Picture Perfect Cooking

I have been using homemade cleaners for several months now and I continue to be so impressed with how well they work.  My first attempts at making liquid HAND soap had not been very successful, but a little research told me I was using the wrong bar soap.  Dove unscented is the soap I use in the shower so, naturally, I tried to make liquid soap from it, but there is something in Dove soap that won’t allow it to thicken and you end up with soapy water.

I found Yardley lavender soap at my local Walmart and it was one of the brands recommended for homemade liquid soap.  It worked great!  I used lavender because both C & I like that fragrance and it’s not too overwhelming.  Next time I will try to find an unscented soap so it is easier on our allergies.  The “recipe” I used came from The Burlap Bag, and, of course, was posted on Pinterest.

8 oz. bar soap (I used two 4 oz. bars.)

2 tbsp. glycerin

1 gallon water + extra in case your soap is too thick.

Grate the soap and add all ingredients to a large pot over medium heat.  Allow to cook, stirring often, until all of the soap has melted.  Turn off the heat and let the pot and contents set for 10-12 hours.  It is supposed to get thick and a little cloudy.  Mine got really thick so I just added a little more water and mixed it in with a handheld electric mixer.

Pour the soap into dispensers or jugs for storage until you are ready to use it.  I’m not sure exactly how much all of this soap cost me.  I forgot how much I gave for the soap and glycerin, but this recipe makes a LOT of soap.