Does your household consume liquid soap very quickly and in large quantities? Store-bought liquid soap can be expensive, especially if you use soap made with natural ingredients. Why spend $ 3-7 on a single bottle of liquid soap when you can make it yourself at home? You can learn how to make liquid soap from a bar of soap or even without soap!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Make liquid soap from a piece of soap
Step 1. Take a piece of soap that you are going to use
You can make liquid soap from any soap. You can use leftover or used soap scraps or add other personal items to make soap that you will use for specific needs. For example:
- use a piece of facial soap to make a liquid soap that you can use on your face;
- use a piece of antibacterial soap to make good hand soap for use in the kitchen or bathroom;
- use a piece of moisturizing soap to make liquid soap for your body;
- use unscented soap if you want to create your own scent and get a custom liquid soap.
Step 2. Grate the soap into a bowl
Use a fine cheese grater to grate the entire lump of soap in the bowl. Use a very fine scraper so that the soap can easily melt when the time comes. You can cut the bar of soap into smaller pieces for easier grating.
- You should get 1 cup of 230g soap flakes. If you get less, grate a second bar of soap.
- You can double or triple the ingredients if you want to make a large amount of liquid soap. It is a nice gift to give anytime, especially when you keep it in pretty bottles.
Step 3. Mix the soap with hot water
Boil a cup (230 ml) of water, pour this water into the blender along with the soap that you have grated. Mix the soap and water until they have the consistency of a paste.
- Using the blender to make soap can leave hard-to-clean residue. You may decide not to use the blender, but instead to make your soap on the stove. To do this, you simply need to add the soap flakes to the boiling water placed on the stove.
- You can also try making soap in the microwave. Place a cup of water in a microwave-safe dish, bring it to a boil, add the soap flakes and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flakes to melt. Place the dish in the microwave again and heat for another 30 seconds if the mixture needs more heat.
Step 4. Add glycerin to the mixture
The role of glycerin is to hydrate the skin, making liquid soap a little softer than lumpy soap. Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) of glycerin to the mixture, stirring until the mixture is completely blended.
Step 5. Personalize your soap with additional ingredients
You can show off your creativity here, especially if you started with a scent-free piece of soap. For example, you can add the following ingredients to make your liquid soap original:
- honey or body milk in the mixture to make it more hydrating;
- a few drops of essential oil to give perfume;
- add 10 to 20 drops of essential oil from tea leaves and lavender to give your soap antibacterial characteristics;
- a little food coloring to change the color. Avoid chemical dyes, as they are harmful to the skin.
Step 6. Create a good consistency
Continue to beat the mixture in the blender when it is completely cool. Gradually pour water into the mixture as you beat it until it has an ideal consistency. If you are not using a blender, stir the mixture while adding water and beat vigorously.
Step 7. Pour the resulting liquid soap into suitable containers
As soon as the soap has cooled completely, pour it into jars or pump containers using a funnel. If you got a larger amount of soap, put the rest in large bottles and leave them handy so you can refill other smaller bottles.
Method 2 of 2: Make liquid soap without using soap
Step 1. Gather all the ingredients
To make liquid soap that forms bubbles, you need a good mixture of oils and a chemical called potassium hydroxide, also known as “caustic potash”. This composition can produce six liters of liquid soap. You can get these ingredients at health food stores, craft stores, or on the Internet.
- 310 g of potassium hydroxide flakes.
- 1 liter of distilled water.
- 710 ml of coconut oil.
- 300 ml of olive oil.
- 300 ml of castor oil.
- 90 ml of jojoba oil.
Step 2. Obtain the correct equipment
When working with caustic potash, it is imperative to wear protective equipment and properly arrange your workspace. Plan to work in a well ventilated and lighted room so you can see what you are doing. You must have the following:
- a slow cooker;
- plastic or glass measuring bowls;
- a kitchen scale;
- a mixer;
- protective gloves and goggles.
Step 3. Heat the oils
Measure the oils and place them in the slow cooker and on a low heat. Take the correct amount of each variety of oil, as adding more or less can spoil the recipe.
Step 4. Put on the caustic potash solution
Wear your protective gear and open the windows. Measure the distilled water in a large bowl. Measure the caustic potash in a separate jar, then pour it into the water. Stir constantly as you pour.
Make sure you are pouring caustic potash into the water and not water into the potash! Pouring water into caustic potash produces a very dangerous chemical reaction
Step 5. Add the solution obtained with the potash in the oils
Slowly pour this solution into the slow cooker, being careful to prevent the splashes from touching your skin.
- As you mix the liquids, the mixture will start to thicken. Keep stirring until it reaches the thick level where you can drop a spoon and see its trail.
- The mixture will continue to thicken to form a paste.
Step 6. Bake the dough
Continue to cook the mixture over a low heat for about six hours, checking every 30 minutes to break it up into small pieces with a spoon. The cooking of the dough is completed when you can dissolve 30 g of dough in 60 ml of boiling water and obtain a clear, non-milky liquid. If the liquid is milky when you test, continue cooking.
Step 7. Dilute the paste
You should normally get 350 g of dough after baking. Weigh the dough to get it right and then return it to the slow cooker. Add 1 liter of distilled water to the paste to dilute it. It takes a few hours for the paste to completely dissolve in the water.
Step 8. Add the desired fragrance and color
Use your favorite essential oil and natural food coloring to add a special scent and color to your soap after the paste has been completely diluted.
Step 9. Save your soap
Pour your liquid soap into airtight jars, since you will get enough soap and you won't be able to use it all at once. Pour the amount of soap you will use immediately into a bottle fitted with a pump.
Advice
- Put your soap bottles in gift baskets or wrap them to give to those you care about.
- Bottles with pump provide more hygienic and durable use of soap than lump soaps and other types of soap.
Warnings
- Homemade liquid soaps do not have any preservatives, so they should not be used after 1 year or when they start to give off a foul odor or show an unpleasant color.
- Always take safety precautions when handling soda.