish won’t fill up.
3. Soap Saver Bag
Another smart way to store shampoo bars is using a soap saver bag. A saver bag provides proper ventilation to the shampoo bar in between uses, keeping it dry and in good condition for much longer. Another advantage of using soap bags to keep shampoo bars in the shower is that you can easily hang them, saving precious space on your caddy or shelf.
But some soap bags may be too rough, so get one made of organic cotton or sustainable linen. They are usually more gentle on your shampoo bars.
4. Silicone Soap Trays
If you’re not a fan of wooden or ceramic soap dishes, silicone soap trays work well for shampoo bars too. They are durable, non-toxic, and incredibly easy to clean. But again, choose a soap tray with bigger slats or holes for good airflow and drainage.
5. Soap Draining Rack
If you need more ways to keep shampoo bars safe in the shower, a soap draining rack is a must-have. It’s perfect for storing solid shower products like shampoo bars since they are specially made for draining bars of soap, keeping them dry after each use.
But remember that if you’re going to place a damp shampoo bar on the draining rack, get one that’s made of metal, and make sure it has a good-quality coating to prevent corrosion. Also, ensure that you position the draining rack away from the shower head’s flow of water. It wouldn’t matter how efficiently the rack drains water if the shampoo bar is constantly getting wet.
6. Shower Caddy
If your shower setup already includes a shower caddy, the simplest way to store your shampoo bar is by putting it right on the caddy. No extra purchases are necessary. But this option is only ideal if your shower caddy can provide good drainage to dry the shampoo bar and is located away from the shower’s water flow.
But if you like taking hot showers, it can be quite steamy inside the shower area. So, once you notice that the shampoo bar is starting to get soft, take it out and dry it.
Another thing to take note of is your shampoo bar will get smaller and smaller over time. By then, you might want to think of a different storage solution, or that ever-shrinking shampoo bar will keep slipping through the steel bars of your shower caddy.
7. Soap Rest
So, you just bought a cute, stylish soap dish for your shampoo bar. But the problem is, it turns your shampoo bar into a mushy mess after several uses. Don’t throw it away just yet because there’s a fine line between a bad soap dish and a good soap dish, which is a soap rest. It’s cheap but effective in wicking away water from your shampoo bar. Just place it over the soap dish, problem solved!
You can find different types of soap rests, like those made of coconut fibers that look like a scrubbing sponge or those made of crocheted cloth.
