Bar soap was first created over 2,800-years ago, and it continues to be one of the most useful and effective ways for people to clean themselves in their tub or shower. It’s a product that’s easy-to-use, suds up well, and is very economical. However, bar soap only works well if the consumer puts effort into safely storing it. And one of the best ways to store soap is by placing it in the best soap dish available. A dish that will keep the soap from wasting away to nothing and prevent it from developing the scum that can harbor dangerous bacteria. We think that we’ve found great dishes for soap, so we included them for all of our readers to consider.
Quick Summary of Soap Dishes
Reviews
ODesign Bathroom Shower Soap Holder
Best Overall
The problem with most soap dishes is that they don’t adhere very well to the surfaces that most people have around their tubs and showers. These dishes are often equipped with inferior vacuum mounts that might hold up for a few days but eventually weakens in a moist environment. Fortunately, these dishes aren’t designed with the same flaw.
That’s because they use an adhesive that’s designed to adhere to the surfaces that people need it to adhere to. It’s a dish that’s can be attached to tile, marble, tempered glass, smooth wood, and smooth metal. Although it won’t adhere very well to rough surfaces, concrete, or wallpapered walls, most people don’t have those in their bathroom areas anywhere.
Now that we know that this soap dish adheres well to walls, it’s time to move on to its other design features that are worth mentioning. One of the features that impressed us was that it was made out of steel, and not a low quality steel, but SUS 304 stainless steel. That makes it durable, waterproof and above all else, rustproof. The dish itself is 4.72-inches long, 3.15-inches wide, and 0.98-inch deep. That’s large enough to hold any bar of soap easily. Its dish has bars on the bottom of it that allow moisture to drip off and allows air to circulate around the soap bar. This prevents soap waste and dreaded soap scum from developing on the bottom of the bar of soap.
Another thing we’d like to talk about is the design of this dish. It has a modern design that fits in with the decor of just about any bathroom or kitchen. And it has two hooks on the bottom of it that can be used to hold onto to loofas, soap sponges or anything else the consumer wants to hang off of them.
And because this dish is backed by a 1-year warranty, consumers can rest assured it’s a quality product. The soap dish can even be taken off of its hooks so the consumer can easily clean it. All of these features make this a great dish that many consumers are going to want to have in their bathroom.
- It adheres perfectly to tile, marble or tempered glass.
- It helps bar soap to last longer.
- It can’t be used on concrete, painted walls, or rough surfaces.
Command-Brand Damage-Free Hanging Soap Dish
Also Recommended
Command is a company known for making hangers that hold picture frames, Christmas stockings and other things to a wall. The main feature of their products is that they provide an incredible hold, but can be easily taken off from the wall without damaging the wall it’s used on. That’s why apartment dwellers and other people who want to keep their walls in pristine condition like to use their products. What we didn’t know when we started our research on soap dishes, as that they made this incredible dish. A dish that’s hung on the wall using a command strip and is designed to keep the soap in reach without falling down or causing damage to the wall.
Even though we didn’t test this product on all wall surfaces that it could possibly be mounted to, we did find that it worked well on our smooth shower walls. It was easy to apply and once applied, it was capable of holding up to 2-pounds, which is more than durable enough for it to hold a bar of soap.
And we were delighted to discover that once the dish was properly attached to the wall according to the manufacturer’s directions, it held up well. It was even capable of holding up to the steam and humid conditions that exist in a shower, which is something that not all soap dishes can do.
Another thing that made us quite happy about this dish was that it was made out of rust-resistant material and had a satin nickel look to it. That makes it look very nice and makes it a nice addition to any modern bathroom. If there was one thing that we didn’t like about this soap dish, and this is a minor detail, is that the bars on the bottom of it were too far apart. That’s not a big deal when the soap is new, but as it begins to whittle down from use, the soap can eventually become so small that it can fall through the bars. As we said, it’s not a big deal but it’s still worth mentioning.
- Mounts very well and without wall damage.
- Made out of high-quality components.
- The slates are spaced a little too far apart.
Sanno Vacuum-Suction Soap Holder
Also Consider
Regardless of whether the consumer uses this soap holder for holding soap or for holding sponges, it’s sure to provide them with what they need. Although this holder uses a vacuum-suction mount that won’t work on all surfaces, it does work on most types of ceramic tile, granite, stainless steel, laminate, or acrylic. However, we feel that we have to mention that it won’t work on some surfaces such as marble, granite, porcelain, natural stone, or any wall that’s been painted or papered. If the consumer keeps that in mind, however, they should have no problem with this holder.
This soap holder is approximately 5.25-inches long, 4-inches wide and has a depth of 1-inch. It’s equipped with a suction cup that has a diameter of 2.75-inches, and the soap holder’s wires are made out of 304 stainless steel. This type of stainless steel is resistant to moisture and water, and won’t rust. Because this holder doesn’t require tools to be mounted, it’s also easy to use. All of these features make this soap dish a great model that doesn’t cost a whole lot of money but does a good job. Anyone who uses this dish can forget about worrying about soap waste or soap scum ever again. All of which makes it a great dish for bathrooms or kitchens.
- It has a very nice design to it.
- It allows air to circulate around the bar of soap.
- It doesn’t stick to all surfaces.
A Guide To Soap Dishes
Soap dishes aren’t something that warrants a lot of attention from consumers, but perhaps that should change. If a person buys the wrong dish for their soap, then they’ll end up just wasting soap or giving bacteria the perfect breeding ground by allowing the formation of soap scum. To avoid these problems, the consumer needs to purchase the best soap dish they can.
What determines whether a soap dish is the best or just another useless piece of plastic or metal? Well, there are a few determining factors that make a difference between a great soap holder and a not so great one. If the consumer knows what they’re looking for. That’s the entire reason we decided to write this article. We wanted all of our readers to be able to distinguish the good ones from the bad ones, so they could make an informed decision.
Reasons For Using Bar Soap Over Liquid Soap
Before we get too deep into this guide, we would like to discuss some of the reasons why consumers should switch from liquid soap and migrate toward bar soap. Don’t worry, this section of this guide isn’t very long because we can sum up the positives of using bar soap rather quickly.
One of the main benefits of using bar soap is that it’s friendlier to the environment. One bar of soap can produce the same amount of cleaning power as three plastic bottles of liquid soap. This means that there’s less plastic packaging being thrown away into landfills. Bars of soap use less plastic packaging and are therefore better for the environment.
Another reason for switching from liquid soap to bar soap is because bar soap is more economical. As we said, one bar of soap replaces three bottles of liquid soap, so right there are some savings. And then when you factor in the low-cost price of bar soap, it’s a no-brainer to choose this product over body washes and other liquid soap types.
Why Should We Use A Soap Dish?
Once a person has decided to switch to bar soap, then they might wonder why they need a soap dish. After all, couldn’t they just leave it on the side of the sink or tub? Well, sure, we guess that’s certainly an option, but it’s not the best option available. Storing soap in this manner is not only messy, but it can have serious health consequences.
What’s wrong with leaving the soap on the side of the tub or shower? Storing the soap in this matter doesn’t allow the soap to properly drain and also doesn’t allow air to circulate around the bar. This causes mushy soap scum on the bottom of the bar that not only leaves a mess everywhere but is the perfect medium for growing bacteria. The best way to store soap is by using a quality soap dish. Let’s find out how to buy one below.
How To Purchase The Best Soap Dish
Okay, we’re going to continue this guide off by talking about how the consumer can purchase the best soap dish. Although these dishes look simple, there are a few things that the consumer might want to consider before they just grab the nearest one they can find. Below are some things to think about.
First Step: Consider Soap Dish Material
The first thing that the prospective soap dish buyer is going to want to consider is the material of the soap dish. Most soap dishes are made either out of stone, plastic, or metal, so consumers have a few choices available to them. All three of these materials work well, but if the consumer decides to go with a metal one they should ensure that it’s made out of stainless steel or else it will rust in a high moisture environment.
Second Step: Consider Soap Dish Construction
The next thing the consumer is going to want to think about is how the soap dish is made. The soap dish should either be a hanging basket or a stationary stand that has drain holes in the bottom. The basket design or drain holes not only allow water to drain out, but it also allows air to circulate. This is important because the soap bar will dry quickly and the user won’t end up with a mushy soap scummy bottom that can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Third Step: Think About Soap Dish Size
The consumer should also think about the size of the soap dish. Since the average bar of soap measures approximately 3.75×3.1×1-inch in size, the consumer should make sure the dish is at least that large. However, some beauty bars are much larger than that, so if the consumer uses one of those, they should make sure they buy a larger soap dish.