What do you with all those tiny hotel soap bars? Aside from using them in your travel kit, you can turn them into homemade liquid hand soap. Liquid soap is way cheaper and less messy than a bar of soap. Here's a simple step by step guide, you just need a few additional ingredients. This process also lets you use up those small, leftover nubs of bath soap.
How to Make Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
Making your own liquid hand soap is easy, budget-friendly, and a great way to customize scents and ingredients to suit your family’s needs. Let's walk through the process.
What You’ll Need
- Bar Soap
- Distilled Water
- Essential Oils (optional)
- Vegetable Glycerin (optional)
- Large Pot
- Grater
- Whisk
- Soap Dispenser
Step 1: Grate the Bar Soap
Use a grater to shred the bar soap into small flakes. This helps the soap dissolve faster in water. You’ll need about 1 cup of grated soap.
Step 2: Heat the Soap and Water
In a large pot, combine 1 cup of grated soap with 10 cups of distilled water. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soap dissolves completely.
This step smells amazing if you’re using a scented soap! Just don’t let it boil—gentle heat works best.
Step 3: Add Glycerin and Essential Oils
Once the soap has melted, remove it from the heat. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable glycerin to make the soap softer on your hands. Add 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils if you want a custom scent.
I always add tea tree oil for its natural antibacterial properties, but a few drops of lemon oil make it smell clean and fresh.
Step 4: Let It Cool
Let the mixture cool for several hours or overnight. It will thicken as it cools. If it gets too thick, add a little more distilled water and whisk it to reach your desired consistency.
I remember thinking I messed up because it looked clumpy at first—but a quick whisk fixed everything. Don’t panic if it looks a bit off as it cools.
Step 5: Transfer to a Dispenser
Use a funnel to pour the soap into your dispenser. You can reuse an old soap bottle or get a pretty glass pump for a more polished look. I like to keep a big jar of soap stored under the sink to refill dispensers around the house.
Making homemade liquid hand soap is simple and gives you control over what goes into your soap. It’s gentle, effective, and customizable to fit your style and needs. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll never go back to store-bought soap. Give it a try, and enjoy your fresh, homemade soap!
