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There are only about a million posts about how to make your own liquid hand soap, and most of them have the same two reasons for posting about it:
1. It is cost-effective
2. It is really easy
So here’s the long and the short of it–it’s hard to mess up making your own homemade liquid hand soap. And, if you try it and it doesn’t turn out like you want it, you can still use it and try again later because you’re not out that much money.
So, here’s the method I use, and it can easily be adapted to your preferences and needs.
You will need:
grater
big spoon
big saucepan or pot
whisk
1 standard 4 oz bar of soap (please read the update below)
12 cups of water (please read the update below)
2 Tbs liquid glycerin
I found glycerin on the same isle as Bandaids in the Health and Beauty section of Walmart.
Update: When I made this soap for this post, I did it a little differently than I had done it in times past. I formerly had used Ivory bar soap or some other easily rinsable type of bar soap, and this time I used an antiperspirant soap (Dial maybe) of some sort. Also, I formerly had used about 15 cups of water, but found that my soap turned out a little thinner than I like it, so I lessened the amount of water this time around to get the consistency I wanted.
That said, one or the other of these changes (or both) made this soap to be gradually sink-clogging over time. I never had this problem when I made this hand soap with more water and low-residue bar soap, so I wanted to be sure to add this caution to other soap makers. To be sure your homemade liquid soap will not build up in your drain, add about 2-3 more cups of water to the above recipe, and make sure the bar of soap you use is one that is low-residue. That should solve any problems! Your soap will be a thinner consistency, but will work just as well and will not build up in your drains. Now, back to the post….
Directions:
Put water in a pan and heat to almost boiling.
While you are waiting on the water, grate the bar of soap and set aside.
When the water is ready, dump the grated soap in and stir.
Try not to let the water boil; you’re just trying to melt the soap particles.
After the soap is melted, remove from heat and add glycerin.
Stir well and allow to cool. Let soap sit at least four hours, or overnight–it will thicken as it sits, and can take awhile before it does, so try not to get impatient.
When it is thickened and cool, use a whisk to blend it together.
Some posts recommend using a mixer to blend the soap, and that is something you can try. I have never done that, but it may work just as well.
This is also a good time to add anything you want to the soap such as color and scented oils. It doesn’t take much of either, so add it carefully.
After the soap is blended well, use a cup to dip the soap out of the pot and transfer it to the container you want to keep it in. I use a gallon jug that was formerly full of a punch drink. I washed it out really well and it has made a good soap container.
Use a funnel and a cup to fill the container if it has a narrow opening–this soap may set up thick, and tend to all go in the bottle at once if you try to pour it directly from the pot.
The soap is now ready to transfer into the smaller hand soap dispensers. I use a funnel for that as well, and fill them a little more than 3/4 of the way to the top, leaving a gap so that it doesn’t overflow when you put the pump top back on the dispenser.
Here is the finished product! Mine turns out thick, but I have read that it depends on the type of bar soap you use. I used a 4 oz bar of Dial I already had for this, but any bar of soap will do. Adjust accordingly if there is a difference in ounces, and more or less glycerin will change the consistency as well (glycerin tends to be a thickener). Your soap may turn out thinner or thicker than mine, depending on these variables, but there is no wrong way to make it! If it turns out too thick or thin, use more or less water next time.
This soap does not create much in the way of suds. Just like HE laundry soap (low suds but clean and good-smelling results), it delivers what it needs to. And, the best part, it costs very little! Two tablespoons of glycerin and a bar of soap are usually the only things that you will have to buy.
Try this sometime and enjoy experimenting with it–there is little waste. You can use the batches that don’t turn out–soap is soap, so if it is too thick or thin, it is still usable. Just adjust how you make it next time around. I encourage you to have fun with it!
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What a nifty idea!
Thanks, Cindy! It comes from me being a dyed-in-the-wool penny-pincher! Lol
Great information I call myself frugal instead of penny pincher 😊
Lol, that’s how my husband says it, too — he let me know that he doesn’t like me calling myself “cheap,” and I guess I can see why! So, frugal and penny-pincher are just two ways of saying the “c” word without it sounding so…well…cheap!
Nothing at all wrong with being frugal — you might end up having a few penny-pinching ideas to share with us!
I doubt I could come up with any idea you don’t already have. This site is massive and kudos to whoever designed it. I will think about it any way however. Now I need to follow you so I can find it again 🙂
Well, then, Welcome — I will follow you as well!
This blog is much less massive than others — it has been around for about nine months, and yours will be much bigger when it’s been here that long. Those posts add up over time!
Thank you for the kudos!
You bet my problem now is I have to many followers now that all post 3 to 5 times a day its quickly getting out of control they are what I call power blogger’s they just push the like button any move on so I am forced to do the same to keep up
Most other bloggers can’t keep up, either, lol. You’ll start recognizing which bloggers actually read your posts and then press “like,” and which ones just press “like” on everything without even reading it.
Yea I can already tell most of them aren’t reading them at all
Some people just push “like” on a blogger’s posts to get them to follow them or “like” their posts — those “likes” don’t really require a response.
Yea I am starting to figgure out the system on here 🙂
INSTEAD OF ALL THAT WORK—- why not use Dr. Bonner’s UNSCENTED –18-1 HEMP UNSCENTED BABY MILD PURE CASTILE SOAP– MIX IT WITH PURE WATER— & put it in a hand pump & use it– it is better for your skin– our enviroment– & our water supply— etc etc etc etc etc — We use no chemicals in our home— we only use baking soda– & or vinegar & Dr Bonner’s all natural unscented castile soap-(you can buy it in the gallon & save money also)- for everything— we use Dr Bonners for our laundry also– a few drops per load & cheap white vinegar for the fabric softener– you don’t need any thing else!!! It is better for your health– our earth & also saves $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !
I am very interested in anything that saves bucks, for sure, and I am starting to realize the importance of using natural substances for daily use. Questions: What is the cost of using Dr. Bonner’s? I use bar soap in my laundry detergent formula as well as liquid hand soap and wonder at the cost difference. It sounds like Dr. Bonner’s is a concentrated liquid — that would certainly be easier and save time and trouble! Where is Dr. Bonner’s available? I have never noticed it at Walmart — internet orders always involve shipping costs, and we don’t have any specialty stores here in small-town life, so a trip to the city every time I run out of something is not feasible. You certainly have perked-up my interest!
We buy CASE OF GALLON CONTAINERS OF DR. BONNERS FROM OUR HEALTH FOOD STORE– They order a case for us– & we save money on buying a case at a time– We live in Branson, Mo. & buy our cases of Dr Bonner’s from the health food store in Harrison, Ark, — we use to do the same thing when we lived in Kansas– order a case of gallon containers from our health food store!!! Not only does it save money– but we don’t use anyother cleaning product–I suffer from MCS– & we live in an MCS safe home completely chemical & fragrance free– in order for me to live!!!! BUT — by experimenting over the past 40 years trying to find products that I could use & also save the most money–Dr. Bonner’s is it for us!!! We also use Dr Bonner’s unscented all natural bar soap! Dr Bonner’s has a lot of different products!! We found that buying a case of 4 gallons of Dr Bonnner’s from our health food store saved us $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ tooooooo many people use lots & lots of products that are not save– & are really very very toxic & polute our world & water supply etc etc etc– & ruin their health– & have no idea why they are sick all the time!!! Most locally owned health food stores are more than happy to order cases of product for their faithful shoppers!!! We owned businesse for over 45 years– & ALWAYS SHOP LOCALLY OWNED– and your locally owned not chain stores are usually more then happy to help!!!! We save big bucks– by using Dr Bonner’s & also ordering it in case lots!!! (the health food store we use in Harrison, Ark is “Natures Wonder’s”– great local people with a wealth of information– locally owned says it all– I would search for a locally owned health food store with in 100 miles of home as we did)! Best wishes!!!! Hope it works well for you— it has for us for years– & I have several thousand MCS sisters all over the world– it works for also!! Blessings–
Thanks so much! I live in a small town just outside of Springfield and will probably start looking there, since we have no health food stores here. I will see what I can find out — I appreciate the info!
We shop at MaMa Jean’s health food stores in Springfield, Mo.– 🙂
There are three stores, so I’ll have to check there and look for it — I checked Target, and they have it, but it’s expensive ($16 for 32 oz), so unless it’s extremely concentrated Target is not the place to go to buy it, lol!
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No matter where you buy it— it is the same concentrate— &– we pay that price at most places for it– & under $60.00 a gallon–when we buy it by the case– but— to know what it is— know it isn’t toxic–& most people use things way toooooooooooooo concentrated & far more then is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To know it is safe– healthy– & can be used for everything in our home– that we don’t use baking soda or vinegar for– know it doesn’t distroy our water supply– air supply– & is safe for everthing– it is by far a total bargin!!!!!!!!!!! 32 oz of Dr Bonner’s would do months & months of laundry for us— & $16.00— a bargin to me!!!!
http://www.drbronner.com