Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
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Have we allowed the advertisers and marketers to dictate our tastes and preferences or are we in control and we determine what we need and want?
Just turn on your TV and you are told that you are not happy unless you are wearing the latest style in clothes, driving the most up to date car while taking the prescription drug du jour (with those nasty little side effects). Fido will live longer if you 
feed him the appropriate dog food and your kids can never be happy unless they have the latest thumb strengthening electronic gadget.
Now, pretend that you live in a remote location without the benefit of television and constant radio advertisements. You and you alone determine what makes you happy and what you need in order to survive. The ‘keeping up with the Joneses advertising’ does not exist.
I took you through that mental exercise because I wanted to talk to you about making homemade liquid hand soap. Yeah, I know, I just ragged on the advertising industry, now I’m going to talk about making something that they have ‘created a need’ for in our homes. Let’s face it, I don’t know about you but when I was a child, we used bar soap to wash our hands before dinner and it worked just fine
Anyhow, now that liquid hand soap has become a ‘necessity’ let’s make our own instead of buying it from the store. The recipe is not complicated and the soap achieves the affect that soap was created for. It thoroughly cleans your hands.
There is no magic formula. Don’t be led astray by all of the complicated formulas and ingredients. What we’re going to make here is basic homemade liquid hand soap. The most economical way to make it is to save all of the small soap fragments that you’ve collected over time. However, if you don’t have saved soap fragments, a bar of soap will work just as well.
Here’s what you do:
In a pot, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. While the water is coming to a 
boil, shave the bar of soap into fragments, or break up the already small pieces of left over soap. The smaller the fragments, the quicker they will dissolve in the boiling water.
Stir the soap into the boiling water until the soap completely dissolves. Once the mixture is cool, pour it into your old soap dispenser. You will note the mixture is not as thick as store-bought soap (if consistency is an issue for you, use less water and more soap). However, you’ll find the watery hand soap mixture works exceedingly well in creating a lather and cleaning your hands.
Here’s where the advertising and marketing exercise from above comes into play. The advertisers will have us believe that the thick gel type liquid hand soap is necessary to get our hands clean. Oh contraire!
If you prefer to have a different scent, experiment with essential oils. Only a drop or two is necessary.
This is a basic no fluff recipe for homemade liquid hand soap. It will clean your hands thoroughly. After all, that’s what you want the soap to do, isn’t it?
By the way, how much did this cost you?
Score another one for thinking blulow!
By adding a couple teaspoons of glycerin to this mixture it will thicken it up.
Can I also use this recipe to be my dish washing detergent? I handwash all my dishes. Thanks to anyone who answer this question.
Hmmm, that’s an interesting thought. I never thought of making dish detergent for hand washed dishes. Great idea.
I probably would use a soap like Ivory as the base because it doesn’t have all of the extra fragrance and lotions that other soaps have. You could probably add your own scent using essential oils or what ever you prefer.
I think I’ll have to give it a try.
Thanks for get great suggestion, Louise!
If you are going to add essential oils, it is best to mix the oils with a small amount of alcohol. (I like Everclear but rubbing alcohol will work if that is all you have.) This will allow the oils to mix with the water. Otherwise, they will just sit on top your soap.
Thanks for the tip seventh sister.
Before the advent of liquid dish washing soap my Mum used washing soda crystals. It’s a bit harsh on the skin though.
sorry for the comment
i made the recipe and i slept so happy after i washed my hands with the great liquid hand soap
and i waked up happily going to my bathroom
and i found my soap turned solid in the bottle again.
can anybody tell me why this happened
perhaps not enough water,next time add more water
WHERE DO YOU BUY SUPER WASHING SODA?
You can buy Super Washing Soda at most grocery stores. It’s usually in the aisle with the laundry or cleaning products.
I came to this site looking for ideas on dishwashing liquid to hand wash dishes. I have a dishwasher, but because I lived on the farm for years and rinsing the water under running water was not real good for spot free dishes, I used to use a plastic bowl or container in the sink with some vinegar i and hot water in it for the rinse. I no longer live on the farm, but when I see people rinsing dishes with the water running I see dollars running down the drain! I will see if I can find the Super Washing Soda in our stores, but if I can’t, is there some sort of alternative? Mary
Hi Mary,
I’m not sure if there is a substitute for the Super Washing Soda. If you have a tough time finding it in your local stores, you can order it from Amazon
. It will cost a bit more because of the shipping and handling charges.
I think Super Washing Soda is pretty common. Try calling the stores in your area, hopefully they will have it.
Washing soda is also known as “soda ash fixer” – I like to buy mine from the Dharma Trading Company, when I am buying fabric dyes anyway.
I had trouble finding washing soda in my area. I emailed Arm and Hammer directly and they sent me a list of stores near me that carry washing soda. It took a week or so for them to respond , so have patience.
Wow, did you try Amazon.com
? It’s better to buy it locally so you won’t have to pay the shipping and handling charges, but Amazon sells Super Washing Soda.
Fortunately the grocery stores in my area carry it in the detergent aisle.
You can also buy sodium bicarbonate (washing ash) from pool suppliers or chemical supply companies. or you can ask your local grocer to order it for you. It is much cheaper to buy from a chemical company though. Make sure it is 100% sodium bicarbonate. (yes there is a difference between baking soda and washing soda)
Uh, Regina?
Sodium bicarbonate IS baking soda. I think you mean Sodium Carbonate, which is what super washing soda is. Also know as Soda Ash.
I was able to call Church & Dwight the suppliers/makers for Arm &; Hammer Washing Soda…1800-524-1328…gave them a UPC # 33200-03020. They told me the closest store to purchase it…still an hour away. They told me I could order it directly from them…$3.99 plus shipping, at this time it is $6.39 to ship. BUT…they told me if I bought 4 boxes from them I will get free shipping. $15.96plus tax .96 cents =total $16.92 for 4 boxes This will probably last me the rest of my life since you use so litle at a time.
It’s unfortunate that you can’t get it locally. It would probably save you about $1.50 per box.
Oh well, even with spending $3.99 you’re going to save so much money by making your own laundry detergent.
Hi. Have you tried WalMart? They carry washing soda and borax too, if you are in need of it. I am an otr truck driver and those are two of the products I deliver fairly frequently.
I am in Orlando, FL and could not find the Washing Soda at any of the local Walmarts or Targets. It was in the laundry isle of Publix though. It was $2.19 for a 3lb 7oz. pkg. I love the homemade laundry powdered soap. I am making my second batch now. I am storing mine in the tall Dannon Activia Yogurt containers.
My homemade dishwasher soap does not work that well at all, but, I did make it before I found the Washing Soda. BTW, I bought a 4lb container of PH up,(soda ash) from Walmart and it was $6.99. I am returning it on the next trip since I found the w s at Publix.
I found that over time the homemade dishwasher soap seemed to leave a slight film on the dishes.
I added a little baking soda from time to time which seemed to have resolved the issue.
Let me know how it goes.
When making the homemade liquid handsoap, how much soap are you adding if you just have left over bits of soap? Is it a cup worth? Just want to make sure to add enough. Thanks.
all the soaps needed to make your own laundry detergent, etc. are available at a site called soapsgoneby.com – I order by the case from this company.
Hi Jessica,
Actually I don’t measure how much soap I use. I accumulate left over soap and then add water. You’ll find that it really doesn’t take very much soap to make liquid hand soap. I think we’re trained by the soap manufacturers to think that thick creamy soap is the only soap that works.
Play around with it to find the consistency that works for your.
Neenie,
Thanks for the soap resource. It will come in handy for those folks who cannot buy the necessary ingredients locally.
Thanks for the update. I will give it a whirl. I really like the idea of making my own items. I know what I am adding and what is left out. Very simple. My daughter and I cannot wait to try the laundry recipe. Going to buy the ingedients this weekend. Thanks again.
Instead of buying a bottle of liquid glycerin, can I cut i little bit off a glycerin bar of soap to add to my homemade liquid soap to thicken it?
I’ve not added glycerin to my soap, but you can give it a try.
I am 56 years old. I have toyed with the idea of making my own soap for years. I thought you had to go thru the whole lye soap making process. I am so thrilled to find all these homemade laundry soap, liquid hand soap and dishwasher soap recipes. I just made my first batch of the laundry soap recipe using the Fels Naptha Bar. It is so simple to make, so inexpensive and works great. An added bonus is the wonderful, c lean-”fresh-air” smell of my laundry. I am now going to try the dishwasher soap, making my own liquid hand soap and am shooting for finding a good shampoo and hand lotion recipe. Any suggestions? Where can I buy glycerin? Email me @ janiewoods510@yahoo.com. Thanks.
If you can’t find it locally, Amazon sells glycerin.
About how much soap must I add per cup of water? I’m afraid I’ll make it and then it will be too watery or perhaps too solid. Well, on the other side, I don’t have much to lose if it’s a flop. Haha, thanks for your help, if anybody can answer me.
Hi Vicky,
My liquid hand soap is very watery, but it works. I don’t think you can make a mistake. Some of the readers recommend adding glycerin to thicken up the mixture.
I think you’ll have to play around with it a bit, but I just added water and it works fine. I keep saying that I’ll try adding glycerin, but I just never seem to get around to it.
Let us know how it comes out.
By the way, in Raleigh, North Carolina, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda is available at Kroger Stores and Harris Teeter. Also was able to get Borax in Target and Harris Teeter Stores.
Oh, another idea about the homemade hand soap too watery….
I put my homemade soap into my “foam” type dispensers and foams nicely. IF you added too much water to your recipe it will be too watery, just add a little more soap.
I’ve heard that another alternate for the soda ash is pH up (the pool aisle at stores like Lowe’s Home Improvements, etc).
I am very happy I discovered this site. I am excited about making my own detergent, hand soap. Thank you for your info.
Glycerine is usually available at your local pharmacy.
I just wanted to confirm a few of the comments I saw here about a substitute for Washing Soda. I also had trouble finding it locally, but Washing Soda is a chemical called Solium Carbonate (NOT bicarbonate- that is baking soda and is not the same.) But Sodiam CARBONATE is also available at Wal Mart in the swimming pool section next to the toys. It is called “pH Plus Balancer”. The ones I saw were tall white bottles with a pink lid. It’s the exact same thing and costs about the same as the Washing Soda on a per-ounce basis. It was about $8 for 5 lbs. I am certain it is available in any pool supply store, though. Just tell them you need Sodium Carbonate, and they will know. Enjoy all!
Does anyone know if coloring can be added when making the liquid hand soap? If I use a bar soap that is already colored will this give me at least a subtle color? Also, I am interested in creating the laundry detergent however, I have a family member who gets a rash when I use the cheaper versions of detergent. Has anyone experienced any side effects such as an itchy rash from the homemade laundry detergent? Thanks to all of you who have already answered other questions that I would have had before trying these formulas. Your comments are acknowledged and greatly appreciated. Keep on pinching those pennies!
Hi Tammy Jo,
I’ve not added color to the liquid hand soap, so I can’t answer that question. I’m pretty much a basic type of person, if the soap works, color isn’t that important to me.
As far as rashes with the home laundry detergent, no one in my family has had one yet and I’ve used the homemade detergent for over a year.
Does anyone else have any advice about adding color to the liquid hand soap?
Shampoo, wash you rhair with baking soda!, it feels rather grainy at first but once it works in (doesnt take long) it feels wonderfully soft.
Baking soda for the hair is a new one for me.
I can’t remember where I saw this but it said if you heat baking soda(sodium bicarbonate) at 300 degrees for 1-2 hours(it dosn’t hurt to go over time) it will become sodium carbonate. Any chemists out there to confirm this?
A couple dashes of salt will also thicken up soap. Recently learned this for diluted soap. We’re going natural, but in the meantime have been using our conventional items. With 3 little boys & daycare kids, I need all the stretching I can get!
Thanks for the tip Jessica.
I have just found your site & I think it is wonderful. Fortunately most of the ingredients you talk about are available at WalMart stores or grocery stores here in Canada as well. I have seen soap making recipes before, and always decided against it because of the lye. I already use Borax when doing laundry, and have used the Washing Soda, so the receipes for laundry & dishwasher detergents really don’t require me to get a whole lot of new products.
Thanks again for the great site. Keep up the good work!
If you’re old enough to have lived through the 80′s, you might recall the chatter of that time about cocaine and how crack came to be . . . Yes, heating baking soda creates sodium carbonate. It’s what put the ‘crack’ in crack, and made a little bit of cocaine go a longer way, or so ‘they’ say!
Also, I read ‘somewhere’ that baking soda can be used to remove a bad temporary hair color product, which might indicate that it’s a bit abrasive. It might be wise to take a clue from commercial hair makers here. Where baking soda is in every other kind of cleaning agent, including toothpaste, detergents, even feminine products, but never in hair products.
Oops . . .