I've tried other DIY hand soaps in the past in the past and I've learned a few things:
- Most take a lot of work (grating bar soap, boiling, etc.)
- They end up with a weird goopy texture
- My kids wash way better with foaming soap anyway
All you need:
- Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap (I like the citrus scent, but you can use any!)
- Empty foam handsoap dispenser (more on dispensers in a minute)
- Black tops hide dirt. We've used white-top dispensers in the past and they look dirty fast. Not the vibe we're going for.
- Plastic bottles are a kid's best friend. I can't tell you how many times my kids have knocked the soap bottles off the counter, and we've saved thousands of glass shards by using plastic bottles. Now that we've got that out of the way, here are a few of my favorite dispensers:
- Black tops you can use with a mason jar (super cute but you'll need to find a plastic jars for kids)
- My fave - plastic with a dark top and nice bottle shape
- Love these black minimalist-style dispenser (but again, glass. Watch out.)
- This is the soap I ordered and re-used the bottles (we have them in both bathrooms, the kitchen, and laundry room)
Fill the bottle 1/4 - 1/3 full with the castile soap.
It doesn't have to be exact. If it ends up too soapy you can use less next time, if it's too watery add an extra squirt. You'll get a feel for how much you need.
Top it of with water (keep the water on low so it doesn't make a foamy mess).
Put the lid on and you're DONE. Like I said, it's almost too easy. But you'll still save money, keep dozens of empty bottles out of a landfill, and give your family a safe, all-natural soap!
So how much does it cost? I don't know exactly... but I can guesstimate for you. The dispenser price will depend on what you order obviously, but for the actual soap I usually spend around $20 for a 32 oz bottle. I would guess we get at least 10 refills per bottle. That's less than $2 per refill!
Pro tip: I buy two bottles and keep one in each bathroom. It's so quick to refill the dispensers without running around the house looking for a bottle of soap.
That's all I've got for today, folks. Happy... washing? I guess? Yeah, let's go with that.
Have you ever shopped at Vitacost.com? That's where I get my castile soap for this same method you describe, and I can get 32 oz. for less than $6!
ReplyDeleteNo way! I've actually ordered other things there but didn't even realize they carried castile soap. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteGood post. I guess it would cost more than a bar.
ReplyDelete