3-2-1 Homemade Hand Soap

I have a general rule that I follow when buying anything packaged, whether food or cleaning supplies, and my rule is simply this:

There should not be numbers on the ingredients list.

That just doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t always know what the numbers mean, but that’s kind of the point. I like to know what the items I am buying are made of so that I can make a good choice about whether I think it’s best for my family, and I don’t think hand soap made of numbers is best for my family. This soap, however, is made of only 3 ingredients all which I can pronounce, and it is free of numbers.

This is not to say that there are not perfectly acceptable hand soaps for sale at the store, but this homemade hand soap could not get any easier, it is customizeable, and you can be confident about the safety of it for your family.

The star of the show here is castile soap. If you are new to the world of homemade household products there is something you should know. Castile soap is about to become your best friend. If you pick up a bottle you will definitely be able to find uses for it. Trust me. From laundry soap to hand soap to toilet bowl cleaner, it is quite versatile. You can buy it here, but it is typically cheaper in stores. You can find it at many grocery and department stores, and once you get the hang of using it you’ll want to buy it by the gallon.

I hesitated to post this recipe because I thought there was hardly any point with only 3 ingredients and 2 minutes required, but then I thought, that’s what people want! People want recipes that make homemade household products approachable and feasible. This recipe is definitely both of those things.

For this recipe you can use scented or unscented castile soap. I almost always have unscented  since I use it for a variety of things that I like to customize with different essential oils, but if you prefer to leave it unscented that works as well. Many essential oils have anti-bacterial properties including lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and tea tree, all of which are oils that are very versatile, so if you are choosing to add them you can choose based on which scent you prefer or which oil you think you will get the most use out of if you are purchasing them for the first time. Don’t be afraid to experiment with combinations either!

3 ingredients, 2 minutes, and 1 hand soap later, you can let me know if you like it!

Here’s what you’ll need:
Foaming hand soap container (I have this one) – If adding essential oils you need to use a glass one because they will eat away at plastic.

Castile soap

Essential oils (optional)

water

Directions:

Fill soap container with 1 part castile soap and 4 parts water, leaving room for the lid. Add essential oils if using. Shake well and use!

Additional tips:

-No matter what size your hand soap container is you can follow the same guidelines of 1 part soap, 4 parts water

-My hand soap container is 12 oz. and I use 15 drops of essential oils

-The soap may need a shake every once in a while if there is sediment at the bottom.This is not an issue and probably won’t happen too often.