soap flakes

plural noun

1. small flakes or chips of soap commercially produced and packaged for washing laundry, dishes, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of soap flakes¹

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Example Sentences

A: I prefer soap flakes, but use liquid if you don’t have them.

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Russell Shearman, one of the special effects artists working on “It’s a Wonderful Life,” solved that problem by creating a mixture of water, soap flakes, sugar and foamite, a material used in some fire extinguishers.

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In the parking lot, they doused the records with a homemade napalm of Ivory soap flakes and gasoline — a recipe from a U.S. military handbook, Melville said.

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Mr. Richardson eschews most detergents, which can leave a residue, and he makes and sells his own soap flakes, using just a meager tablespoon per load.

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A few frantic, anonymous hands behind the backdrop do their best to create blizzard-like conditions from soap flakes.

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