Ok, I am so excited to share with you an incredible DIY that I promise you is not only super easy – but actually does the job too! Today, I am sharing an amazing tutorial for DIY Liquid Soap. This DIY will have your friends BEGGING you to share this recipe with them.
One of the reasons I want to share this DIY is actually quite a simple one (and I think most of us can agree), I absolutely dislike spending money on household items like paper-towel, toilet paper, cleaning solutions and yes – dish soap. While some of these items I’ve accepted I HAVE to purchase, I decided rather than complaining I would learn to make them myself – and so my journey began making my own natural, eco-friendly and cost effective cleaners (and other items but that’s for another blog post). After many experiments in my kitchen I am pleased to say I am no longer spending money on liquid dish soap, and I am very happy with the end result.
To be honest there are a ton of recipes out there. You can find literally thousands on Pinterest, and who knows maybe some of you reading this today have a slightly different recipe of your own – and if so please share! But this tutorial is one you can make your own, add or subtract, to create a formula that works best for you. So let’s get started!
When I first knew I wanted to do this I headed into my local Nature’s Fare Markets store. As I stepped thru the doors I happened to see (ok I may have been totally looking for her) one of the sales consultants who I feel like I have bonded with (lol) and has always been extremely helpful anytime I have entered the store. I laugh because she saw me coming and she immediately saw the list in my hand and just knew I was on a mission. 9 minutes later I was at the cash desk with all my items in hand, excited and ready to get started.
Here is what I purchased:
- Pure Soap Flakes – Needed? Not really. But these extra flakes are the secret to clean and spotless dishes.
- Pure Washing Soda – This is used for your base/solution to get things rolling!
- Pure Castile Soap – We chose Dr.Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap – Baby Unscented. We choose this one rather than the unscented regular brand for those that may be super sensitive (no fragrance).
- Vegetable Glycerine – This is your degreaser. If you find your dishes are slightly greasy still when using this DIY liquid soap, add more glycerine to your next batch. The glycerine can also help prevent a film being left on your dishes after washing.
- Organic – Pure Essential Oil, Lavender – Lavender has so many healing and bacterial fighting uses. Did you know that a “good quality” lavender essential oil can quickly aid a nasty sun burn? Be sure it’s a “good quality” essential oil though. 😉 Once I got home, the prep, or lack of, was pretty easy. I boiled water in a pot and I added 5 ingredients – LOL. NOW, the trick is to figure out the right amount of each ingredient that will work best for you. Here is what I did:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of water (boiled)
- ¼ cup Pure Soap Flakes
- 1 tsp Vegetable Glycerine
- ¼ cup Pure-Castile Soap
- 2 tsp Pure Washing Soda
- 30 drops Organic Lavender Essential Oil (or your fave essential oil)
Directions:
- Boil 3 cups of water in a pot.
- Once boiled, turn temperature to low and add soap flakes, stir to fully dissolved.
- Add all remaining ingredients stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Keep stirring.
- Pour into a container (I used a glass Pyrex bowl), set aside.
- Stir as much as possible.
TIPS
- Each batch contains approx.. 3 cups of liquid soap. So after 24cups (12x doing this recipe) you will need to buy more Castile Soap and Essential oil (maybe).
- Keep in mind when shopping for these items to try and search for the smallest size of each possible. A little goes a lonnnnnnng way!
- Stir as much as possible during the 24hr period. If you find your solution starts to become gel like – add clean/boiled water, stir again. Your water hardness, or lack of, plays a huge role. I actually ended up adding almost another full cup of water – making my solution closer to 4 cups than 3.
Easy right!? Wanting “better” for our families is something we all strive for. I can’t wait for you to try this tutorial and share your experience with us too!
Stay tuned next month for my next DIY “experiment” just in time for summer. Can you guess what it is?
Natalie Grant is the founder and creative director of Boombaloo, a media company for the modern family. Boombaloo engages, captivates, and inspires readers by offering reliable and updated information; they aim to foster a sense of community by showcasing hidden talent, unique individuals and families, delicious recipes, and new products.
Photography by: Tess Parent Photography
