Soap Savers

Before pump bottles and body wash, every bar of soap was stretched to the very last sliver. Instead of tossing those tiny scraps, families used soap savers—wire cages designed to hold the leftovers.

A quick dip and swish in hot water turned them into instant suds for dishes, baths, or handwashing. Some designs went a step further with a flat, rough surface that worked like a mini scrubber. The soapy basket could be rubbed directly against laundry to spot-clean clothes or tackle stains before scrubbing boards and wash tubs did the rest.

What might look like a quirky relic today was once a clever piece of household ingenuity—saving money, saving soap, and even making laundry day just a little easier.