This post may contain affiliate or referral links that help keep this site running. For more information about this, please see our Disclosure Policy. As an associate of Amazon.com/Amazon.uk/Amazon.ca/and other websites, I may earn a small commission whenever you click through a link from this site. This commission helps to support this site and keep it running. Six Dollar Family is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com/Amazon.uk/Amazon.ca.
Head into my laundry room and you will find several bars of Fels-Naptha soap. This laundry bar soap is one of my favorite cleaning products hands down. Despite the fact that it was created as a laundry soap, there are so many ways to use Fels Naptha that it just makes so much sense to me to always have it handy.
One of the reasons that I love Fels-Naptha so much is because it is incredibly cheap.
Here in the US, I can pick it up at Walmart for less than $1.00 per bar. If you can’t find it at Walmart, Amazon sells it as well.
As always, I love anything that helps me to save money and since there are so many uses for Fels Naptha, it definately does that!
Like I said, It’s one of my favorite cleaning products period!
Ways to Use Fels-Naptha Soap
When you use Fels Naptha, a little usually goes a long way which means that is a dollar well spent.
At that price, I can afford to buy a few bars to experiment with and I’m fairly certain you can as well. After all, experimenting with new products is how we all find new uses for things.
Since it is so cheap, we can all afford to buy a few bars of Fels-Naptha to find those new uses with.
Uses for Fels-Naptha Soap
I will be honest and say that this soap hasn’t always been a favorite of mine. In fact, I was well into my thirties before I really understood how great a little bar of soap really can be.
Then, in 2015, I began a journey that I still continue today. I began to look for things to make at home to save money and make money with.
What began as a list of around 30 things is now a huge list and Fels Naptha is the main ingredient for a lot of those things.
And if I were to be honest with you; I would never go back to the way we used to live. Making things at home, drinking milk straight from the farm, eating eggs and produce grown and raised here at home; it’s all enhanced my life in ways I could never explain.
But we are here to discuss the ways to use Fels Naptha and since there are so many uses for Fels-Naptha that I am 100% certain that once you see them all, your home will be the same as mine; full of Fels Naptha!
The History of Fels-Naptha Soap
Created around 1893, Feby Fels and Company, Fels-Naptha was the first soap to contain the product Naptha. Naptha was a liquid hydrocarbon mixture that worked amazing as a laundry soap, but thankfully it was removed from the soap as it was a cancer risk.
As the new soap prospered, the company did as well. In 1964 it was sold to Purex which was then sold to Dial and further sold to Henkel in 2003.
Is Fels Naptha Soap Safe?
Fels-Naptha was extremely popular during WW2 but over the years it dropped in popularity as convenience products made their ways to the shelves.
Recently though it has seen a resurgence since so many people are starting to recognize the value of saving money with depression era money saving tips or money saving tricks from World War 2.
As I stated earlier, originally, Fels-Naptha containerd the hydrocarbon Naptha. Since it was known to be a cancer causing carcinigen, it was removed.
After the removal, the soap became safe to yuse iand is no longer toxic. Even better, it still cleans just as well – if not better!
Is Fels-Naptha an Eye Irritant?
Fels Naptha is safe, however, it is a known eye and skin irritant with prolonged exposure.
Also, while Fels-Naptha isn’t labeled as a nasal irritant, I find that grating it does irritate my nose quite a bit so just keep that in mind when you’re looking for ways to use Fels-Naptha in your home.
If grating it does irritate your nose as it does mine, you can eliminate that issue by using a food processor to grate it for you.
How to Use Fels Naptha Soap
With all of that said, you will be fine as long as you aren’t sitting in a bucket of soapy water for hours. You can view the Fels Naptha MSDS sheet right HEREif you would like.
If you find that trying these uses for Fels-Naptha irritates you a bit more than you care for, you can give Zote soap a try.
My friend Jenn over at Simple at Home has an a really nice list of uses for Zote soap if you are interested.
Ways to Use Fels Naptha for Laundry
At it’s core, Fels Naptha is a laundry soap. It makes sense then to begin talking about how to use it in your laundry.
These are only a few of my favorites as I am sure there are plenty of different ways you could use it in the laundry room.
Make DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent
Starting with the most common way to use Fels Naptha, making DIY powdered laundry detergent is easy with this soap.
Combined with Borax and baking soda, Fels Naptha makes an amazing powdered laundry detergent.
If you need a good DIY Laundry Detergent recipe, mine can be found HERE.
Make a DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent with Fels Naptha
If you prefer liquid laundry detergent, you can use Fels Naptha to make that as well.
A good DIY liquid laundry detergent recipe is the one I use right HERE. If you’re using Fels Naptha, just replace the castile bar soap with a bar of Fels Naptha.
Use Fels Naptha to Make DIY Laundry Detergent Pods
One other way to make homemade laundry detergent with Fels Naptha is to make DIY Laundry Detergent Pods.
I have a tutorial HERE if you would like to learn how to make them.
These make doing your laundry so much easier but are homemade so they are so much cheaper!
Use Fels-Naptha as a bleach alternative to brighten your whites
We don’t use bleach in our home as I have an allergy, but if you do, consider skipping it. Washing your whites in bleach too often can make them take on a yellow or dingy color.
In fact, it can even eat away at the fabric of your clothing which will only serve to cost you most money on clothing.
To keep that from happening, skip the bleach and use Fels-Naptha to help whiten them.
Simply dissolve one cup of grated Fels-Naptha into a sink full of warm water. Soak your white clothing for an hour then wash as you normally would.
When the whites come out, you will notice they are whiter, less dingy, and will be sparkling clean!
How to Remove Wine Stains
Spill wine? Grab a bar of Fels Naptha and dissolve the soap in 1-gallon hot water. Soak the stained item for one hour before you wash it.
Remove Chocolate Stains with Fels Naptha
Kids can be messy sometimes and chocoalte is one of the owrst stains to have to try and remove from clothes. That’s why this is one of the best uses for Fels Naptha that a parent can have in their arsenal.
To use Fels Naphta to remove chocolate, rub the stain with a wet bar of Fels Naptha. Then, soak the item in a Borax and water mixture for 30 minutes.
Wash as normal and the stain should come right out.
Make a Laundry Stain Pre-Treat Solution
Keeping your white clothing looking great isn’t the only laundry themed tip on this list of ways to use Fels-Naptha soap.
You can also use it to pre-treat stains so there is never a need to buy those expensive stain remover sticks or sprays!
Fels Naptha Laundry Pre-treat Spray Recipe
Combine 1 part grated Fels-Naptha with 1 part Borax laundry powder in aheavy bottom pot. Add 2 parts water and heat until the soap flakes are melted and combined.
Pour into a glass spray bottle and use to pre-treat your laundry!
Remove baby formula stains with Fels-Naptha
Baby clothes are one of the few clothing items that keep their resale value. This means that if you’re looking to make money selling kids clothes, you want them to be looking their best.
Unfortunately, babies are not great at keeping stains for their clothes and baby formula is one of the worst to get out. Luckily, you can use Fels Naptha to remove baby formula stains pretty easily.
To do so, rub the stain with a wet bar of Fels-Naptha.
Soak it in 1 gallon of water with 1/2 cup dissolved Borax powder for 30 minutes. Wash like normal and the stains should be completely gone!
Remove ink stains with Fels-Naptha
I can’t be the only one who has washed an ink pen, right?
In any case, if you too have washed a BIC; Fels-Naptha can rescue your laundry.
Just add a small chunk to your washer and wash like normal.
For stubborn ink stains, follow the instructions above for baby formula stains. Your clothes should look like new!
Using Fels Naptha for Baseball Pants
My daughter Emma played softball during the 2019 season so I am well aware of how quickly baseball and softball pants can get grass and dirt stains on them.
Luckily you can use Fels Naptha for baseball pants (and softball!) that have seen better days.
To treat stubborn grass stains, rub a damp bar of Fels Naptha into the stain and work the soap into the stain using a soft bristled brush.
Allow the soap to soak into the stain for an hour then wash as normal.
Remove Makeup Stains with Fels Naptha
One of the more common uses for Fels Naptha around my house is makeup stains. Things such as the lip stain I wear and other makeup proiducts can easily stain clothes.
To use Fels Naptha to remove makeup stains, rub a dry bar of the soap on the stain. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes then wash as normal.
Remove Wring around the Collar
If your shirts have wring around the collar, Fels Naptha can help remove it. To do so, rub a dry bar of the soap into the collar wring.
Then, using a soft bristle brush, work the soap into the stain. Allow it to sit for thirty minutes prior to washing as normal.
Use Fels-Naptha to remove oil based stains
Oil based stains are the worst and can be almost impossible to remove! Luckily, removing them is one of the ways to use Fels Naptha soap!
To remove an oil based stain, wet a bar of Fels-Naptha and rub it on the stain. Allow it to sit for one hour and wash as normal.
Cleaning Uses for Fels Naptha
We all know that commercial cleaners are expensive so if you’re looking to save money around your home, using Fels-Naptha in as many places as possible is a great way to do it.
Fels-Naptha isn’t just great in the laundry room. There are also quite a few uses for Fels Naptha in your regular cleaning routine.
Clean Floors with Fels Naptha
Another great addition to the list of ways to use Fels-Naptha is as a floor cleaner. It works so well to remove both light dirt and heavy grime. Plus, it smells really fresh after.
To make a homemade floor cleaner with Fels Naptha, grate 1/2 bar into 1-gallon water. Heat the water and melt the soap. Allow it to cool slightly then mop as normal.
When doing floors, there is no need to rinse.
Clean your Toilet with Fels Naptha Soap
Fels-Naptha makes a great toilet cleaner and gets your toilet clean without harsh chemicals.
To clean your toilet with it, melt 1/4 bar of Fels-Naptha into 5-6 cups of water. Allow the soap/water mixture to cool.
Once cool, add 15 drops of lemon essential oil and 10 drops oftea tree oil.
Pour into your toilet bowl and clean as you normally would.
How to Clean Your Sink
It’s also fantastic for cleaning sinks and you may just find that your sinks have never been cleaner with so little work!
To clean your sinks with Fels Naptha, use a soft brush to remove any loose dirt. Then, rub a bar of Fels-Naptha all over the sink and faucets.
Wet the soft brush down then use it to scrub the sink. Rinse and marvel in how clean your sink is now!
Using Fels Naptha to Clean Leather
It’s a real tragedy when leather gets dirty but it’s a quick fix with Fels Naptha!
To clean leather with Fels Naptha, wet the bar of soap down – not the leather itself – then rub the soap onto the leahter. Work the soap until you get a lather built up then fully dry.
Clean Upholstery with Fels Naptha
If you have upholstered furniture, you could choose to update the upholstery like I did in THIS post with an old chair or you could use Fels Naptha to clean it.
Spray the upholstery down with a spray bottle lightly then run a damp bar of Fels Naptha over it. Use a soft bristled brush to clean the upholstery. Wipe as much later away as you can then rinse well.
Make a Homemade Odor Spray with Fels Naptha
Febreze is expensive and odors come back before too long. A better way to remove odors is to use Fels-Naptha to create an odor removing spray.
The Felsn-Naptha spray cleans the dirt or funk that is causing the smell meaning that once its gone, it won’t come back.
Fels Naptha Odor Removing Spray Recipe
To make the odor removing spray, grate 1/4 bar of Fels-Naptha. Add it to 2 cups hot water and heat over low heat until the soap is fully melted and dissolved.
Allow the mixture to cool then pour into a spray bottle. Spray the stinky item lightly to remove the smell.
If you want to add a more pleasant scent, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the mixture after its cooled.
Clean Shoes with Fels Naptha
One of the easiest Fels Naptha uses is to use it to clean your shoes. To do so, run a dry soft bristled cleaning brush across them to remove loose dirt and debris.
Rub the outside of the sneaker with a dry bar of Fels Naptha then clean with a damp cloth.
Use Fels-Naptha to Degrease Your Sink
As a truckers wife and someone who often does crazy things like clean fish in my kitchen sink, it can get pretty greasy and gunky pretty quickly.
Luckily, another one of the ways to use Fels-Naptha that I adore is that it can be used to degrease sinks, stoves and counter tops.
The process is quite similar to simply cleaning your sink. Run a soft bristled cleaning brush over the sink then wet the brush down.
Run the brush over the Fels Naptha bar. Work up a later and scrub the greasy area. Cover the entire area scrubbing to get the lather.
Now don’t rinse it. Wipe the lather clean and dry. This helps to remove the grease without continuing to spread it around.
Now, rinse the area very well. It’s especially important to rinse it well if you’re cleaning area that food will be prepared on.
Clean soap scum from your shower doors
If your shower has glass shower doors, you’re probably pretty familiar with soap scum.
Instead of using expensive commercial shower cleaners, take a clean, dampened sponge and lather it onto a bar of Fels-Naptha. Then wet your shower doors down.
Scrub your damp shower and doors down with it. Be sure to hit every area of your shower and doors.
It will take some elbow grease the very first time that you do it, but once it is done, it will be significantly easier to keep up with.
If you want to make the process easier, pre-clean your shower with our homemade bathroom cleaner then use the Fels-Naptha after you have rinsed well.
You could also clean your tub with it or your bathtubs for baby with it. Just be sure to rinse it incredibly well if you’re using it on something that will touch your baby’s skin.
Clean paint brushes with Fels-Naptha
If you like to paint. you might be spending a ton of money on paint brush cleaner. There’s no reason to.
Just rub your brushes over a bar of Fels-Naptha then rinse well. The bristles will stay soft and they’ll be as clean as new.
Shine aluminum with a bar of Fels-Naptha
Do you have aluminum cookware? If so, Fels-Naptha works great for shining it!
Just rub your gunky aluminum with the edge of the bar and polish! Rinse well and you’re done!
Use Fels-Naptha to clean grout
Cleaning grout can be a pain in the rear-end, but Fels Naptha can make it easier.
Before you get to scrubbing, rub the grout with the corner of a bar of Fels Naptha.
The soap will help remove the dirt that is trapped in the lines of your grout.
Follow the soap with your favorite homemade grout cleaner and rinse well.
Make Dish Soap from Fels Naptha
Do you hand wash your dishes? If so, one of the best uses for Fels naptha is to hand wash make a dish washing soap.
It will work better than any dish liquid you can buy at the store for hand washing, but it isn’t great for dishwashers.
If you need a homemade dishwasher soap recipe instead, check out my homemade dishwasher soap recipe or my homemade dishwasher detergent tablets instead.
Fels Naptha Dish Soap Recipe
To make a Fels Naptha dish soap recipe, grate 1/4 cup Fels-Naptha and combine with 1 cup of water.
Melt the soap into the water on the stove.
Let cool then use like you would any other dish washing liquid. It may be a bit watery. If so, that is perfectly okay. Simply shake before using and use normally.
Use Fels-Naptha to Make Sneakers Smell Better
Dirty and stinky sneakers? Rub a bar of Fels Naptha soap over the inside of the shoes before you give them a good celaning. Doing so will help to remove any stinky feet odors.
After you remove the smells, you can sprinkle cornstarchand baking sodainside each shoe to soak up sweat and odors to help prevent smells.
This can save you quite a bit of money over those expensive odor eating insoles.
Deodorize your trash can with Fels-Naptha
Why spend extra money for scented trash bags when you can save money around your home and use a bar of Fels-Naptha instead?
To clean and deodorize your trash cans, dissolve 4 tablespoons grated Fels-Naptha into 1 gallon of hot water.
Allow to cool and add 15 drops of tea tree oil and 15 drops of lemon essential oil. Spray the inside and outside of your trash can with the cleaning solution and allow to dry fully.
Your trash can will now be clean, disinfected and deodorized.
Bonus? Since Fels-Naptha works to repel bugs, it will also be pest free!
Clean outdoor furniture with Fels-Naptha
Outdoor furniture can get pretty funky over the course of just a few weeks and they are super expensive to replace. Instead of replacing them, clean then with Fels-Naptha.
Wet your furniture down and rub your outdoor furniture with either the bar itself of with a cleaning brush that has been rubbed across a bar.
Scrub stubborn areas then rinse thoroughly.
We like to use this when we clean our outdoor furniture on a budget. It helps them stay looking great but keeps my budget in tact!
Treat mildew with Fels-Naptha
Mildew is another thing that can befall not only your outdoor furniture but other areas in your home as well. Again, Fels-Naptha can be used to help clean it.
Wet the area down and spray with a bleach solution that is made up of 2 parts bleach and 1 part water.
Let the bleach solution sit for 10-15 minutes.
Rub the area down with your bar of Fels-Naptha and scrub with a soft scrub brush. Rinse well and the mildew should be gone!
Use Fels-Naptha to clean your carpets
One of my favorite ways to use Fels-Naptha is also one that will help you save money around your home. Commercial carpet shampoos are super expensive but Fels-Naptha is super budget friendly.
Just mix 1/2 cup grated Fels-Naptha with 2 gallons of water and heat to boiling.
Allow it to cool completely and use it with a carpet shampooer to shampoo your carpets!
As with any other carpet shampoo, be sure you check in a hidden are for color fastness.
Outdoor Uses for Fels Naptha Soap
Use Fels-Naptha for Poison Ivy
Our family spends a lot of times outdoors which makes this one of my favorite ways to use Fels Naptha!
If you think you have come in contact with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, quickly scrub the area with Fels Naptha soap then rinse the area very well with hot water.
The Fels-Naptha will help to remove the oils from the poison ivy from your skin keeping you from itching and blistering later.
Use it on hands, ankles, and arms that may have touched the ivy, but be sure to avoid your face and any other sensitive areas of your body.
Use Fels-Naptha to keep pests out of your garden
Deer may be beautiful to look at, but they – and other garden pests – can be devastating on your garden. Add to it that pest deterrents can be expensive and often are full of things you don’t want near your vegetable garden.
If deer have started to consider your garden their personal buffet, Fels-Naptha can help.
Grate a bar and spread all around your garden and near your plants being careful not to get any near the roots. They won’t like the scent (or the taste if they lick it) and will choose to go elsewhere.
If you need an extra strong boost, you can also add things like scallions and chili powder to a pot with water, melt the Fels Naptha and create a garden spray to use.
Just be careful how much you use on your plants so you don’t burn their leaves using pepper ingredients.
Use Fels-Naptha to make a homemade insecticide
If your garden plants are being eaten alive (literally) by bugs, this may end up being your favorite of all of these ways to use Fels-Naptha.
You can use it to make an insecticide that will kill the bugs on your plants without harming the plant itself.
Since commercial insecticides are so expensive, this is another great ways to save money around your home.
To kill bugs using Fels Naptha, grate a small chunk of Fels-Naptha then dissolve 3 tablespoons of the grated soap into 1 gallon of hot water.
Allow the mixture to fully cool, add to a spray bottle and spray on your plants.
Use Fels-Naptha to repel bugs
Not only will Fels-Naptha kill bugs, but it can also repel them.
To keep bugs away from your plants and home in general, cut a bar of Fels-Naptha into 1 inch chunks and place around the areas that you need to keep bugs out of.
For plants, you’ll want to place the chunk at the base of the plant, but be careful not to get it into the root area.
This will work for garden bugs as well as moths and other creepy crawlers that can get into your home.
Fels Naptha Uses
Treat Chigger and mosquito bites with Fels-Naptha
Chiggers and mosquitoes are pretty common pests during the warmer months of the year, but luckily Fels-Naptha can help relieve the itching from them!
To treat chigger and mosquito bites with Fels-Naptha, simply wash the area well with the soap. Rinse well and pat dry. The soap will help dry the bites up leading to relief for you.
You also might want to consider using a homemade bug spray or homemade citronella candles next time so you can prevent bites in the first place.
If you’re like me, mosquitoes like to make you their dinner buffet.
Fels-Naptha can prevent poison ivy
Not only can you dry up poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac with Fels-Naptha, but you can also prevent it with Fels Naptha.
Poison Ivy can stay on your clothing for up to a year after you’ve brushed against it even with commercial laundry detergents.
Washing exposed clothing with Fels-Naptha though can help remove any oils that are on the clothing and actually keep you from many itchy nights.
Make sure to wash them separately from the rest of your laundry.
Since we camp a lot,I keep a WonderWash on hand just for this. I don’t want to take the chance that the oils will transfer to my washer.
Fels Naptha Uses Around The Home
Use Fels-Naptha to help unstick drawers
In my kitchen, I have a drawer that likes to get stuck. I’m sure we all have at least one in our homes and that’s why I love this tip the best out of all of these ways to use Fels-Naptha.
It might not seem like it but it absolutely will help you save money around your home since you won’t have to buy something to get that stubborn drawer unstuck.
For an easy fix, rub a bar of Fels-Naptha on both of the drawer tracks. It will lubricate the track and cause your drawer to open and close freely.
Treat cold sores with Fels-Naptha
Cold sores can be literal pain. To help dry them out and treat cold sores with Fels-Naptha, simply wash the area with the sore on it with Fels Naptha soap and rinse well.
Pat the area dry and after a few days, it should be gone.
One caution on this is to be very careful if you have sensitive skin since Fels Naptha is a known skin irritant.
Prevent lice with Fels-Naptha
Now before I get into this, I want to remind you again that Fels-Naptha is a known skin and eye irritant. Please be careful if you choose to use this tip and if it harms your hair or eyes, neither Six Dollar Media, Inc. or I personally will be held responsible.
Some folks claim that Fels-Naptha can be used to prevent lice.
To use it for this purpose, wash your hair with Fels-Naptha once a week.
A much easier method is to add tea tree oil to your shampoo. Add 10-15 drops to each bottle of shampoo and conditioner, shake and shampoo/condition like normal.
Using Fels Naptha for Acne
If you have a nasty pimple or zit, another use for Fels Naptha it to use Fels Naptha for acne.
Wash the area with the pimple with Fels-Naptha. It will help dry out the oils in the pimple and help it to heal quicker. Rinse well with warm water and be sure to avoid your eyes.
If you would rather avoid using Fels Naptha on your face, consider giving our DIY Acne Mask with Essential Oils a try. It works so well!
Use Fels-Naptha to repel mice
Mickey causing too many issues in your home, but using mouse traps isn’t your cup of tea? Fels-Naptha to the rescue!
Cut 1 inch chunks off of your bar and place them in areas where mice and other critters give you issues at. They won’t like the smell and will stay away.
If you want to double up on the protection, add a few cotton balls covered in peppermint essential oil in different places. They won’t like that smell either.
Clean grease off your hands
Know someone who deals with greasy hands on a regular basis? I do. Steve is a truck driver and his hands are always so greasy!
Lava hand soap works well but is twice the price of a bar of Fels-Naptha. Washing your hands with it can easily remove grease stains that normally leave your hands oily and stained.
Lubricate squeaky door hinges
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, right? Well, the squeaky door gets the soap.
If you have a squeaky door hinge or knob, rub a dry bar of Fels-Naptha on the areas that squeak. Wipe off any excess and the squeaky wheels should fall silent.
This is one of the best ways to use WD-40, but if you don’t have any on hand, Fels-Naptha will work well.
Easily remove stickers and labels with Fels-Naptha
The list of things thrifty people reuse is pretty big, but a staple item that gets reused is jars and bottles. After all, there are so many ways to use empty bottles that tossing them just doesn’t make sense.
But most of jars and bottles usually have pretty strong labels and stickers on them though and they can be a pain in the rear to remove sometimes. You could buy Goo Gone, but Fels-Naptha can make it even easier.
Rub the seam of the label (where the glue is) or the entire sticker with a dry bar then let sit for a few minutes. Then, add a pot of water big enough to cover the label and melt a small chunk of soap into it.
Soak the bottle after you have rubbed the label with the dry bar. Once you’ve soaked it for a bit, the label or sticker should peel right off.
Clear Up Fever Blisters
Fever blisters are both unsighly and painful. To treat them using Fels Naptha, wash the affected area with the soap and pat dry.
Again, if you have sensitive skin, use caution washing your skin with Fels Naptha.
Use Fels-Naptha to Tan Hides
If you are a hunting family that tans and uses the hides, you might be interested to know that fels-Naptha can be used to tan the hide.
To tan hides with Fels Naptha, grate a full bar of the soap for each gallon of water you will be using.
Heat the soap and water over a low heat until it reaches a low boil making sure to stir it occasionally.
Once the mixture has boiled and the soap flakes have dissolved, remove it from the heat and pour it into a bucket or other container.
Allow it to cool entirely. As it cools, it will thicken into a gelatinous liquid.
Once it’s fully cooled, submerse the hide entirely into the liquid. Allow it to sit for 1-2 months to tan the hide.
Use Fels Naptha to Remove Odors from Your Hands
Cutting onions and other foods can leave smells on your hands that are hard to remove. Cleaning products and other things such as compost can as well.
Washing your hands in Fels-Naptha removes those smells quickly and easily.
Treat Chigger Bites
If you’ve spent any amount of time outdoors in grass, you’ve likely been bitten by chiggers. Just like Fels Naptha can take the itch out of mosquito and other bug bites, it can chigger bites as well.
Simply wash the bites with Fels Naptha and dry well.
Make a Quick Flea and Tick Shampoo
Fleas and tick are the bane of a pet owners existence, but Fels Naptha makes a great flea and tick shampoo! Just later your furbaby up with the soap and rinse well.
As always, Fels Naptha is a known skin irritant so I would recommend testing a smalla rea of your dog or cats skin before you give them a full bath. This will let you know if they are going to react to it or not.
Looking for more ways to use things? Try these:
Have a few old towels lying around? Turn them into something amazing with these new uses for old towels! You might be surprised at what you can make!
Do you have old sheets lying around? Who doesn’t? These 17 “new” uses for worn out sheets will have you looking at them in a different light…and maybe saving a buck or two in the process!
Holding onto empty milk jugs? Put them to good use! These 14 “new” uses for empty milk jugs will blow your mind!
My dad had a hole in the gas tank of his car and rubbed fels -naptha over it and it stopped the leak until he was able to get to a shop to have the tanked fixed. This was back in the 70s don’t know if anything in gas or the soap has changed since then but I was amazed at how good this worked.
As a child back in the 50’s, if I said a “dirty or naughty”word my mother would march me down to the basement laundry room and wash my mouth out with fels naptha bar soap. Very effective.
Oh NO ! I had forgotten about that!
But its all true, what carrie said?
Can you usE Fels Naptha for washing a kitten with fleas?
Pat, for that I would recommend the original blue Dawn.
Brenda, do you have an ACE Hardware nearby? or another hardware store? The ACE near me has it for around $2.
Fels Naptha is GREAT keeping deer out of flower gardens. The couple who tend to our flower beds at The River Golf Course here in IInt’l Falls, MN us Fels Naphth shavings in the flower beds to keep the deer out. I swear it works, none of the beds have been bothered by the roaming deer at the course.
Glad to hear it works that well Martha!
I had a bar of feels naptha sitting in my laundry cupboard and used it as a last resort to get lipstick out of a whole load of clothes that I dried with a bright pink lipstick (left it in the pocket of my sweatshirt). I was so upset and thought I would have to throw away about ten pieces of nice clothing. I scrubed every one of those pieces with fels naptha, threw it back in the washer with a Tide Pod and Oxyclean powder, and there was not one trace of lipstick when I pulled it out of the washer. I am still amazed! I cannot praise fels naptha enough! Where have you been all my life, FN?!?!
I seem to be the only one who ruined my 100% cotton shirt by rubbing naptha soap on the grease and dirt stains. It bleached the turquoise color out where I applied the soap on the stains. Now the shirt has small white spots. I did not leave the naptha on my shirt that long (10 minutes?)…..and I put the shirt in water with the soapy naptha water to let it soak a while afterwards. What went wrong? I had read the label to be sure it was OK to use on colors. I even went on the internet and saw no warnings about using it on colored clothing.
Lori, that sounds shirt specific. I’ve used it on colors many times with no issues.
I LOVE, LOVE, Fels Naptha. I have been using it since 1962 and my Mother swore by it, too. I use it
on all collars, cuffs and grease spots. Never fails me. I save all little pieces in a mayo jar. Then add
water and make my own liquid Fels Naptha. I hope they never discontinue it. Like they do every other
good thing.
Another icky thing. When my mom was a youngster in the early 1900’s they use to Fels to wash their
hair when they contracted lice. I said it was icky.
i Live in Florida and we have a Roes they are $1.00 Bar
Does the water get funky after some time? Do you keep a lid on the container?
I saw it today and the Baraboo Wi Walmart for $1
Hello. My favorite top got semi gloss paint on it. My friend recommended Fels-Naptha.
The brand is Slinky Brand sold by HSN. Material is light weight Jersey stretch knit, color charcoal gray.
Do you think Fels-Naptha will work without messing up the color ?
Thank You
If it is a water based paint yes, it should be okay. If it is an oil based paint, I don’t know of anything that will take it out. Be sure to test a small inconspicuous area for colorfastness though.
I am 76 yrs old I learned about FELS NAPTHA from my mother. I have always kept a bar in the house. Recently my granddaughter (mid 30’s) asked me if I could try and get a stain out of one of her daughters outfits (she had tried her Dreft stain remover) to no avail. When I got stains out on first try she was amazed, and asked if I thought it would work on the grey rug by her back door. Said she didn’t know what made the stain but she had tried to wash it after using a pretreat stain remover and it was still there. I left her my FELS NAPTHA. She called me 2 days later so excited that she pretreated as I had told her then threw it in the washer and not only was the stain gone but she rug looked like new and smelled soo good.
I’m so glad you and she were able to get the stains out!
Very interesting information. I bought this soap. However, I am afraid to use it as it seems to be dangerous in many ways. Is it just a money saver?
Hi MJ, Yes Fels Naptha is safe. It can irritate skin with prolonged exposure, but the ways we’ve listed here do not put it on your skin long enough to really be a concern for the kind of prolonged exposure needed.
When the soap was first made, it contained “Naptha” which is where the name came from. The Naptha ingredient is the one that was unsafe, but modern Fels Naptha bars NO LONGER contain the ingredient. The modern bars do contain titanium dioxide, however, again, you would need to inhale far more of it than we are suggesting use of in order for it to be a true concern. Quite a few products contain titanium dioxide.
Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether you feel Fels Naptha is right for you and yours. Thanks for the question!
Menard’s has it for 99 cents too!
Thanks for the tip Michaelina!
I used a bar to clean the mold off our Trex deck in Florida. Had previously used it to get mold off outdoor furniture.
Thanks for the Fels Naptha 30 uses I honestly have lived by this bar soap for the past 3yrs. When I discovered it’s miracle stain removing elements but never knew of other uses till this post infact my boyfriend has a slight touch of poison oak and as we speak just went to try it because I literally just read this article 15 minutes ago. Again like you love to save and love to find shortcuts new use of something. Thanks again this has Truely made my day.
Fel Naptha will also prevent swimmer itch. Just wash with it after you come out of the lake and you won’t get the itch. If you’ve already gotten the itch then wash with it and the itchy bumps will go away in a little while.
Thanks for the tip Angie! I love it when someone suggests another use for it. 🙂
Enjoyed your blog or post whatever. Very informative.
LOL glad you enjoyed it. (Post or article is the correct term ;))
Kroger carries Fels Naptha here in TX for 98 cents. I am 70 yrs old and beside laundry stains my mother used it for us when we got poison ivy by rubbing s wet bar directly onto a mosquito bite or a rash. It relieves the itch almost immediately and the rash is gone the next day. I buy 2 bars at a time and have been using it all my life. I am going to see if it works on grout too, something that usually takes a lot of harsh chemicals. I use it on my hubby’s collar stains as well.
Thanks for the tip about Kroger! I’ve always just grabbed it at Walmart. 🙂
How is Fels Naptha for putting under your bed sheet to prevent leg cramps? I know that’s an old home remedy, but it works for me with other kinds of soap, but I thought since Fels is so strong, it might be even better.
I have actually never heard of that one Marilyn! Please let us know how well it works!
My Mom had me at-the wash tub and wash board every Sunday evening with Fels-Naptha soap doing stain control, I was 10. I use it still, daughter works with children I have never met, or their Moms and she brings me stained clothing to treat. Yes my Mom also washed my hair occasionally with Fels-Naptha, especially school season and the threat of lice. I had very long blonde hair worn in braids also to confine due to head lice. I taught all my children how to use it and they still do, best stain remover ever!!!Janice
I use F-N to remove splinters. I put a small chunk in warm water til it’s soft then put it on the splinter, then put a bandage over it.
Leave it on for 2 or 3 days then remove the bandage.
If the splinter hasn’t come out, try sqeezing around it and it will pop out.
If it’s really deep, do it again but leave the bandage on longer.
It especcially helps to get it wet often.
60 years ago my Dad punched a hole in his oil pan on a rocky mountain road. He molded Fels-Naptha into plug for the hole. Towing cost saved.
That’s an awesome story! Thanks for sharing !
I heard maybe 30 or 40 years ago you can grate & dissolve a bar of Fels- Naptha in a gallon of water & this would make 55gallons of liquid fertilizer for your lawn. I’m thinking of giving this a try because my lawn is looking bad! have you heard of this?
Jeffrey, I haven’t heard about using it as a fertilizer but I do know it is good for using as an insecticide.
I first heard about it when I was looking at stain removers for baseball pants. Since then it’s been the only thing I use for all those different stains from every game: grass, clay and occasionally blood. My grandma hasn’t heard of it and I brought her a bar and now she recommends it to all of her grandkids.
I tend to clean my kitchen floor on my hands and knees with a brush and a bar of fels Natha. My mother used to do this, and I know it isn’t easy, however, when I’m done, my husband and I walk on the floor bare feet. There is no comparison to this and mop washing. It feels so smooth and clean! You won’t feel anything like it until you try!
We do ours by hand as well. Our home is 80% tile so if we don’t, it gets gunky. No one wants that on their bare feet. 🙂
Can you tell me what you mean by “a brush and a bar of fels naptha”. Do you still dilute it in water? Or are you literally using the bar? And if so how do you do this. Thanks!!
If I don’t mention water, I literally mean to rub the bar of soap against the brush until you get a small amount of soap on the brush. Hope this helps!
We have used for years as a body wash after being exposed to poison oak. it breaks down the oak oil and removed before breakout.
Is Fells Naptha effective on Mites? “They” happen in my house every Summer, ick!
Hi Bonnie, I wouldn’t use it for ear mites. For that, cover their ears, inside and out as best you can with Vaseline. Be very careful with the drum or you could damage their hearing. The Vaseline is so thick it smothers the mites and they die off.