So I’m sure if you’re on Pinterest, you’ve seen a million make your own liquid soap from a bar posts by now. My husband and I are on a new budget, and have been trying to save money lately, so I’m trying to save with everything we need. This “recipe” makes A LOT of hand soap, and for $1! The bar of soap I used was purchased from the Dollar Tree (Yardley is a well known brand, and they use natural ingredients AND don’t test on animals, so a plus in my book!), and I used 1 Tablespoon on coconut oil, which I’m not even going to begin to figure out how much that costs, because it’s practically nothing! The only other ingredient is water! It’s a kind of long process, but in my opinion, it’s totally worth it! We’re not going to have to buy hand soap for a loooong time!
Liquid Hand Soap (adapted from The Farmer’s Nest)
1 4.25 oz bar of soap
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 gallon of water
Start by grating your bar of soap into a large pot. Like I said, I used Yardley London brand. The Honey Vanilla Creme smells AMAZINGGGG. I also got the Lavender (which I’ll use for a laundry detergent that I’m going to make), and Sugar Plum Blossom, that also smells amazing. The original recipe called for glycerin, which I didn’t have, so I Googled “substitutes for glycerin”, and coconut oil was an option (in my opinion, the only option! I love the stuff)!! Add the water along with the coconut oil, turn the heat up to medium/high, and whisk until the soap is completely melted. You DON’T WANT THIS TO BOIL! Just to stay hot enough to melt the grated soap. This step is loooong and annoying. You have to whisk it often, and the soap starts to suds up so it’s hard to tell if it’s melted. Once it (finally) does, let it sit for a few hours until completely cool. I did this all before bed, so I let mine sit over night. It kind of jells up, which is totally fine (but you might get a little grossed out at the texture lol). All you have to do is break it up and transfer it to a mixer to whip it up until it’s creamy, or whisk it by hand. You could probably put it in the blender too, but I didn’t try that. I transferred mine to a soap pump and the extra went into a large plastic container (also purchased from the Dollar Tree).
The original recipe is doubled this amount, but I always get sick of using the same scented soaps for too long, so I halved it, that way I can change it up next time 
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Until Friday!!
Nice! I would love to make lotions and other stuff but the coconut oil is out of our budget mainly because it cost so much and we would have to order it from Amazon. As well as the glycerin. Is there any substitute for the coconut oil? Could you just melt down the Yardley’s or does that totally defeat the whole purpose? I am using Ivory unscented for sensitive skin in my laundry detergent and white vinegar for the fabric softener. Are you also using the washing soda and Borax in your detergent recipe as well?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/271114-vegetable-glycerin-substitutes/ Here are some substitutes you may use in place of the glycerine or coconut oil. I grated and then melted the Yardley’s in the water over heat. I did see that laundry detergent, but I’m looking for a “recipe” that doesn’t contain Borax, as I read up on it, and didn’t love what I saw! I found a laundry detergent recipe that I’m going to try out once my store bought one’s all used up.
Thanks. I pinned it for future reference. I will look into the Borax. Trying to go as safe and green and chemical-free and healthy as possible.
This is genius. Thanks for posting!
What a Cool Concept! Happy Tuesday:)
Thanks!
I can’t wait to try this!
- KW
musthaveboxes.com
OMG…this is so creepy. I just found this amazing bar of soap at my local health food store and I didn’t buy it because it wasn’t liquid. I was quite disappointment. Then boom…I see this post. Don’t you just love it when things just work out. Love it.
I can’t wait to buy that soap and make it into a liquid. Thanks for sharing your find on the almighty Pinterest.
Hahah I love when that happens! Craziness! So glad I could help out!
I love this,Nikki.Funny you should mention Yardley. I always loved Yardley. In fact, I always use to say Gerard’s sister Kathy looks like the Yardley model from the commercials back in the 60′s. All back-to-nature-hippie-esque & beautiful….kind of like YOU. Great post. Thanks.
KIND of like me??? lol…jusssst kidding
As a side effect of my husbands neurological condition, he has developed OCD. Not just having everything in its place, but lately he is being paranoid about products. as if his body were a sponge soaking up chemicals n destroying him! so I am on the lookout for all kinds of more organic recipes- like your deodorant you posted last year! i have a recipe for laundry detergent, body wash, i’d like to make this soap (we both have eczema on our hands) and for lotion i just use cocoa butter, vaseline, or olive oil. thanks for sharing! even though i see stuff on Pinterest, its nice to see it tried and tested!
I too think about all the chemicals and crap in most store bought products and it’s just gross to think of them all getting absorbed into your body. The natural the better! As for your laundry detergent, I’ve been looking for a good “recipe” lately. I had one saved from a while ago that used Borax, but I started finding all this stuff out about Borax not being so great, so I’ve been in search for another one…I had found one, but can’t find it again through the hundred of other ones!
I googled some recipes without borax and they just use washing soda and baking soda and then vinegar with essential oil as softner. some had salt and water. i love your organic posts!