Why You Should Keep A Bar Of Soap By Your Bed

Our bedtime routine includes many things: Taking a shower, brushing our teeth, and changing into the coziest pair of pajamas we can find are just a few. Before today, you may never have considered including a bar of soap as an essential item on your nightstand, but we're certain that the benefits will take you by surprise. Beyond its use in the shower or sink, a bar of soap can keep your room and house clean in ways you never imagined.

One soap that's perfect for bedside use beyond its primary purpose is Zote soap. Traditionally used for laundry, Zote soap acts as a cheaper alternative to detergent that can be used to gently wash clothes, remove stains, soften fabric, clean brushes, wash dishes, repair pipes, and so much more. Even more surprisingly, it can serve several purposes when kept in your bedroom — including warding over tiny invaders and even reportedly combatting a common nighttime ailment.

One of the most effective benefits of keeping a bar of soap around is its ability to repel insects and dirt. If you're a gardener, you can put a bar of soap in your garden to keep weeds at bay and protect your plants from hungry bugs and animals. You can also use soap to keep spiders out of your home in a non-harmful manner. 

According to Medical News Today, soap and detergent are also an easy and safe way to control insects around the house, specifically mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects. Dr. Clement Vinauger, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, explained that strong smelling soaps — like coconut or eucalyptus — are repulsive to many bugs.

If your room is prone to attracting insects, keeping a bar of soap on your bed frame or nightstand can repel these bugs and clear your room of any remaining insects. Citronella oil, which is used in insect repellents, can be found in certain medicinal soap bars (like the Zote soap we mentioned above!). Place a freshly opened bar on your bedside, frame, or mattress for best results. When going outside, place a small chunk in your pocket to ward off insects.

Believe it or not, a bar of soap might also help you with a common neurological disorder: Restless legs syndrome (RLS). For example, Dr. Mehmet Oz told Good Housekeeping that a bar of soap is believed by some to help relax the legs overnight. "People put it under their sheets," he explained. "We think the lavender is relaxing and maybe itself beneficial." Some 42% of RLS patients responded positively to this sudsy solution, even if it's not scientifically proven.

To start, place a fresh bar of soap with a strong and soothing smell under the sheets. Restless legs syndrome is typically characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs, often preventing patients from relaxing into sleep. While there is no scientific evidence that a bar of soap can cure RLS, the National Library of Medicine reports that strong scents like lavender and coconut have inhalant properties which calm the parasympathetic nervous system and regulate bodily processes. For best results, align your legs over the bar of soap to directly cool the nerves.