This DIY foaming hand soap is super easy to make, will save you money by making your soap last longer and is better for the environment too! What a genius idea!
There are affiliate links in this post – please read my full disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you are a fan of foaming soap, let me tell you a little secret. You can save yourself a lot of money by making your own homemade foaming hand soap and it only takes a minute to do! So there’s really no excuse not to do it!
Why I Love DIY Foaming Hand Soap
It’s cheap. I typically can get about 4 to 5 “recipes” of homemade foaming soap out of one regular-sized liquid soap bottle. That means one “recipe” usually only costs me approximately $0.25 to $0.35.
Less Stress with Kids. Maybe your kids are different than mine, but mine tend to get a little pump happy and often end up using a lot of soap. I used to get really bothered that we went through soap so fast because it felt like we were just washing money down the drain! Reducing the cost has allowed me to relax about it and just chalk it up as part of having kids!
Keeps my hands from drying out as fast. This one just might be my imagination, but it seems like my hands just don’t dry out as fast since using my DIY foaming soap. I assume it is because it’s more concentrated and therefore less harsh on my skin.
How To Make Foaming Hand Soap
STEP 1: Pour 3/4 inch of hand soap or Castile soap into a foaming hand soap dispenser. I just re-purposed one that I had bought with foaming soap in it, but you can also buy empty foaming soap dispensers as well.
STEP 2: Slowly fill almost to the top with warm water.
STEP 3: Put on the soap dispenser top; gently shake from side to side until soap is mixed into water.
STEP 4. Use and enjoy saving money every time you wash your hands!
FAQ & EXPERT TIPS
Best soaps to use: Almost every kind of hand soap that I have used has worked for this, although I have discovered that some seem to mix up better than others.Â
Avoid any soaps that have any sort of gel beads or exfoliants in them as this will clog the dispenser. Creamy hand soaps also don’t seem to work as well.
I typically use liquid castile soap but have also used Softsoap, Melaleuca, Mrs. Meyers, and Bath and Body Works.Â
Use warm water to fill. The warm water helps it dissolve and mix better and filling it slowly is important so that you don’t get a bunch of suds.
Variations. If using unscented soap, you can add essential oils for fragrance.
Can you turn gel hand soap into foaming soap? Yes. While it seems fancy, that’s exactly what we are doing here. Just use your favorite gel hand soap and follow the instructions.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
- Easy Homemade Bathroom Cleaner
- 14 Easy Time Saving Shortcuts for Moms
- Homemade Glass Cleaner
- DIY Granite Cleaner
- Frugal Mom’s 25 Favorite Easy Ways to Save Money
DIY Foaming Hand Soap Recipe
Equipment
- Foaming Soap Dispenser
Ingredients
- Hand soap
- Warm water
Instructions
- Add 3/4 inch of gel hand soap into a foaming soap dispenser.
- Fill it with warm water slowly almost to the top.
- Twist the top on and shake gently until it's mixed.
Becca @ The Earthlings Handbook
This is such a great money-saver! I always put in the water first to avoid excess suds, but it does make it harder to measure the soap.
I usually use Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap. It is highly concentrated and comes in a big bottle, so it turns out to be very affordable, and it’s all-natural, fair-trade, organic, all that good stuff!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh, that’s smart to put the water in first! And I’ve never used Dr. Bronner’s, but I’ve heard lots of good things about it. Maybe one of these days I’ll break down and make it my splurge. 🙂
Carolyn
I had no idea you could do this! Thanks. 🙂
Laura
I plan to do this with my current foaming soap bottle as soon as it gets empty.
Lydia Beiler
I think you’ll love it! So simple but such an easy way to save a little money.
Rhiannon S
I just did this about a month ago and my husband was so happy because he loves the foaming soap, but not the price. Such a great money saving tip!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Yup! Every time I do it, I feel so savvy. 🙂
Tara Siudy
CAn’t wait to try this project! I love to extend the life of materials and save $! Pinned and shared!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Me too- especially when it’s so easy to do! Thanks for pinning and sharing….as a blogger, you know how much that means. 🙂
samzee
Great tip! I will make one today as soon as I get home! My kids love playing with soap and waste a lot of soap.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh, then this is especially perfect for your family! What is it about kids and soap anyway? 🙂
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving
I’ve been doing this for several years as well…and I love how simple it is to save soap this way!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Yes, it’s definitely a favorite tip of mine!