In an attempt to avoid the sniffles, I find winter time brings around more frequent hand washing. Needless to say, hand soap goes pretty quick around here–and a girl could go broke buying those fancy-schmancy bath store soaps, so I say, why not make your own? I make mine in a foaming hand wash pumper bottle I bought years ago. {I have found the Method pumps stand up to the test of time best.}
To make, simply buy your favorite liquid hand soap. Fill your pump 2/3 full with water {filling the water first prevents a wave of bubbles from spilling over}. Then add liquid soap, leaving enough room to put the pumper back on. Shake it like a Polaroid picture, and voila, you cut your cost by two-thirds. {The first pump or two might be kind of soupy, but trust me, it’ll get foamy after a couple vigorous shakes.}
~Mavis
SB says
OMG – I thought I was the only one frequently refered to shaking something “like a Polaroid picture”!! I think you are funny, guess cuz I think I’m funny too! My husband calls it “dorky”, I prefer “funny”.
Gail says
I’ve been doing this for a couple of years! My kids hands would get so chapped and react from all the harsh soaps out there. I buy the Method non-foaming scent/dye free hand wash refill in the big pouch, use about an inch of soap in the method foaming dispenser and voila, cost effective kid safe/adult safe hand washing!
Kim says
I’ve been doing this for years in my classroom. Stretches the soap, the kids love it, and less goopy mess when they “serve themselves”.
Lisa says
Works great and saves money…I’ve been doing it for about 3 years now!
Angela says
After having success with making my own laundry soap I started making my own liquid handsoap too. It is super easy and way cheaper than even buying the refill bottles at Costco. Plus you know what chemicals, colors, fragrances, etc. are being smeared all over your hands.
Nikki says
We make our own laundry soap, too. Haven’t tried making my own hand soap yet, mostly because I’m nervous about switching brand of soap since my hands are super sensitive and dry out really easy and lotion doesn’t seem to help. Not that I want to use lotion since it sometimes makes it worse. I even have to wear gloves while washing dishes and then get a rash from my latex allergy (but it’s better than cracking itchy nasty hands!) What do you use? Glycerin? Tallow? Will it work with a foaming pump?
Angela says
I used 8oz of grated Ivory soap, 1 gallon of water, two tablespoons of glycerin and several drops of lavender essential oils. If you use the soaps with higher moisturizer content (i.e. Dove, Oil of Olay) I think you have to use less water for it to thicken. It should work for a foaming pump at the mixture rate that Mavis describes, but I personlly haven’t tried it.
Donna says
I’ve been making homemade soap for more than a dozen years. Hard water, creamy soaps and those with beads clogs up the mechanism. I mix mine in bulk and it last the two of us about 18 months. It is more cost effective for me to buy my water in gallon jugs. I find a 25% soap solution is foamy enough. My hard water was shortening the life of my dispensers to about 9 months, compared to the 2-3 years now, plus it was requiring me to use more soap (33% solution).
Here is my recipe: 3 gallons of water, remove 4 cups out of each and place into an empty gallon container. (All 4 containers should have 96oz each.) Using your favorite soap (128 oz), finish filling all 4 containers. Gently shake containers to mix.
Tiffany says
I just did the same thing using the same method bottles!!
mary mcmahon says
Mavis, I just retired on social Security only and set a “goal” to feed myself and hubby on $11.71 per day maybe I could do better? Mary in Cincinnati
Mavis says
You can do it Mary. 🙂
CathyB says
I have been refilling my foaming hand soap bottles for years as well. However I just use about 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid soap (like Dawn) and water. I already keep this on hand and it is concentrated enough that 2 tablespoons is enough. Saves even more money! It also is better for our septic system than the antibiotic hand soaps.
Annabel Lee says
This is the way we do also. Very little soap concentrate is needed to start. I like 7th Generation unscented at the sinks I use and my daughter likes the 7th Gen Lavender.
The unscented dish soap is the same one I use when I need to do any handwashing of dishes and it doesn’t bother my skin.
sharon says
Does anyone know if the natural soaps would work in the foam dispenser? I am trying to cutout alot of the chemicals out of our lives.
Rosemary B says
I have a Wegmans foaming soap bottle.
I just followed your directions to make foaming soap with some mild dish soap, lotion infused Palmolive. We do not have any sensitivities here but certainly chapping from the triclosan chemical. I love my new foaming soap.
Just to let you know, Wegmans brand foaming soap bottles are quite sturdy.
Gloria F says
I purchased a foaming soap dispenser from Bed Bath and Beyond. I am using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (Lavender) with drops of Rosemary Essential Oil. Works like a charm and smells heavenly! Half water and half soap measurements with as many drops of oil as you need to smell it. No sodium laureth sulfates. About 10-12.