Today I was getting ready to refill my foaming hand soap and decided to grab my cell phone, snap a few photos and show you how you can easily make your own! Making it at home is as easy as 1-2-3!
How to Make Foaming Hand Soap
I am a compulsive hand washer and can easily go through one bottle of hand soap a week in my kitchen…easily. I love Bath & Body Works. Not only that, but I love their foaming hand soaps. The problem for me, I go through my kitchen hand soap so fast, and I hate when I run out. One day I decided to see if I could make my own using my empty foaming soap container. All I did was add a little liquid dish soap and water and shook it up…IT WORKED PERFECT! Now I never run out of hand soap. Oh, and I can wash my dishes too – happy dance!
Original Post Date, March 25, 2012
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IT YOURSELF
Making your own foaming hand soap is so simple. All you need is an empty foaming soap dispenser (I use Bath & Body Works), and a bottle of Liquid Dish Soap or Liquid Hand Soap – you can use any scent – I love lemon for the kitchen.
HOW TO MAKE FOAMING HAND SOAP
Add 1 inch (or a little more if you like) of liquid dish soap to your container. Fill the remainder with water, shake it up, and it’s ready to go!
(Grab an empty dispenser & liquid dish or hand soap)
(fill dispenser with 1 inch of liquid soap)
(fill remainder with water)
(Replace cap, shake and done! Your foaming hand soap is ready to go!)
I’ve used the same dispenser for almost a year. I never run out. I can wash my hands and my dishes! Saves me time and money! When it gets grubby, I’ll just grab a new one from Bath & Body Works.
Now that you know how to make your own foaming soap, check out some of my great Lemon Recipes!
- Nancy’s Deluxe Lemon Bars (Easy)
- Lemon Crazy Cake (No Eggs Milk or Butter – Super Moist & Delicious!)
- Lemon Cheesecake Crescent Rolls
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Cheers!
Anonymous
L Benson, you are correct. the hole on the pump has clogged up from the soap. if you run warm water through the pump it will help to unclog it. or, you can set the pump in a small cup of water and continue pumping water through it until the clog is free.
L Benson
I have the same problem as Shelly O. After about a month or so my B&BW foaming dispenser just quits working. I am using the B&BW liquid soap. Does anyone know if maybe the little specks in the liquid is clogging the dispenser? Thanks!
Anonymous
Yes, they are. You can only use clear soaps (meaning no beads or specks)
false info
I wonder if an unscented liquid soap exists to which essential oils could be added for a personalized scent. Let me know if you've done this. BTW…does the top come off and go back on without problem? I just threw a BBW pump away this morning! I'm headed to the trash as we speak!
Mary
Hi! I have never used essential oils. As for the BBW pump, yes, the top is an easy on and off! Just make sure it's a foaming pump! You'll love this – I have been doing this for years!
false info
I wonder if an unscented soap exists to which you can add your own essential oil? That would be awesome! Let me know if you've tried that!
false info
I wonder if an unscented soap exists to which you can add your own essential oil? That would be awesome! Let me know if you've tried that!
Jennifer
Yes, it does work. That's what I do. Then you can change the oil for different seasons or if someone is ill. We love them. Follow the same recipe if 1 inch of soap, about 5 drops of essential oil or your preference and top it off with water (I use distilled water and not tap). We love it.
Anonymous
I figured this out too. I just found citrus hand soap by the gallon at the dollar store, added a few drops of cinnamon oil and VIOLA yummy smelling soap. For Christmas going to make Mason jars with the B&BW tops as gifts.
Anonymous
Was just wondering if you could take the non foaming soap from bath and body works and add a inch of it then put water in it and it would work the same as the dish soap? that would be a longer way to make a bottle of bbw work
Anonymous
I have tried that, but the non-foaming soaps have little beads in them that clog up the dispenser. Sorry!!
Anonymous
Good because bbw soaps have triclosan in them, a known hormone disruptor.
Shelly O
I have tried to do this so many times but the pump dries out for some read and gets stuck after about 3 months of reuse. Am I not filling it enough with water am I supposed to cover the plastic 'sleeve' inside the pump? What could I be doing wrong?
Mary
Hi Shelly, hmmmmm??? That has never happened to me, sorry you are having issues. Are you using a Bath and Body Works foaming hand soap dispenser? Whatever dispenser you are using, it has to be for foaming soap. The only other thing I can think of is that you are not adding enough water OR are not shaking up the solution enough to get the thick soap at the bottom mixed evenly. As for the plastic 'sleeve'…I don't do anything – I just twist off dispenser top, add a little bit of soap and fill it with water, twist the cap back on, shake it up and it's ready to go! I have been doing this for years and use a dispenser for about a year each, before swapping it out….so I know it works. Let me know how it turns out next time. I hope you have better luck!
Carol
I have been reusing the BBW containers for years also, using clear liquid hand soap. Lately I also have run into the issue of the pump pluggng up, but not sure why as I don't think I'm doing anything differently. Just wondering if there is anything I could do with the pump to "unplug" it?
Anonymous
I will definitely be trying this to save money on hand soap.
Leslie
I've done this with my dish soap for Years. It's the same exact thing as the soap only mostly water. Paying for water always bothers me. So one day I tried it and it worked. I always put the water in first so I don't use too much liquid soap because when you do that it comes out liquidy not foamy.
For my hand soap I too love BBW. But again not loving paying for water. I use my BBW bath gel and it is perfect. You get the smell you love for a fraction of the cost!
CherokeeStar
Thanks for that tip! I have some B&BW gel in a retired fragrance and I am practically hoarding it. Now I can put it in my hand soap containers and make it last longer. Can't believe that even after reading the blog post, this didn't occur to me, so thanks to you for mentioning it!
Gayle Eaton
What is B & BW gel?
E.Arts
Bath and Body Works
aag
I do this too, I love b&bw but with 3 boys in the house hand washing is essential and can get expensive. Now we just buy a big bottle of antibacterial soap and put it the foaming dispenser and it looks cutier in the br…..
Anonymous
Google antibacterial soaps; they are really not any good for you. Plain soap and hot/warm water does the job just as well. I use original Dawn or the gentle Dawn. It's kind of similar to nurses telling you to wipe with an alcohol swab to sterilize; first year college chemistry tells you that a solid object needs 10 minutes soaking in alcohol to sterilize it; wiping it with alcohol does less than washing with soap & water.
Anonymous
Actually, alcohol doesn't kill anything by its self. When using a swab or hand sanitizing gel the friction with the alcohol is what lysis or kills the germ cell.
Tina Neely
I can't believe everybody didn't already know this. We have always done this
Schnookums
If you can afford it use the Dawn with aloe or add coconut oil or your favorite hand lotion to keep your hands from drying out. I tilt gently side to side so it doesn't get too foamy before I am ready to use it.
Anonymous
I am impressed!! I am going to try it next time I run out!! Thanks!! 🙂
Frances Fowler
Hon,I've been doing this for years. Not to take anything from your post but necessity brings invention. You run low on funds, you find lots of ways to cut corners.
yavila
I buy my liquid hand soap at the dollar store and add scented oils for the extra aroma! Love it!
JennSykes
I have been doing this for about 2 years now. I love B&BW, but it can get really expensive with 3 kiddos at home. I use lemon for the kitchen as well, but other fun scents for the bathrooms. It saves tons of money, especially when I can stock up on dish detergent using coupons!!! I love love love to save $$$$!!!!
Anonymous
I also do this with a mild shampoo and body wash as long as they are clear and not milky they work great and are gentle on hands . I love the savings
Anonymous
I tried to fill my original Foaming Soap bottle with regular handsoap and it didnt work. Little did I know, all I had to do was add water? really! Thanks
Anonymous
I did the same thing awhile ago and of course it didn't work. So then today I decided to Google it. So glad I did! Never thought to add water!
Mary Beth
I've done this a quite a few times. It works just as well as those expensive foaming soaps, and I never run out anymore. Love it!
Elena @ La Petite Vie
Oh my gosh, what an awesome idea, you are too good! What an easy way to make soap last longer, woohoo!
Lisa ~ The SweetTalk Shop
Oh I love this! I just ran out in the kitchen and really hate to have to buy soap just for those dispensers. Thanks for the info!! I'm pinning for future reference.
It's All Connected
Why didn't I ever think of that? You are one clever girl! I'll be doing that for sure. ~ Maureen
AudreyN
I am hopelessly addicted to bath and body works foaming hand soap. I seriously love it. I always stock up when they are on sale 5 for $15…. But now while I wait for the sale I can fill up my own 🙂