"Homemade" Liquid Hand and Body Soap

I have been rather unhappy with my liquid shower soap lately.  Changing is not an easy task.  First, my husband doesn't like frilly, flowery smells first thing in the morning.  Secondly, I have been unable to find liquid body soap that smells like soap.  I found one that was okay, but it always left me feeling less clean than I would like.

I happened upon a post about making liquid hand soap and read that you could turn any bar soap into liquid soap.  Eureka!  I was thrilled!  I could buy soapy smelling soap, and make liquid!  Hooray!

Well, of course I quickly lost track of the post so I began websearching.  I discovered that there are conflicting explanations as to how to do this.  So, I am adding to the internet chaos of how to make liquid hand or body soap.

But I'm not giving "precise" measurements because I figured that all the recipes were different, mine would be trial and error.  Here's how I did it.

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I grated a bar of soap (I used Lever, I loved the smell).  I believe it was a 4 oz. bar.  I put it in a small soup pan and added 4 cups water and began heating and stirring until (mostly) melted.

Next I decided to try to blend it in my blender as several recipes recommended this step.  I put the 4 cups in the blender.  This is where I must warn you - they will suds.  I am missing the little top piece that fits in the lid of my blender, so I usually cover it with a washcloth.  I couldn't wash the soap out of the washcloth.  The soap created so much suds that it absorbed directly into just one small spot on the washcloth, but at that concentration, it was nearly impossible to remove. 

Several recipes recommended glycerin, others said it was unnecessary with most bar soaps.  After reading horror stories of the soap congealing so hard in the pump that it ruined the pump, I decided to try without and add it in if necessary.  Glycerin is apparently to help with the smoothness and softness, like a silky girly shower soap.  But it apparently affects the thickening as well.  I poured the 4 cups of liquid soap in a 3 gallon bucket with a lid and added more about 2 more cups of water.  I let this set overnight with the lid on but not sealed.

The next day I took about 1 1/2 cups of the soap and put it in the blender.  It was very thick.   I added about 1/2 cup of water.  I blended it and checked that it was a good consistancy.

I washed and reused an old soap bottle. 

The next day, hubby and I tried the soap.  We decided it needed the glycerin.  How much?  Well, the reports again conflicted so I added about 1/2 tsp to one (not quite full) bottle of liquid soap.  It seems to be less drying on the skin with the glycerin, so I will in the future add it again.

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All told I spent $1.50 for 2 bars of soap and $3.00 for the glycerin.  I used very little so far of the glycerin, so I would say that each batch (which I'm thinking will make about 8 ish cups of soap) will cost me about $1.00.

It does not suds a lot on the scrubby.  We use 2 or 3 pumps to get a good sudsiness.  Many will not really like this effect.  I love the smell and I feel so much cleaner with this soap.  After an evening shower the first night, I awoke able to smell the soap the next morning.  This made me so happy.  I never knew how much I loved the smell of soap.