Insects eating my soap?

[Nanditasr]

I left one of my soaps out near the outdoor sink (in a soap dish). Just to make sure it didn't get rained on and soggy, I covered it with a pot with small holes. Two days later, when I looked for the soap, it was gone -- and the pot was intact! It had not even rained in between. Since the pot was intact, it could not have been the rats.

I thought someone may have stolen it, but that seemed really far-fetched, since it's hidden from plain sight. Also, nobody dares enter the compound because of the dogs. So I placed a soap again. Once again, it did not rain -- and once again, the soap disappeared!

What's going on? Do some insects or lizards like eating this soap? I've placed commercial soap in the past, and it has never disappeared miraculously like this!

 

[DeeAnna]

Yes, some mice, insects, and other critters do like to eat hand made soap. Here is mice damage --

 

[Nanditasr]

Yes, some mice, insects, and other critters do like to eat hand made soap. Here is mice damage --

Wow, the things we learn every day!
And is there any way to protect the soap? Any "non-chemical" additive that the critters might not like? (An airtight box will keep them away, but I guess it will also make the soap soggy and possibly mouldy.)

 

[earlene]

Are you amenable to using Citronella or other insect-repelling EO's in the soap that would sit outside? I used a combination of citronella, lavendar and peppermint that worked amazingly well on my skin to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from bothering me. I have also used it in soap for my son, but can't really say if it would work quite the same for repelling bugs while sitting in a soap dish.

Or perhaps you could just soak a sponge in insect-repelling EO's and sit it under the pot alongside the soap dish. That might help.

 

[Nanditasr]

Are you amenable to using Citronella or other insect-repelling EO's in the soap that would sit outside? I used a combination of citronella, lavendar and peppermint that worked amazingly well on my skin to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from bothering me. I have also used it in soap for my son, but can't really say if it would work quite the same for repelling bugs while sitting in a soap dish.

Or perhaps you could just soak a sponge in insect-repelling EO's and sit it under the pot alongside the soap dish. That might help.

Thanks; the idea of citronella, lavender and peppermint actually sounds delightful!
Yes, I could also try soaking the sponge in a suitable EO.
And maybe I'll check if they find my neem oil soap as tasty.

 

[zolveria]

OMG I have never seen this.. ewww is it not bitter to them.. what is wrong with these rodents..

 

[Nanditasr]

The insects have eaten even my neem soap! Other soaps, I did not mind. This one, I'm not happy about.
This was a 12% neem, 20% mustard oil soap. Now I have tried placing my 50% neem, 15% mustard oil soap -- let's see.
This theory of neem being a fantastic repellent of pesky creatures -- is that baloney? Or, is it that sodium neemate and sodium mustardate (with the oils having undergone a chemical change), are no longer repellents?

 

[Lin19687]

I would think that the chemical change makes it not a 'repellent' any more ?

Do you have a picture ?
Is this the same soap left outside ? Or is it inside.

 

[Nanditasr]

I would think that the chemical change makes it not a 'repellent' any more ?

I think so too.

Do you have a picture? Is this the same soap left outside ? Or is it inside.

Yes, this is the one placed outside. Inside, there's no problem. No point in a pic -- there's nothing left in the dish! :-(

 

[dalespiry]

I just started making cold processed soap and keep the soap in plastic containers in my shop office. It's not air conditioned when i'm not there. Recently i have found little beetles in the containers and on the soap.