Several readers have provided variations of several simple recipes for how to make foaming hand soap. Here they are:
Julie's Recipe:
You can make your own refill for your foaming soap dispensers easily.
Just add 1 tablespoon of dish soap (not moisturizing) to 1 cup of water.
Gently stir and put it in foaming soap dispenser.
It is very cheap and just as effective.
You can adjust the consistency to preference.
I've been doing this for years.
Rebecca's Recipe & Instructions For Order To Add Ingredients:
Rebecca also shared that there is a technique to making the foaming soap, in the order you add the ingredients. Plus, she uses castile soap instead of dish soap.
Rebecca says: "I have done it wrong so many times. Do not pour the Dr. Bronner's in first and add water. It will foam like crazy and after it settles you'll see the bottle's only 1/3 full.
Fill the foaming dispenser nearly to the top with water THEN add a generous squirt of the Bronner's. (love that stuff!!)
I almost always add a little hand lotion or a few drops of almond oil or coconut oil, just so the dispenser keeps working.
Now, Bronner's can solidify after awhile in the pump. If that happens, just fill the thing with warm/hot water and gently push the pump. It'll melt down the hardened soap and flush it out.
I think I've used the same Dial
foaming pump dispensers for the last 2 years. The Method ones are better, IMO; they have a broader base.
Taylor says:
Thanks so much Julie and Rebecca for sharing these recipes and tips with everyone.
I've just started using foaming soap in my home recently, when I got a free sample of the Dial Complete, and quickly learned my kids love it.
This will make it easy to refill the dispensers without having to spend so much money, and it really stretches out how much soap we have to use! That makes it even more frugal.
***Please note that if you don't have a foaming soap dispenser you'll need one to use with this or any other recipe, since it is not only the soap that is needed but for the liquid to travel through the dispenser properly which makes the soap foam.***
Here are some dispensers you can purchase:
Foaming Soap Dispenser {Referral Links
Of course, you can also just reuse a foaming soap dispenser that you purchase from the store, which is what lots of people do!
If you've got another recipe for making such hand soap I'd love to hear it. You can share your recipes here.
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Comments for How To Make Foaming Soap: Simple Recipe
I just use any liquid soap I have. Bath and Body Works soap I was given as gifts or the big liquid soap from Costco, Dial or whatever I have. I fill a (relabeled) water bottle 4/5 (80%) with water (I made a line with sharpie to make it easy) and fill the rest with any soap. Shake it up well and refill all dispensers in the house. With liquid soap the kids tend to use too much and they have a hard time washing it all off. Foaming soap saves a lot of money because my soap lasts a long time while still being effective. Kids love playing with the foam so they wash up better.
Love my Bath & Bodyworks scents by: Linda
No major recipe. I use one of my favorite scents of Bath & Bodyworks shower gel. Any foaming container will do, but, I've been reusing B&B foaming containers. I fill the dispenser approximately 1/5-1/4 full of shower gel. Add hot water (slowly) to top it off. Put on top and swirl until blended. Love this. Smells so good, too.
I like the scented soaps by: Rhonda
I use the scented shower gels and soaps from Bath & Body Works in the foam dispenser with water. Use very hot water for easier mixing.
Sample Size It by: Jean Gray
Buy a few sample sized, but refillable bottles of dish-soap, or your favorite pump soap. Put them by each sink, tub/shower. Refill with dish soap, diluted to suit. I use unscented, generic. Perk, when they get gunky wash off and recycle.
essential oils by: Teri
Put a few drops of essential oil to give it a scent if you like scented soap. Love the smell with the oils.
how to unstick the dispenser by: Rebecca
I've used regular hand soap, dish soap, and Dr. Bronner's in foaming dispensers. They all work. Sometimes the dispenser gets a little "sticky." When that happens I add a few drops of hand lotion. That makes the pump mechanism nice and easy again.
I use liquid hand soap by: Beth
I have made mine for years but have never used dish soap before. I use antibacterial liquid hand soap or any liquid hand soap. Fill dispenser mostly with warm water. 7 squirts of hand soap and mix gently. It will eventually disperse evenly. Makes one bottle of liquid hand soap last a year!
I use castile soap by: Kirstin
I use Dr Bronner's peppermint.
just reuse foaming soap dispenser by: Elizabeth
I've been doing this too. Best to put in water then soap to avoid lather! I ran out today! I was even able to reuse my soap dispenser at no additional costs.
I use Dawn by: Missy
I do this but only use Dawn. Just seems to work better. I love it!
my recipe by: Christine
I've been doing this for years. I find the best results with 1 part soap to 2 parts water.
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