How to Change Bar Soap to Liquid Soap

Make liquid soap from regular bar soap.

If you prefer using liquid soap but only have bar soap on hand, you can modify the soap with a few simple ingredients. While your homemade hand soap might not look as pretty as store bought varieties, it should still clean effectively. You can use brand new bars of soap to make your liquid soap or use the recipe as an opportunity to recycle those leftover bits and pieces of soap that may otherwise be discarded.

Things You'll Need

• Bar soap
• Cheese grater
• Bottle with lid
• Hot water
• Glycerin

Instructions

1. Shred bar soap with a cheese grater until you have approximately 1 cup of shredded soap.

2. Pour the shredded soap into a clean bottle or jar and add 1 cup of hot water.

3. Tighten the lid of the bottle and shake it vigorously to mix the soap and hot water together.

4. Let the water and soap mixture sit overnight. The soap will begin to dissolve in the water and create a gel-like consistency.

5. Shake your homemade liquid soap again and pour out a small amount to evaluate the consistency. If you wish to thin the soap, add 1 tbsp. of glycerin at time until you are satisfied with your soap.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add scent to your homemade liquid soap with a few drops of essential oil.

• If you want to use your liquid soap to clean up dishes or greasy pots and pans, add 1/2 tsp. of vinegar to the soap to increase its cleaning power.

References

• "Living Well on a Shoestring"; Yankee Magazine: 2000
• The Northern Rivers Echo: Making the Most of Soap Scraps
• Michigan State University: Cleaning on a Shoestring