APRON STRINGS

Monday, November 12, 2012

TURN A BAR OF SOAP INTO A HALF GALLON OF LIQUID SOAP


Being a lover/maker of handmade soaps for the bath. I also love the convenience of body wash when I shower. Since I have so many schweebles of soap left from bad cuts, ends, and just general  dried up small pieces of unused soap (and I hate to waste anything) ....



I've been making liquid soap/ bodywash out of it. Keep in mind you can use any soap for this recipe, but steer away from moisturizing bars , they tend to stay watery.The reason that Dove or other beauty bars do not work as well is because the primary ingredient is one of two synthetic surfactants (detergents). They are not natural soap and this would cause a lot problems for you. The Yardley works so well because it is made of natural soap with some moisturizers and oils, which makes this an easier product to make into liquid soap. As far as thickening any thin batches of natural soap try to use pickling salt. Typically soaps can be thickend with sodium chloride, not table salt because of the iodine content. I personally add a preservative to this recipe because of the large water content. Anything with a lot of water could grow mold, yeast, or bacteria. A natural preservative is Agrisept L ,and it can be purchased online or at any health food store.




INGREDIENTS
1 chopped up bar of  homemade soap or Yardley brand
9 cups tea or water

3 T.Salt
1 cup water

OPTIONAL 
*essential oil for fragrance (opional)
*food coloring for color(optional)
*1/3 cup olive oil for more moisture(optional)
*1 drop Agrisept L for bacteria(optional)

Place 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons water in microwave for 3 minutes to dissolve salt. Set aside.



Place whole bar of soap  into an ziplock baggie and smash it with a rolling pin.

Simmer grated/chopped soap and 9 cups tea/water in a large pot until completely dissolved.



 Remove from heat when soap has melted. Let cool overnight. Add  1/2 the water salt solution. Mix with a hand mixer on high for three minutes, adding salt solution gradually as needed for thickness. 


Add your optional ingredients at this time and mix in thoroughly.

Things to try if your soap is too thin:

- Try whipping it with a hand  or stick mixer.
- Add more grated soap and reheat.
- Add a bit of xanthan gum to thicken
- Or, just use it in a foaming soap dispenser!


Things to try if your soap is too thick / or “snot like”:


- Mix it with a hand/ stick mixer
- Add more water and reheat
- Add 3 cups of lukewarm water to full recipe and mix with hand mixer