I’m not sure when it happened. Once, I didn’t think about things like making my own laundry detergent or liquid hand soap. Now, when I find out I can, I get excited. And when I actually DO IT, I’m almost giddy. Before I know it, I’m blogging about it and forcing samples of the stuff onto my friends to try.
I recently shared how to make homemade laundry detergent. Now, here’s another great thing I’ve tried and want to pass along to you: liquid hand soap. I love the idea of spending about $5 to make over a gallon of hand soap. It’s easy. I get to pick the scent. And it makes me feel so cleaver.
Making your own liquid hand soap is almost as easy as making the laundry detergent I told you about last week. Plus, it’s even cheaper, if you can believe that.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 large bar of soap (I used Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day in Lavender scent)
2 tablespoons glycerin
1 gallon water
a pot and spoon to cook it with
a cheese grater
an electric mixer
containers to store the finished product in
The recipe says it makes a gallon of soap. I found that it made much more, although I can’t tell you the exact amount as I accidentally tipped it over while I was filling bottles up and lost a bunch of it. I also filled 8 soap dispensers with it after I spilled it, and still had just over a gallon left when I was done.
You start out just like you’re going to make laundry detergent. Grate the bar of soap and melt it in a pot containing a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons glycerin. Stir until dissolved.
Let the pot of soapy water sit overnight or for at least 10 or 12 hours. (Just like the laundry detergent, it won’t look like much besides a pot of soapy water, but be patient. It will change.) After it has cooled, if it’s too hard or slimy, add water and mix with a hand mixer. This was the case with my soap, which is how, even after I lost tons and filled up a bunch of bottles, I still had a gallon of soap left. My guess is that I added a quart or more of extra water to get it more liquid soap consistency and less slimy. Add water slow, though. It’s easier to thin than it is to thicken.
Over at The Farmer’s Nest, where I found the recipe, they say if your soap is too runny, re-heat and add more grated soap. (Some extra moist soap (like Dove) can cause this problem.) I don’t know though. I had the opposite problem, which adding more water fixed.
Either way, it’s pretty easy and it’s very cheap compared to the expensive price tag on liquid hand soap. Now you know their secret: Just add water. And be careful or you might end up being a soap pusher with your family and friends like I am!
