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When a small piece of soap is left behind while using it in the wash basin or bathroom of the house, we often consider it useless and throw it in the dustbin. But do you know that these small leftover pieces of soap (Soap Scraps) can become a magical solution for the plants in your home garden and balcony? In this era of zero-waste and eco-friendly gardening, you can not only protect plants from harmful insects with waste soap bars, but can also increase the greenery and shine of your garden manifold. If you also want to see your plants blooming and shining without expensive chemicals, then definitely try these 5 smart and easy gardening hacks using leftover soap bars: 1. Make homemade insecticide spray for aphids and mealybugs Rose, hibiscus, chilli and tomato plants are often attacked by white mealybugs, aphids and spider mites, which feed on the sap of the leaves. They dry up the plant by sucking it. Hacks: Grate the remaining bar of soap or cut it into small pieces and dissolve it well in 1 liter of lukewarm water. Method of use: Fill this mild soap solution in a spray bottle and spray it thoroughly on the affected leaves and stems. Soap suds break the outer protective covering of soft bodied insects and kill them naturally. Caution: Be careful not to spray in strong sunlight; Spray only in the morning or evening. 2. Odor-barrier to keep away squirrels, rats and wild animals: Squirrels, rats and stray animals often destroy the beautiful flowers, green vegetables or fruits planted in the garden by gnawing them. Hack: Tie the remaining pieces of strongly scented bar of soap (like mint, neem or herbal soap) in a thin mesh bag or old sock. Method of use: Hang these bundles near the pots, on the fencing of the beds or on the branches of plants. Due to the pungent and unfamiliar smell of soap, animals and rats avoid coming near the plants. 3. Prevention of slugs and ants slipping on soil and stones: Snails/Slugs and ants crawling around the pots during rainy or high humidity season cause huge damage to the roots and leaves of plants. Hacks: Rub a slightly damp bar of leftover soap in a line on the outer edges of the pot, the legs of the stand and the boundaries of the beds. Benefit: The slippery and alkaline layer of soap acts as a natural Lakshman Rekha. Snails and ants are unable to cross this dry layer and the plants remain safe. 4. Protect gardening tools from rust and keep them sharp. Gardening tools like spuds, pruners, scissors and trowels get rusted or jammed due to repeated exposure to wet soil. Hacks: After gardening, wash and dry your iron and steel tools, then rub the remaining dry bar of soap on the blades and hinges of the tools. Advantage: Soap forms a thin moisture-resistant protective layer on the metal surface, which prevents the tools from rusting and dirt from sticking to them the next time you use them. 5. Get rid of stubborn soil stuck in the nails after gardening: While weeding the pots or pruning the plants, black soil and dirt gets deposited deep inside the finger nails, which is very difficult to clean later. Hack: Just before starting the clay work, scrape your nails inwards on the slightly damp bar of soap left over, so that some of the soap fills the empty gap of the nails. Advantage: This leaves no space for soil to enter the nails. When you wash your hands after completing gardening, the soap will dissolve immediately with water and your nails will be completely clean and shiny without any extra rubbing.