Ingredients:
- 1 bar of soap (about 4 ounces)-I used Yardley, but any kind would work except Dove sensitive (which ironically is what we usually use)
- 1 Tablespoon glycerin
- 8 cups water
Directions:
- Grate the bar of soap using a cheese grater.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add grated soap
-
Mix and stir until soap has melted. - Add 1 tablespoon glycerin.
- At this point, you can also add any natural scented oil essence if you like.
-
Let sit 10-12 hours, stirring every few hours. - The soap will gel and become thick, just keep stirring. After mixture has cooled, add about 2-4 more cups of water until soap is the consistency you like.
-
Pour soap (I use a funnel) into a large container for storing. Once it is in the jug (I love using the apple juice jugs from Costco), shake vigorously. Then, you’re ready to pour into soap dispensers.
Cost of handmade liquid soap
{breakdown for approximately 66 ounces of soap}:
Bar of soap-$1.00 (I bought Yardley from the dollar tree)
Glycerin-$5.00 for 4 ounce bottle at Walgreens. One bottle will make 8 batches of soap so it is about $0.60 per batch.
Final Costs: One batch of 64- 66 ounces of homemade liquid handsoap (depending how much water you add) costs around $1.60
Amazon has a 2 pack of 64 oz of Softsoap for $12.58, which equals $6.29 for 64 oz. When you pair sales with coupons on the SoftSoap, you can definitely pay less, but it is still a significant savings to make your own soap in bulk. And the greatest advantage to making your own soap is to know exactly what ingredients you are using in your soap, which may be great for those in your family who have sensitive skin or skin allergies.
What type of homemade cleaners & household products do you use in your home?
Here are more DIY posts you might be interested in:
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- 5 Ways to Use Coconut Oil
- DIY: Homemade Laundry Detergent
- DIY: Homemade Dishwasher Soap & Rinsing Agent
- DIY: Liquid Handsoap
- DIY: Homemade Cleaners
- Make your own Spice & Seasoning Mixes
- Homemade Espresso Drinks & Inexpensive Lattes
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- DIY: Homemade Vanilla Extract
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Find more frugal living recipes and DIY ideas here and a recipe database here.
Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:









{ 7 comments }
Can you then use this liquid soap to make DIY foamy soap? Even more savings! :-)
I’ve been using the dishwasher detergent posted here and love it. One batch has lasted me almost five months. And this month I started using the Duggar family liquid laundry detergent and love it. Coated me about $2 for 10 gallons. I have 3 kids so I do about 1-2 loads a day.
can you put this solution as is, in a foaming bottle or does it need more water? Any ideas? Anyone tired it in a foaming bottle… the kids use much less each time with the foaming soap.
you should be able to make in into the foaming by adding more water! try it and let us know!!
I am curious if anyone has ever used this recipe in a crockpot??? One of my crockpots has a “warm” setting on it instead of worrying about it on my stove all day. TY!!!
you actually only need to heat it until the shredded soap melts. then you can turn the stove off -you just want it to cool completely and gel before adding more water and putting it in your dispensers! sorry about the confusion:)
I’m actually in the process of making this as we speak…. hope it comes out good.. I could always use a savings deal!!!!