# Why does bar soap melt in the freezer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674 "2000-10-27T23:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![galyean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@galyean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galyean)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/1 "2000-10-27T23:32:52Z")
Apparently even the folks at the local grocery store were aware of this oddity. After making a very small purchase at the grocery store, my girlfriend was baffled at why the soap wasn’t packaged with the ice cream. I explained that baggers are taught not to mix food items with cleaning products, bread on the top, refrigerated items together, etc. It seems I was wrong. The soap would melt was the explanation provided. WHY? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/2 "2000-10-27T23:36:57Z")
Are you sure they didn’t just mean that it would get wet from the melting frost on the ice cream container? ---
**Author:** ![RosieWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@RosieWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RosieWolf)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/3 "2000-10-27T23:40:24Z")
The soap would melt?.. Would think it more the other way around, the ice cream would melt. Has been a long time, but back in grade school we did experiments in science class with soap and potatoes and such… putting wires in them and lighting up light bulbs… so this might be where the idea came from. I have never witnessed soap ‘melting’, but I have seen it freeze. I use liquid soap for my laundry, and usually left it in my truck – because I had to go to a laundromat for washing my clothes – and last winter the liquid soap froze. Shocked the heck outa me, had never heard or seen that happen before. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/4 "2000-10-27T23:51:33Z")
I don’t think it would melt. Soap is simply made of fatty acid salts. Salts melt at high temperatures but stay solid at low temperatures. It sounds like the folks at the grocery store were pulling your leg. Why don’t they put soap in the freezer case? Mixing of edibles and non-edibles is probably the reason. Also, since it doesn’t need to be frozen, soap in the freezer will just take up space that could be used for items that need to be frozen. ---
**Author:** ![DeutschFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeutschFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeutschFox)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/5 "2000-10-28T00:31:43Z")
This is a soap maker’s method for making decorative soap … in fact, the soap is frozen to assist in the process … “How to embed soap into soap so that the two don’t melt together: We love to do this. We will cut a pretty shape out of a thin layer of soap using a cookie cutter. Then we will put the cut shapes into the freezer for a good long time. When they are cold, we will melt down some clear soap. We will let this clear soap become as cool as possible. Then we will pour the clear soap into the molds and quickly push the frozen images into the middle. The difference in temperature between the two soaps will make them not melt together.” I will continue you to research this … I know the feeling when I’m told something and then it seems I get ridiculed for having even listened to it … ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/6 "2000-10-28T01:34:00Z")
\>\> Apparently even the folks at the local grocery store were aware of this oddity Oh? I must be the only one that is _not_ aware of this “oddity”? or is it “falsity”? ---
**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/7 "2000-10-28T01:54:40Z")
I’m gonna vote with cher3. The ice cream container will condense moisture out of the air. Also, any little bits of frost on the outside of the carton will melt. This will get the soap wet, and it will become slimy. They may have had customers complain about this happening. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/8 "2000-10-28T03:02:57Z")
It’s really quite simple soap smells of … soap. Soap that smells of soap is good soap. Ice cream that smells of strawberrys or chocolate is good ice cream. Ice cream that smells of soap is not good ice cream. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/9 "2000-10-28T03:08:16Z")
Well, I just took a bar of soap out of the freezer. It’s been in there for about 3 hours and it is as hard as a rock. Now I’m going to let it thaw and watch for any mussiness. I’ll keep you posted. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/10 "2000-10-28T03:08:18Z")
I’m going with Colin on this one. Way back when I sacked groceries, we were taught to sack cleaning items separately because the perfumes in soap, diswashing liquid, air fresheners, and even some toilet papers can taint the taste of food. No “melting” was ever mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/11 "2000-10-28T03:20:28Z")
Hijack alert. You were warned. Put some Ivory in the microwave. Put a small glass of water in too, just to keep the microwave from overheating. Don’t put the soap IN the glass, put it on a plate in the middle or something. Turn it on high for a long time. Watch. Stop when you’ve had enough. Now use the soap. TRY IT. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/12 "2000-10-28T04:29:30Z")
Is that soap or elephant tusk? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/13 "2000-10-28T04:31:46Z")
Soap. ---
**Author:** ![DeutschFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeutschFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeutschFox)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/14 "2000-10-28T05:13:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dr. Lao \* > \*\*Well, I just took a bar of soap out of the freezer. It’s been in there for about 3 hours and it is as hard as a rock. Now I’m going to let it thaw and watch for any mussiness. I’ll keep you posted. \*\* Dr. Lao … way too funny!!! ---
**Author:** ![orion007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@orion007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orion007)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/15 "2000-10-28T19:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Garfield226 \* > \*\*Hijack alert. > > You were warned. Put some Ivory in the microwave. Put a small glass of water in too, just to keep the microwave from overheating. Don’t put the soap IN the glass, put it on a plate in the middle or something. Turn it on high for a long time. Watch. Stop when you’ve had enough. Now use the soap. > > TRY IT. > \*\* Do you have to be able to see what’s happening in the microwave while it’s on, or when you take the soap out? And I wanna know before I do anything stupid: is this gonna do anything weird to the MICROWAVE, or just the soap? God forbid I screw up the microwave… ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2000, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/16 "2000-10-29T00:50:06Z")
Yeah, you can watch, it’s pretty cool to watch, but the end results are cool too. No, it doesn’t mess up the microwave. It does make the room smell like Ivory soap for a while (hour or so). And it HAS to be Ivory. You can still use the soap, too. ---
**Author:** ![orion007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@orion007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orion007)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/17 "2000-10-29T03:29:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Garfield226 \* > \*\*Yeah, you can watch, it’s pretty cool to watch, but the end results are cool too. No, it doesn’t mess up the microwave. It does make the room smell like Ivory soap for a while (hour or so). And it HAS to be Ivory. You can still use the soap, too. \*\* Well then, that said, I’ll do it first thing tomorrow. I’d do it now but it’s a bit late and if I make the house smell like soap right before we go to sleep, people aren’t gonna be happy. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/18 "2000-10-29T03:35:26Z")
Soap, expecially if it contains fragrance or deodorant, would be a contaminant to food products. This applies to putting it next to lettuce as well as ice cream. Also, they like to keep all frozen items together just so they stay frozen longer on the trip home. Frozen items also condense moisture from the air and make everything in the same bag soggy. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2000, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bar-soap-melt-in-the-freezer/38674/19 "2000-10-29T04:10:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by galyean \* > my girlfriend was baffled at why the soap wasn’t packaged with the ice cream. I would be baffled if soap WAS packaged with ice cream.