Does your home often run out of liquid soap in a short time? Store-bought liquid soap can be expensive, especially if you want to buy soap made with natural ingredients. Why should you pay IDR 50,000, 00 to IDR 100,000, 00 for a bottle if you can make it yourself at home? Read these instructions to learn how to make liquid soap from a bar of soap or make one from scratch.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making Liquid Soap from Bar Soap
Step 1. Choose a bar of soap to use
You can make liquid soap from any bar of soap you have at home. Use any leftover or half-used soap. You can also make liquid soap that you can use for a specific purpose. For example:
- Use a bar of face wash to make a liquid soap that you can use on your face.
- Use a bar of antibacterial soap to make hand soap that you can use in your kitchen or bathroom.
- Use a bar of moisturizing soap that you can use as a body wash.
- Use unscented soap if you want to add your own fragrance to make a liquid soap to your taste.
Step 2. Grate the soap into a bowl
Use a fine cheese grater to grate the entire bar of soap into the bowl. Use the finest grater you have so that when the soap melts, the process happens faster. You can cut the soap into thick strips if it's easier for you to grate.
- You will get 229 grams of flakes. If you make less, grate a second bar of soap.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you want to make a lot of liquid soap. These make great gifts, especially if they are kept in pretty jars.
Step 3. Mix the soap with boiling water
Bring a cup of water (235 ml) to a boil, then pour it into a blender along with the grated soap. Mix water and soap until it has a thick, paste-like texture.
- Making soap with your blender can leave a residue that is difficult to clean, so if you prefer not to use it, you can make it on the stove. Just put the grated soap in the water as it starts to boil on your stove.
- Try microwave soap as an alternative. Place a glass of water in a microwave-friendly container, boil it in the microwave, add the grated soap, and let it sit for a few minutes to melt. Place the container back in the microwave and reheat at 30 second intervals if more heat is required.
Step 4. Add glycerin in the dough
Glycerin acts as a moisturizer for the skin, and makes your soap gentler to use on your body than regular bar soap. Combine 1 scoop (5g) of glycerin, stirring until thoroughly combined.
Step 5. Add with other ingredients
This is where you can get creative with your liquid soap, especially if you start with an unscented soap. Consider adding these ingredients to make your liquid soap special:
- Mix in honey or lotion for added moisture.
- Add a few drops of essential oil to scent the soap.
- Add 10 or 20 drops of tea tree essential oil and lavender to make your soap naturally antibacterial.
- Use a small amount of food coloring to change the color. Avoid using regular chemical dyes, as these are not good for your skin.
Step 6. Create the right consistency
Continue to stir the soap mixture in the blender once it has completely cooled. Slowly add water to the mixture while stirring until your soap has the ideal consistency. If you're not using a blender, just add water and stir vigorously.
Step 7. Pour the soap into the containers
When the soap has cooled completely, you can pour it into jars or pumped containers using a funnel. If you have a very large amount of soap, store the rest in a large bottle or container. Save leftover soap for refilling small bottles.
Method 2 of 2: Making Liquid Soap from Scratch
Step 1. Gather the ingredients
To make liquid soap change and form foam. You'll need a mixture of oil and a chemical called potassium hydroxide, also known as leachate. This recipe will make 5.6 liters of soap. You can find these ingredients in health stores or on the internet:
- 300 g potassium hydroxide flakes
- 325 ml distilled water
- 700 ml coconut oil
- 295 ml olive oil
- 295 ml castor oil
- 88 ml jojoba oil
Step 2. Get the right equipment
When you work with leachate, you must use safety equipment and properly manage your work area. Plan to work in a well-ventilated room with good lighting so you can see what you are doing. You will need the following tools:
- Slow cooker
- Measuring bowl made of plastic or glass
- Kitchen scales
- Blender stick
- Gloves and safety glasses
Step 3. Heat the oil
Weigh the oil and place it in a slow cooker on low heat. Make sure you enter the right amount for each oil; adding more or less will frustrate the recipe.
Step 4. Make the leachate solution
Put on your safety gear and make sure your windows are open. Weigh the leachate in a separate bowl, then put it in the water. Stir constantly as you pour.
Make sure you put the leachate in the water, and not the other way around! Adding water to leachate can cause a dangerous reaction
Step 5. Add the leachate solution to the oil
Slowly pour the solution into the slow cooker, making sure nothing is splashed on your skin. Use a stick blender to mix the leachate with the oil to make sure the two are thoroughly mixed.
- When you mix the two liquids, the mixture thickens. Continue stirring until the solution becomes stiff, which is when the mixture becomes thick enough that you can make lines on the surface with a spoon and can see the lines left.
- The soap mixture will continue to thicken into a paste.
Step 6. Cook the pasta
Continue to cook the mixture on low heat for six hours, checking it every 30 minutes to check with a spoon. The soap paste is cooked when you can dissolve 30 ml of soap paste in 60 ml of boiling water and produce a clear, not cloudy solution. If your solution becomes cloudy, continue cooking.
Step 7. Melt the pasta
You'll have about a pound of pasta when it's done cooking; Weigh to confirm, then place back in the slow cooker. Add 325 ml of water to dilute it. It may take a few hours to completely dissolve the pasta in the water.
Step 8. Add fragrance and color
Use your favorite essential oil and natural food coloring to add a special fragrance to your soap once it's dissolved.
Step 9. Save your soap
Pour the soap into glass jars that you can seal tightly, as you'll have more than you can use in one go. Pour the soap you want to use into a soap bottle with a pump cap.
Tips
- Add your soap bottles to gift baskets, or wrap them up to give to your loved ones.
- The pumped bottle method is cleaner and more durable than bar soap and other soap-making methods.
Warning
- Homemade liquid soap doesn't have any preservatives, so don't use it when it's 1 year old, or if it smells bad or has an odd color.
- Be careful when working with leachate.
