Making own Liquid Hand Soap -- Had a problem . . .

[Purple Cat]

I found a great recipe to make your own dishwasher detergent, and after that success, decided to try making my own liquid hand soap.  I grated a bar of soap into 4 cups of water and then heated it until the mixture was entirely liquid with no remnants of soap.   I let it set overnight and awoke to a solidified "slime."   It is way too thick to dispense.  Has anyone else tried to make their own liquid hand soap with this result?  For those who know, suggestions on how to fix it.

Thanks.

[redvlagrl]

No help on your problem, however I am very thrift with hand soap and this is what i do.

I buy the self foaming pumps (method) which is a higher initial outlay. Then I get the regular strength method soap (NOT the self foaming one) and water it down about 1:4. One $4 refill lasts us months and months - 6? It's very cheap and I prefer the self foamers too. It makes it feel a little more luxurious. You could also buy a no name refull but we don't use anti bac stuff so our options are very limited.

[JesKace]

I made my first batch of laundry soap a couple weeks ago and I didn't add enough water and it came out too thick when it ended up cooling off and jelling up.  I ended up just adding more hot water to it and making sure I stirred it really well.  It seems fine now.

I used 1 bar of soap for my laundry detergent with probably 2-3 gallons of water and it was still thick.  I'd suggest taking a little bit of your goo and diluting it with some hot water in your soap dispenser till you get the consistency that you can work with :)

[SomethingAnonymous]

Pretty much exactly what JesKace said- after you melt the grated bars, add more hot water and it won't be so solid.  I use 1 bar in 10 gallons of water for a pretty normal consistency (for laundry detergent).  I think this would apply to hand soap too.

[SomethingAnonymous]

We do this too with dish soap, except the ratio has to be even higher for the foam to come out normally.  Probably 1:8

A $1 (or often free with a coupon) bottle last forever.  Maybe 6 months like you said.
 

Originally Posted by redvlagrl 

No help on your problem, however I am very thrift with hand soap and this is what i do.

I buy the self foaming pumps (method) which is a higher initial outlay. Then I get the regular strength method soap (NOT the self foaming one) and water it down about 1:4. One $4 refill lasts us months and months - 6? It's very cheap and I prefer the self foamers too. It makes it feel a little more luxurious. You could also buy a no name refull but we don't use anti bac stuff so our options are very limited.

[justmama]

Yeah I did the foamer bottle too.  And I just used a little body wash to refill last night.  Takes like two tablespoons of soap and the rest water.  It lasts FOREVER.  I've been using this foamer for over a year now and it still works really well.  *knock wood*

[Chicky2]

OP, would you mind posting your recipe for dishwasher detergent?  TIA!

[Purple Cat]

Thank you, everyone, for your ideas on making my own, or prolonging my purchased hand soap. 

The recipe I used for dishwasher detergent is 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup of borax, and 2 packets of unsweetened lemonade drink mix.  I mixed all the ingredients together and use 1 TBSP. in my prewash cup and 1 TBSP. in my regular wash cup.  The detergent works far better than the storebrand dishwasher soap I was using.  The unsweetened lemonade mix has citric acid in it, which is supposed to help. 

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by Purple Cat 

Thank you, everyone, for your ideas on making my own, or prolonging my purchased hand soap. 

The recipe I used for dishwasher detergent is 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup of borax, and 2 packets of unsweetened lemonade drink mix.  I mixed all the ingredients together and use 1 TBSP. in my prewash cup and 1 TBSP. in my regular wash cup.  The detergent works far better than the storebrand dishwasher soap I was using.  The unsweetened lemonade mix has citric acid in it, which is supposed to help. 

I'm no help with the other questions, but you can buy citric acid all by it's lonesome. 
If you've got a local bulk/health food store or whatever, odds are they might be able to find it.  My local guy buys it in bulk from a huge bakery in the next county over, and I bring home something like 20-25lbs a year.  I use it in the dishwasher here and there to de-gunk all the hard water deposits we get on everything.  Absolutely fabulous, plus I can use it in canning if need be.  :D

[Chicky2]

Thanks OP for the recipe!

I just received citric acid w/my cheese making supplies.  Cheesemaking.com has citric acid seconds right now (small blemish on package, no holes) for cheaper.  I've also bought it from prochemical when I was dying yarn.