Homemade Dish Soap

Homemade Natural Dish Soap

What you use to wash dishes is just as important as what you put in your body and on your skin. While washing the dishes, the chemicals in the soap are absorbed into your skin and later any soap residue left on the dishes will be consumed. I make a quick and easy natural eco-friendly soap that can rival the cleaning power of any conventional dish soap. 

You will need:

Dr. Bronner's bar soap, washing soda (NOT baking soda, found in the laundry aisle), distilled white vinegar (cuts grease, antibacterial, and removers odors), cooking pot, empty soap dispenser, storage container, grater, mixing spoon, funnel, & measuring spoon

Optional: tea tree oil (antibacterial), essential oil (for natural fragrance), vegetable glycerin (moisturizer), and vitamin E oil (preservative)

 Basic ratio: 1.5 cups of water per 1 tablespoon soap shreds, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon washing soda

I customized the basic ratio to one that works best for me and generates about 1.5 galloons of soap:

24 cups water, 1 cup soap shreds, 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon washing soda

How to make your own natural dish soap:


Step 1: Fill pot with 24 cups of water and let boil

Step 2: Shred a bar of soap. I do this over a piece of wax paper so clean up is easy. I reuse the wax paper and store the extras in a reusable plastic bag with the soap label.

Step 3: Once the water boils add 1 cup of each: soap shreds, washing soda, and distilled white vinegar.

Step 4: Stir until soap shreds melt then remove from heat to let cool for several hours.

Step 5: Once cooled stir in optional ingredients: 10-15 drops of tea tree oil, 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin, essential oil, and vitamin E.

Step 6: As it cools, the mixture will start to gel. This process can take several hours, so let is sit and stir on occasion. When mixture is ready it will form into a thick gel-like consistency.

Step 7: Once gelled use a funnel to pour soap into a disinfected dispenser and storage container. 

Step 8: Shake dispenser before use.

The end result:

 

I use a reusable an eco-friendly dish sponge that you can find here.

Unlike conventional dish soap, this soap does not contain a surfactant, a harmful chemical designed to create suds. While this soap recipe naturally suds on its own, do not expect the same amount of suds as from conventional dish soap. Society created the false belief that clean is defined by large amounts of soapsuds, however we know this is not true. 

As you will learn from this blog, the ingredients for the recipe are repeated for other homemade products. If you are new to making homemade products, purchasing the required ingredients will cost more than buying one bottle of conventional dish soap, but the ingredients will last you a long time and are used for other homemade recipes.

This dish soap is the basis for several other homemade products. 

Check back to learn other ways on how you can use this dish soap recipe!

If you try this recipe let me know in the comments how it turned out!

Homemade Natural Wipes

DIY - Wipes

Wipes are used to clean your skin and surfaces in your home but store bought wipes leave more behind than they take off. Wipes are loaded with toxic chemicals designed to preserve, clean, and add fragrance. Wipes that are labeled "natural" cost a fortune and still contain chemicals. An alternative that is cheaper, vegan, and natural is to make your own.

Homemade wipes are versatile because they can be customized to your needs with different ingredients. 

Homemade wipes are great for: cleaning, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, bathroom wipes, make up remover, face wash, and dog wipes.

To make an all-purpose wipe 
You will need:

Viva paper towels (1/2 a roll), measuring cup, airtight container, serrated knife, & water

Customizable ingredients: Dr. Bronner's soap (cleanser), vitamin E oil (moisturizer and preservative), tea tree oil  (antibacterial & antifungal), lavender essential oil (natural fragrance), almond oil (moisturizer with great skin benefits), and vegetable glycerin (prevents dry skin)

Step 1: Cut the paper towel roll into whatever size you want.  Use 1/2 a roll to make one batch. 

Step 2: Pull apart each sheet of paper towel or fold on the perforated line for a continual sheet. Pending on the style of your container you can stand up the paper towel roll, remove the cardboard center and the paper towels will pull up from the center as shown on the left.

Step 3: Fill 1.5 cups of water and add five drops of each: Dr. Bronner's soap, vitamin E oil, almond oil, tea tree oil, and essential oil. 

Step 4: Place the paper towels (1/2 a roll) in the container and pour the mixture over the paper towels. Lift the towels up and pour the mixture on the bottom and in the middle to cover all areas. 

Step 5: Let the wipes sit for several minutes to absorb the liquid. If after several minutes not all the paper towels are moistened add more of the mixture. If too much liquid was added squeeze some out. 

On the go: Store in a zip lock bag, thin airtight container, or reuse a traveling baby wipe box.

Even more eco-friendly wipes: Make reusable cloth wipes out of old fabric such as baby rags, cotton, or flannel. 

Tips: 

1. Use thicker paper towels such as Viva. Cheap paper towels will not work. 
2. The amount of water and customizable ingredients will vary pending on the thickness of the paper towels and how moist you like the wipes. 
3. Do not store in sunlight. 

Check back for more recipes and ways to use your homemade wipes!

Before using essential oils check with your doctor if they are safe for you. Do not use essential oils on animals.