Do you resonate with Monica from the television show Friends when it comes to cleaning? Are you an all-natural ingredients kind of person?
Wait! That would make you a hippie with an obsession for cleaning.
Well, that’s not quite what we meant, but that is really not a bad thing. Being hygienic and using all natural products is an environment friendly way of living.
Even more so if you’re a vegan since you wouldn’t want to rub animal products on yourself. We wouldn’t really want to get into the details of that. Eew!
Besides, rushing to Walmart at the last minute because you’ve run out of hand wash gets old and shelling out big bucks for no good reason is reason enough to make your own hand wash.
We know that manufacturers claim their hand washes are cost-effective, skin friendly, pet-friendly, etc. etc. But we can’t just ignore the amount of chemicals that go into these liquid soaps to extend their shelf life. They can not only dry out your skin but also cause damage over time.
It is even more troublesome for people with skin allergies, rashes or other skin disorders. Sensitive skin must be taken care of by using only ingredients that serve the purpose of soothing, moisturizing and doing what it is supposed to do in the first place, cleansing.
We’ll show you how to make some great homemade hand soaps that you can quickly whip up in no time using natural ingredients available in your home.
Contents
Method 1: Soap Bar Hand Wash
This is one of the most cost-effective method of making homemade liquid hand soap because it uses the least number of ingredients. All you need is a cheese grater, a bar of soap and an essential oil of your choice.
We used a commercial soap for reference purposes in this recipe. However, if you wish to go 100% organic, you can choose from a variety of organic soaps being sold by affordable vegan brands, communities, and individuals.
Things you’ll need:
- Bar of soap (scented or unscented, any brand) – 1
- Water – 2 cups
- Lemon essential oil (or an essential oil of your choice) – a few drops
- Saucepan or pot
- Cheese grater or food processor
Step 1. Grate the bar of soap
- Use a cheese grater to shred an entire soap bar of your choice. You can use an organic soap bar if you wish to make it 100% natural.
- If you’re using a food processor, cut the soap bar into small cubes and blend them until the soap cubes crumble into small slivers.
Step 2. Melt the grated soap in boiling water and add essential oil
- Heat 2 cups of water in a saucepan to a boil.
- Slowly add the soap bar shards to it.
- Stir the mixture until all the shards of soap have melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the liquid to cool.
- Add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the blend.
Step 3. Pour the mixture into a pump bottle
- Pour the blend into a reusable soap dispenser or a pump container.
- Your homemade liquid hand soap is ready to use.
Since, this liquid hand wash is soap based you can probably use this for up to 6 months.
Method 2: Antibacterial Hand Wash
This homemade liquid hand soap is a great option for people with a sensitive skin type or allergic skin. It reduces any inflammation and deeply hydrates the skin on the hands.
This recipe makes use of liquid castile soap, which is made from olive oil. It is known to soften the skin and helps calm problematic skin. It does not clog your skin pores, so it does not give rise to additional skin problems.
Distilled water is a type of purified water and does not cause any skin problems.
The vitamin E oil in this recipe is rich in antioxidants, which moisturizes your hands, and sulfur, which restores and repairs your nails and cuticles. Almond oil is known to be light and penetrates the skin deeply, dislodging any dirt in the pores. It is also a great moisturizer.
Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties and is known to heal cuts and wounds quickly. Lavender essential oil in this recipe is a great ingredient for the skin; it has anti-inflammatory properties and gives a soothing effect to any irritated skin.
Things you’ll need:
- Liquid castile soap – ¼ cup
- Distilled water – ¼ cup
- Vitamin E oil – 2 or 3 capsules
- Almond oil – ½ tablespoon
- Tea tree essential oil – 7 or 8 drops
- Lavender essential oil – 3 or 4 drops
Step 1. Combine all the main ingredients
- Pour ¼ cup of distilled water into a glass jar and add ¼ cup of liquid castile soap to it.
- Add ½ tablespoon of almond oil.
- Puncture 2 or 3 capsules of vitamin E oil and add it to the mix.
Step 2. Add all the essential oils & blend well
- Dribble 3 or 4 drops of lavender essential oil and 7 or 8 drops of tea tree oil into the jar.
- Whisk all the ingredients together using an electric hand whisker.
Step 3. Pour the liquid into a dispenser
- Transfer the blend into a reusable soap dispenser.
- Your hand wash is ready.
This liquid hand soap will store well for about 4 months.
Method 3: Hand Wash with Oil Blends
This homemade liquid hand soap, also uses castile soap, is more about the goodness of the essential oils. Castile soap deeply moisturizes the skin and cleanses at the same time.
We used fractionated coconut oil in this recipe. The good part about using fractionated coconut oil is that it has an extended shelf life as compared to extra-virgin coconut oil. You can reap the powerful benefits of essential oils by using them in very small quantities because fractionated coconut oil increases the distribution of topical essential oils and is strongly advised for people with sensitive skin.
Tea tree essential oil is known to heal the skin fast and is anti-inflammatory in nature.
Orange essential oil is a natural cleanser and it is rich in antioxidants.
Lemongrass essential oil shrinks the appearance size of the pores on your skin, helping to prevent dirt and other toxins from clogging them.
Rose essential oil is a natural antiseptic that clears the skin complexion, relaxes your muscles and prevents some signs of aging.
Things you’ll need:
- Liquid castile soap, unscented – 4 tablespoons
- Fractionated coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
- Tea tree essential oil – 5 or 6 drops
- Orange essential oil – 5 or 6 drops
- Lemongrass essential oil – 5 or 6 drops
- Rose essential oil – 5 or 6 drops
Step 1. Combine castile soap and coconut oil in a bowl
- Pour 4 tablespoons of unscented liquid castile soap into a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of fractionated coconut oil to it.
Step 2. Add all the essential oils
- Add 5 or 6 drops each of tea tree, orange, lemongrass and rose essential oils.
Step 3. Blend all the ingredients & put it in a dispenser
- Mix all the ingredients well using an electric hand whisker.
- Pour the liquid into a reusable pump bottle or soap dispenser.
- Your hand wash is ready.
This liquid foaming hand soap will store well for up to 4 months.
Tips
- You can use essential oils of your choice when making a DIY hand wash.
- Essential oils are very potent ingredients. Only use them within the specified quantities.
- Do not use any ingredient that you might be allergic to. Instead, try substituting to your needs.