I’ve been using my homemade bar soap since August (see Homemade soap success! to learn how to make your own). I really, really like it, but I prefer liquid soap to bar soap when it comes to general hand washing.
Behold the power of a Google search, which lead me to the Savvy Housekeeping blog’s post on how to turn bar soap into a liquid soap. All you need is water, a bar of soap and some glycerin. That’s it!
You can find the detailed instructions at the link to the blog, but all you do is grate the soap and melt it in 10 cups of water and add 1 Tbsp. of glycerin. Several comments on that post said that Dove soap does not make the transition into liquid very well, so I wouldn’t recommend trying that based on those testimonials.
My soap was still pretty much water after I melted it, but a comment left on that page from a user who also makes her own soap suggested stirring in a solution of 1 cup of water with 3 Tbsps. of salt dissolved in it to thicken it up. I poured in this solution while the soap was at room temperature and mixed it with a wisk. That worked like a charm! It didn’t take very much of the salt solution at all, so if you try that go slowly with pouring it in. Too much would probably turn the soap into the consistency of snot.
Not too shabby of a tip, if you ask me!
November 15, 2011 at 12:53 pm
This is a great tip as so many liquid soaps contain parabens that the bar soaps don’t usually have, so it seems like this would be a much healthier and cost-effective alternative to commercial liquid soap. I may give it a try!
November 15, 2011 at 10:13 pm
I’m always looking out for easy ways to save money to share. I just recently switched to a paraben-free shampoo that I really like. I think you’ll like the results if you try it.
November 15, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Hi! Followed you here from the comment you left on my blog, newtofarmlife.blogspot.com. Am really enjoying reading along! I used to make soap, too, though I haven’t done it in years. I have a lot of glycerin as a by-product of my husband’s biodiesel making endeavor, so maybe I should try it!
November 15, 2011 at 9:43 pm
My husband is starting to get into making biodiesel himself. Glad you stopped in to say hi!
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