Whether or not you are allowed to bring a bar of soap on a plane is a question that is asked by travelers day in and day out. Is it classed as a liquid? Is it placed under the same guidelines as carry-on toiletries?
Firstly, yes, you can bring a bar of soap on a plane. There are no restrictions at all according to the TSA website as well as the AskTSA Twitter account:
Find out the answers to more of your questions about traveling with soap on a plane below.
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Are Bars of Soap Subject to the Liquid Rule?
As a bar of soap is a solid object, it is not subject to the liquid rule when taking the soap in your carry-on. This makes it particularly handy when only needing to take a carry-on bag with you for your vacation or for business travel.
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How to Pack a Bar of Soap
While not subject to the liquid rule for carry-on, packing a bar of soap still requires some planning ahead to make sure you don’t end up arriving with one huge mess!
The great thing about being able to take a bar of soap in your carry on without it being allocated to your liquid rule is that you are not required to fit the bar into your quart sized bag, allowing more room to be able to take additional liquids with you that are in the set allocation. However you do need to pack it well especially after you have used it and it has become wet.
There are some great accessories out there for being able to pack your soap securely. Some of these are:
- A waterproof sailing bag. By selecting a size that is suitable for a mobile phone, you can not only keep your soap safe and secure within your bag, but it is a great storage solution for when it is wet also, not just for travel days but during your travels.
- A plastic soap case. There are some on the market that flat pack when not being used, and are washable. You can also find some that are see through, allowing security checks to be easier if they cannot identify the item with the screening check.
These types of travel storage solutions are great for both your carry on bag as well as your checked in luggage.
To secure your soap from breaking while in transit in your checked in luggage, utilize the space in your shoes to keep the bar safe. Once secure in your chosen soap storage, a bar of soap will easily fit into your shoe, allowing for extra protection. Plus it will double as a freshener to fight shoe odor.
Can I Pack a Bar of Soap for an International Flight?
As previously mentioned you can take a bar of soap on a plane. There is nothing stating on the TSA website that domestic and international rules are any different for bringing soap as carry on, on an international flight. However, it always pays to check with the airline you are flying with prior to departure and always remember that the final decision comes down to the decision of the TSA security officers at the time of your security check.
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Things to Consider when Bringing a Bar of Soap on a Plane?
While there are no official guidelines about bringing soap on a plane, there should be some things to keep in mind.
- Be mindful of the amount that you carry. With so many different types of soaps available such as shampoo, conditioner and laundry soaps, you could end up taking a lot of bars with you. However, excess of anything can trigger security to become suspicious and you may end up with no soap at all!!!
- Be aware of the ingredients of the bar of soap you are taking on the plane. Glycerin is a key ingredient of soap, and has been known to set off the security sensors. A tip is to keep the packaging of the soap with you, so you can show what the soap contains. Be mindful if you have made the soap yourself and have used glycerin in your ingredients as this is hard to prove so it may be best to pack homemade soaps in your checked in luggage.
Final Thoughts
It will still pay to check with your airline before departure and know that the TSA security officers always have the final say. However, as you can see, bringing a bar of soap on the plane is easy and carefree. And with so many different types of soaps available now, it is a perfect traveling accessory.
