Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe

Heather Dessinger

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Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe

Folks, There Is A Gladiator Of Homemade Dish Soaps, and this is it. Round-after-round it knocked it’s opponents out cold: The watery formula’s, the ones that kept separating, the ones dried out my hands and looked like cottage cheese.

Behold, the defeated.

homemade-liquid-dish-soap-2

Why Use Homemade Dish Soap At All?

Ahhh, good question! We all know that most commercial dish soaps are loaded with toxins, but many “green” also score a D or F for safety with the Environmental Working Group. There is one store-bought option that I recommend – Eco-Me Lemon Fresh Dish Soap – but you can save money by making your own.

An Important Note On Water Types

As you’ll see in the comments, some people love this recipe and some . . . well, not so much. My guess is that how well it works depends on the type of water you have – hardness, softness, pH, etc. Before you consider making a double  or triple batch, I suggest making  a small batch to see how it works in your area.

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe
Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe

How To Make Homemade Liquid Dish Soap

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1/4 cup grated Dr. Bronner’s bar soap, tightly packed*
  • 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon (plus up to 1 teaspoon additional) super washing soda (adjust for desired thickness)**
  • 1/2 teaspoon non-GMO glycerin
  • 15-40 drops essential oil (lime, lemon and orange are great for cutting grease. Lavender and juniper are also good choices)

Equipment

Used dish soap squirt bottle or pump dispenser. I splurged and got this adorable mason jar pump on Amazon.

*Other soaps, such as my pure coconut oil soap for laundry, can be used. However, some need more washing soda to thicken and some need less. When I first made a batch of liquid soap with coconut oil soap it was very watery, so I reheated the mixture and incrementally increased the amount of washing soda until it reached the right consistency.

** Super washing soda creates a stronger gel reaction than homemade washing soda. Because the strength of homemade will vary depending on whether all the baking soda is truly converted to washing soda, I can’t recommend a specific amount to use. However, I use about 2 tablespoons in my homemade recipe.

Instructions

1. Place water on the stove over medium/high heat. Add grated bar soap and stir until dissolved.

2. Once the bar soap is dissolved, remove from heat and pour mixture into a container. I pour mine directly into my pump dispenser because it has a wide mouth that allows me to stir the ingredients.

3. Add liquid castile soap, 2 1/4 teaspoons of the super washing soda and glycerin. Stir thoroughly.

4. Let soap set for 24 hours, stirring occasionally, then check the consistency. Keep in mind that it will thicken over time, so a little runny is okay! If you want it thicker warm it up and dissolve in 3/4 teaspoon washing soda, then let it set again. If needed repeat the process – adding 1/2 teaspoon each time – until desired thickness is reached. Important Note: This soap tends to thicken over time. If that happens, no problem! Just add a little warm/hot water and stir to mix. Also, shake from time to time to make sure the liquid is thoroughly distributed.

5. If the soap is clumpy, give it a whir in the blender or mix with an immersion blender.

Once this soap has reached the consistency you desire stir in essential oils.
Place in container with pump or flip top squeeze lid and use!

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe

Update: The Unpaper Towel Tutorial Is Live HERE

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

Leave a Comment

284 thoughts on “Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe”

  1. Do you have specific pans you use to make the soap? I just worry that the amount of time it spends in the pan would effect the food taste. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Hi Cary, that’s a good question. I haven’t found that it affects the pots any more than washing in hot, soapy water would 🙂

      Reply
      • Thanks! I don’t know why I worry about that.. I guess I don’t want my food to taste like soap 😉 You’re the best!

        Reply
      • Heather, can I add black food coloring to make it black for a party? Or is there another way to make it safely black to use on dishes without making them all black? Lol
        Silly question, I know!!!!

        Reply
          • Hello, At what part of the soap making process would you add the tbs of activated charcoal ? Also if I was to use the coconut oil soap as you suggest as a substitute, would it be in place of the Dr. Bronners bar soap or the liquid castile soap? I’m new to this and I want to make sure I get it right. Looking forward to your answers. Thank you

    • Stainless steel cookware is safe to use as it will not absorb tastes or odors. The thicker the bottom of the pot, the better for even heat distribution.

      Reply
    • I would like to try your liquid dishwashing soap. Your recipe calls for both solid bar soap and liquid soap. I am in South Africa and am very cautious about the purity of the available bar soaps. I make my own liquid castle soap. Would it be ok to just double the amount of liquid soap and not add the grated bar soap. I get your newsletter and absolutely love it!

      Reply
  2. This is a not a recipe that I have seen floating around for homemade dish soap. Definitely worth trying. Love the towels on the paper towel holder. Where did you get them? Thanks for all your great information and tutorials that you share.

    Reply
  3. I’m so excited to find this recipe!

    If I used liquid soap in place of bar soap, would it work? I assume it would just be more watery, but do you think it would impact the cleaning ability at all?

    Reply
    • I haven’t tested it so I can’t say for sure, but my guess is that it would work okay. I prefer a thicker soap because otherwise it washes down the sink before I’m done scrubbing 🙂

      Reply
  4. Thanks for the recipe! I may try this. I am about to change jobs and go from working 40 hrs to 5-10 hrs a week. Cash is goin to be in short supply so I am looking at ways to save money. I also LOVE the cloth towels in the towel dispenser! Please tell me more! And where did you get your soap dispenser???? Give us a link please! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Jen! The unpaper towels are homemade – I’ll post the tutorial soon! As for the mason jar dispenser, it was an Amazon splurge. You can find it here.

      Reply
  5. A: can’t wait to try this recipe!
    B: PLEASE tell me more about those cloth paper towels…. I want desperately to get away from paper ones but am unhappy with the cloth ones I have now.
    C: keep up the fantastic work!!

    Reply
    • Agree…the towels are super cute. That would make so much sense in my kitchen. And I’m going to try the soap too:)

      Reply
  6. You and I have been on the same quest! (you are way ahead of me though :-P) During this quest, my husband asked a question I couldn’t answer- LOL. Maybe you can…….. Why not just use a little castile soap for everything?

    Reply
    • For me it comes down to cost. Even when I buy all expensive pre-made ingredients (Dr. Bronner’s soap instead of my own, etc) the price per oz is about $.29. Plain castile soap is about $.75 per oz 🙂

      Reply
        • Youcan find recipes for castile soap online. If you want bar soap you use lye (sodium hydroxide). If you want liquid soap you use potassium hydroxide. Castile soap is tradtionally made withonlyolive oil.

          Reply
      • Perfect! Thanks for the explanation. To be honest- sometimes I choose to do stuff just for the pure “I made that myself” thrill 😛 ……I know, I know- I’m kinda weird~

        Reply
      • Hello, thank you for this recipe. i was wondering if there is a reason you specifically mentioned this brand of bar castile soap? Can i use any bar of organic castile soap or is there something specific you got from this brand?
        thank you in advance for your step by step. I have everything to make this except the bar castile so i’m excited to get it started.

        Reply
        • Hi Nicki, it’s just the one I personally use. It’s a mix of coconut and olive oil, which I like, but another brand might work just as well.

          Reply
    • That’a what we do most of the time! We put a few tablespoons of Dr Bronner’s tea tree oil soap in foam pump container with water and orange/lemon essential oil. Voila! We use this as hand soap, body wash, face soap, dish soap, etc! Work like a charm! For stubborn dishes I sometimes use a mix similar to this recipe for soaking.

      -Amber

      Reply
      • Amber,
        Is it safe for allergies to perfume/dye/yadda yadda? I’m using BabyGanics as it seems to be the only thing I’m not breaking out to lately (other than the $$$ prescribed).

        Reply
  7. Laughing…the soap sounds great and I will give it a go. I like everyone else am on the edge of my seat waiting for more info on the towels.

    Reply
  8. Hi All,
    Washing Soda is Soda Ash. ( Na2CO3 )
    You can buy cheap Soda Ash from Hardware and Pool Supplies.
    This saves you energy to cook the Bi Carb.

    Reply
  9. This sounds great! I’ve been looking all over the place for a decent dish soap since they are all toxic. Do you know if the Eco Me dish soap is safe? It gets an A on EWG. Definitely want to try this if it is cheaper. Can’t wait for the towel tutorial!!! lol so cute I’ve been trying to stop using paper towels.

    Reply
  10. This recipe makes me sooo happy! Our family has replaced all of our chemical body care products/cleaners with natural, homemade alternatives – except dish soap, because after trying several of the recipes floating around the internet, we still couldn’t find something that worked!!! Thank you for all you hard work (I know what trying oodles of recipes is like. I am still trying to perfect my homemade castile soap/shampoo.)!

    Reply
    • I think that is great that you are now making your own soap and shampoo. I started this 6 years ago when my daughter was found to have eczema. I think everyone should know how to make their own products. I make everything I use except the dish soap because I have been too lazy. I made liquid soaps before and the recipe I had was time consuming and took hours.

      Reply
  11. Does this make about 2 cups? Trying to crunch the numbers costwise…

    I also LOVE the unpaper towels. Can’t wait for the tutorial!

    Reply
  12. Hello Heather,
    I have been on the “perfect-inexpensive-but-works-effectively-dish-soap” adventure for most of this year now. I have tried many brands, including a DIY one but am not at all satisfied with the end results.

    My question: Can this dish soap stand up to mounds of (greasy) dishes or is it more for a squirt here and there to wash up a couple of dishes? I don’t have a dishwasher and we use a fair amount of fat in cooking. I just can’t get something that cleans well without the SLS. I am currently using Dr. Bronner’s Sals Suds and am very happy with it (but not so pleased with the price).

    Also, do you think SLS is still detrimental when “naturally derived” from coconut or palm?

    Reply
      • Hi Ellen! This recipe is more for the squirt and clean method. If you want to fill the sink with water and scrub a bunch of dishes you might consider trying straight washing soda. It doesn’t foam like SLS, but it does clean very well!

        Reply
        • Ok, I’m so glad you clarified that this is not for filling sink with greasy dishes but more of a squirt and clean type thing. I’m new to all of this and just made some, added it to a sink full of greasy dishes and it disappeared. I was wondering what I did wrong. Will try the washing soda. Love your site and your story!!

          Reply
    • That’s exactly what happened to me as well !! I also been using Sal Suds because the other recipes that I’ve tried leave a film on the dishes and don’t cut through the grease : s
      I need to see the answer to your question and try the recipe myself… cross my fingers !!

      Reply
  13. Thank you, thank you! This has been one of the few things we haven’t been able to do ourselves at home and you just nailed it! I also love how everyone is nagging you for the towels. They are super cute, and when your busy pregnant mama self can share with us I know we’ll all be thrilled 🙂 No sewing machine so we’ve just been using flat and prefold diapers instead of paper towels, which work, but yours are adorable!

    Reply
  14. Sounds like a great recipe. Can’t wait to read about the towels. 🙂
    I thought I’d share what I’ve been using for dishes – that still absolutely blows me away in how well it works and how simple it all is!! 🙂
    I started making my own washing soda (soda ash) by just keeping a cookie sheet full of baking soda in the oven through several cycles of bread baking @ 450F (no extra electricity needed).
    I don’t remember how I even stumbled onto this anymore, but I discovered that homemade washing soda alone makes an AWESOME cleaner!! I dissolve some in a bit of hot water (I just play this by ear depending on how heavy a job I’m doing – anywhere from a couple full pinches to a tablespoon), then dip my sponge in the concentrate, and go to town on everything from chicken-grease covered crock pots, to grease spattered stove top, to baked on crust. I was absolutely blown away at how well this works – even for a counter top full of dishes! There’s absolutely no foam/bubbles, so it can be disconcerting to use if you’re used to that. But I’m so happy to not have to resort to any store-bought soaps, and have a cleaner that works amazingly. It’s just me, and I don’t fill a sink to wash dishes that aren’t in the dishwasher (for which I use a DIY cleaner also but plan to experiment with just washing soda, lemon EO and vinegar soon!) so I just keep a small container of washing soda on my sink where I’d normally keep a bottle of dish soap, and dip my sponge whenever I need to. As an added note, my hands are perfectly happy with this and I only notice a little bit of drying if I’ve literally been washing for an hr or so, without rinsing off well in between.

    Reply
  15. I was wondering if you had found a liquid soap recipe? I know you make real soap. I want to make my own liquid castil from scratch but struggling to find one. Love your post! thanks so much.

    Reply
  16. Can’t wait to try this out! So excited for the weekend to roll over so I can get started!
    But quick question, can I use 1/2 cups of castile soap instead of 1/4 bar soap and 1/4 castile soap? Will that affect the outcome?
    Thanks for all the hard work! Love the posts! Can’t wait till the unpaper towel tutorial comes out!

    Reply
  17. Thank you Heather, this is my last non-homemade cleaner. Like you, I’ve tried many different recipes but I just got frustrated and gave up, I’m so glad you didn’t! I’m so excited to try this and like everyone else, I can’t wait to see the tutorial on the unpaper towels. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  18. I just started using the Dr. Bronners Sal Suds recently. It only takes a couple of teaspoons in a squirt bottle full of water, and then you just give a squirt onto the dish you are cleaning. It seems to be working well. Here is the link: http://lisa.drbronner.com/?p=169 Do you see anything wrong with doing it this way? I work full time so I would prefer to skip the make-it-yourself step!

    Reply
  19. You can buy the paper towels on etsy if you’re not on a budget. I bought simple white ones that don’t snap on the roll because it looked like a pain to snap them all together 😉 I love them and haven’t used a paper towel in months! Can’t wait to hear how to make them myself Heather!

    Reply
  20. I read somewhere that Dr. Bronners is is a base and that mixing any sort of any acid with it will unsaponify the soap–I guess I am asking because of the lemon essential oils that are in it. But, if it doesn’t effect it at all, awesome 🙂

    Reply
    • Yes, you definitely would not want to mix vinegar or lemon juice in, but I don’t think the lemon oil has the same effect 🙂

      Reply
  21. Heather, is there anything you can’t do? 🙂 Lol, seriously, thank you for all you share with us. Not sure where the appropriate place to post this would be but would you be willing to share your parenting/discipline style? You have been such an inspiration to me and I saw you posted that you are using parenting methods that are challenging and not mainstream. I am always looking for ways to improve upon my parenting (and maybe gain some extra patience). Thanks, Heather!

    Reply
    • Hi Alyssa! My husband and I use attachment parenting/positive discipline with our kids. It’s always a challenge because as they grow the stuff that was working stops and we have to find new techniques. In other words, I’m NO EXPERT, but I do think our overall philosophy has served us well 🙂

      Reply
      • Many many thanks for your response, Heather. We are on the same track with using attachment parenting and have the Positive Discipline book which I reference as needed. Just getting ready to sign up for the online class. Here’s to doing the best we can…which may not always feel like enough. I am so thankful for your site. Don’t know how I would function (or heal our leaky guts) without you! 🙂

        Reply
  22. Cannot wait to try this recipe. The ones I’ve tried always leave a film on my dishes. Also, I cannot wait until you post a tutorial on how toake your un-paper towels.

    Reply
  23. Thank you!!! I have been needing/searching for a good dish soap recipe. I’m so excited to try it, and I LOVE your unpaper towels. Cant wait for the tutorial!

    Reply
  24. Hi Heather!!! I absolutely love the idea of this natural dish soap, so I made it last night!! When I woke up this morning and came to stir it, it seems like the grates Castile had separated from the water… I’m reheating now and I just added 1 more teaspoon of super washing soda, but was wondering if this had happened to you…
    Love your blog and your book!!!
    Thanks for everything you do!!

    Reply
    • Hi Soledad! I did have an issue with some formulas separating until I added the glycerin – did you happen to maybe leave it out?

      Reply
      • I added the glycerin… maybe I need to add more? Would it matter that I used filtered water? I just went to stir it and I think I see it trying to separate again…

        Reply
        • I’m having the same issue, and followed the recipe to the letter. Added 2.25 tsp washing soda the first time, and it separated into a thin, gloppy mixture after 24 hrs. Reheated, added a bit more washing soda, and let sit for another 24 hours, and again, a gloppy (but thicker) mixture. Definitely added the glycerin. Any ideas what might be wrong?

          Reply
          • I’m also having this issue…maybe I’ll go add a little glycerin AND a little washing soda. Let ya know tomorrow.

            Did either of you solve the issue?

          • Trying to reply to Melissa below, but for some reason can’t! I reheated my soap and added more water to it a few times, and it still formed chunks each time upon cooling. I haven’t yet used up this batch, so I haven’t tried a new batch to see if I have the same problem again.

          • Tried this last night and same thing… Nasty clumpy. Anyone ever figure it out? At least I haven’t added the essential oils so only pennies lost.

          • I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you, Tai! I recently received an email from a reader who has used my recipe for awhile with great success, but is now having some trouble with it. The change coincided with her moving to a new house with very hard water, so we suspect that may affect the formula. Unfortunately it’s impossible for me to test how the formula will work with all types of water since I only have access to limited samples. Again, I’m sorry it didn’t work for you!

  25. Back to the soap recipe. what is a cost breakdown of the soap. I know the point of this recipe is more towards being green but I have been trying to stay frugaland sustainable while going green.

    Reply
    • Hi Stace, when I buy all pre-made ingredients (Dr. Bronner’s soap instead of my own, etc) the price per oz is about $.29.

      Reply
  26. Hey – This is great. My family has been trying to ditch the liquid dish soap but we haven’t been able to find a good substitute. Thanks for doing all the trial and error for us already! William

    Reply
  27. I just purchased some super washing soda to make this dishwashing soap. Can I use one of your DIY soaps instead of castile soap? When I priced the bar of castile soap, it’s a little pricey.

    Reply
  28. Does this soap hold up well to a large sink load of dishes?
    Do you know if SLS from a naturally derived source is a detrimental?

    Reply
  29. This looks like such a great recipe! I have been experimenting and trying so many recipes for a good dish soap, but none have worked well! It seems like most people combine vinegar and castile soap (a big no-no), so I’m so glad this recipe doesn’t do that! I loved your picture with all the jars and notes! It made me laugh because that’s exactly how I feel sometimes!

    I’m really excited to try it and see how it stacks up! Thanks for the post!

    Reply
  30. Does this leave an film on dishes? I have read so many comments regarding other homemade dish soaps using castile soap leaving a film on the dishes that I have hesitated on the homemade stuff. I have transitioned so many other things…would love to try this but hate to waste ingredients if it doesn’t work as well. If it does leave a film, how do you go about avoiding it? Maybe vinegar rinses?

    Reply
    • Hi Wendy! I mostly use this for light duty stuff and put the rest in the dishwasher so I can’t say for sure on everything, but I haven’t notice a film. I did include glycerin in this recipe partly because it seemed to help with that, though 🙂

      Reply
      • May I ask what your family uses for dishwasher detergent?
        Like you mentioned above, many of the ‘green’ store-bought products for dishwashers still seem to have some negative chemicals in them, but I can’t find any better, and haven’t found an effective DIY option either. Thanks for the info!

        Reply
        • Hi Krystal,

          I’m not sure Heather has her recipe for dishwasher detergent on her blog, but she has it in her e-book and I can tell you it works fantastic. I have tried many, MANY recipes for homemade detergetn and ended up throwing a lot out. Hers works great and NO film on the dishes.

          Reply
          • Thanks, Ali. I did recently get both of her DIY books, and plan to try her dishwasher powder, but I haven’t made it yet. Glad to know it works so well! : )

    • Yes, it will still work but it may separate a bit and not rinse quite as clear. If it does separate just give it a shake 🙂

      Reply
  31. Hi,
    It is any reason why I can’t use Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Magic Soaps instead of 1/4 cup grated Dr. Bronner’s bar soap, tightly packed* & 1/4 cup liquid castile soap?
    Thanks,
    Abey

    Reply
    • Hi Abey, I think the grated soap gives it a little more cleaning power and volume, but you could definitely give it a try and see how you like it!

      Reply
  32. Thanks for this! Just mixed it up and I’m letting it sit! I wanted to ask if you can make a double batch. Would that work ok? I’d like to be able to limit how often I have to make it.

    Thanks!

    Reply
      • Ok, if I can ask another question: I made it and Iove the way it suds. But, it “hardens” in my container (which is too small to get in to stir the mixture)…when I run hot water over my glass container it “melts”, but that’s time consuming 🙂 Should I mix more water in with it? I tried to add about a 1/8 cup, but it just separates back out. Any ideas? Thanks for the help!!

        Reply
          • So, I had to scrap my first batch! Do you have any ideas? It hardened and wouldn’t incorporate any water. Also, it didn’t look the same lovely consistency as yours. It looked like the elements were separating back into bar soap bits and liquid.

            It says in your ingredients to add boiling water. In the directions, it says put water on med/med high heat. So, was your water boiling and then you put it down to med heat, or did you just heat it up on med heat. Maybe my water was too hot and it caused it all to break down? I’m just brainstorming here. Thanks again for all the help!

  33. Hi Heather,

    I have been looking for a homemade dishwashing liquid for a while because I have extremely sensitive skin. We use Dawn to soak pans that are really greasy but I if I get it on my hands, my skin reacts horribly. How is this recipe on your skin? I’m looking at trying with sans glycerin because I have everything else on hand and I wouldn’t mind giving it a little shake before using it.

    This is my first visit to your blog but I am big into natural products/remedies so I will definitely be checking out your other posts! 🙂

    Reply
    • Hi Claire! My experience is that it’s very gentle in the sense that it doesn’t contain harsh chemicals, but it can be a bit drying. If it were me I’d give it a try and then follow up with moisturizer 🙂

      Reply
  34. I have a bar of Homemade Lye Soap (Lyesoap.com). It has no perfume or dyes & says it can be used for shower, shampoo, dishes, clothes. Do you think it would work instead of (& as well as) Dr. Bonner’s bar soap?

    Neil – Thanks for the comment on getting Soda Ash from hardware/pool supply store. We have a pool so I asked my husband & we have a bucket of it. So, will use that – 1 item/many uses.

    Cheryl P. – Since now knowing I have so much Soda Ash I will try your method as well & keep some mixed & readily available for all my cleaning needs.

    In terms of towels, we have minimized our paper towel usage by keeping a shoebox filled with wash cloths, rags, etc. underneath the kitchen sink to use for anything we would typically grab a paper towel for. This change has had a major impact on our towel usage. We have done the same with paper napkins, by going to cloth & washing them weekly or more often if needed. If we are having a particularly “messy” meal, we augment the cloth napkins with paper. This, too, has reduced our paper usage substantially. It’s just my husband & myself and we have our own color/design napkins so we know we are using our own.

    Reply
    • Hi Lisa, without knowing the ingredients I can’t say whether it would work as well as Dr. Bronners, but you could definitely give it a try!

      Reply
  35. Does it matter what variety of the Dr.Bronner’s classic bar soap you use? I see there is the Baby Mild, Citrus Orange, Peppermint, Lavender..etc. I have never used this product before.

    Reply
  36. Omgoodness those unpaper towels are beyond cute. Can’t wait to see how you made them. THanks for the awesome dish soap recipe!

    Reply
  37. Isn’t Dr. Bronners soap considered a castile soap? I was just wondering why you would have to add that as well as a liquid castile soap, considering your melting the Dr. Bronners to make liquid castile soap to begin with.

    Reply
  38. for me this came out very runny even over time:( But i whisked it with some gaur gum or xanthan powder and it comes out perfect!

    Reply
  39. I love, love, love this recipe. I made a batch a few days ago. The only thing I’m noticing is that my hands feel a little dry after washing dishes. Is there something I could add that would make this a bit more moisturizing without affecting it negatively?

    Reply
  40. Hi there! Looks like an awesome recipe and I can’t wait to try it out! Just curious on how much soap this recipe yields.

    Reply
    • About 2 cups. However, I’ve found that because it tends to thicken over time I add water every week or so. In other words, the original is kind of like a concentrate that needs to be diluted as it thickens, which means that actually yields more than two cups. It lasts a pretty long time in my house 🙂

      Reply
  41. Just an FYI that link for the glycerin has really bad reviews. Mountain Rose Herbs sells it and they are a great company. It can be found in the bulk items category.

    Reply
  42. im doing everything correctly but this is leaving a film. it seems to be worse on the baby bottles. i really dont want to go back to using dawn,especially since it has chemicals in it i want to avoid. help!

    Reply
      • i will definitely try the vinegar rinse tonight. does omitting the glycerin make a difference in cleaning? also,i am out of liquid castile soap, but i have 2 bars of kirks castile soap…can i use just the bar soap instead of liquid and still get the cleaning power? thanks for your help! i love this site

        Reply
        • Yes, the glycerin does help create a cleaner rinse. I don’t know about trying just bar soap. My guess is it would contribute to filminess, but I can’t say for sure.

          Reply
  43. so i have tried this am i hate to say but it i am really disappointed with the results! it leaves a gross film on my hands and the suds only last washing one or two items at best. i never post comments but with this i really made the effort to make it work.I spent 25 bucks to buy all the supplies for it fail i am so upset! it did not work it was a waste of time and money. all i want is a dish soap that is sudsy and with not leave a film of grease. Also this washing soda is so bad that i left the mason jar with some residue on the bottom of it on my wood window frame ledge and it actually burned a dark ring completely ruining the wood under it!!!
    i even tried three different variations of this recipe of this and still awful result every time.
    – the original recipes low suds factor and with left super greasy filmy hands / yuck!
    – i used all liquid soap no bar with the original recipe . more suds but film on hands still ! yuck again
    – i tried using 1/8 cup of soap 1/2 cup liquid soap with the 2 tsp of washing soda and no glycerin and it made way more suds but still that film on my hands. i have given up.
    I REALLY GAVE THIS A GOOD TRY BUT IT FAILED EVERY TIME!!!!!!!!
    i have tried everything and the only one that works is dawn!!! sorry 😉

    Reply
    • Hi Mamis, I’m sorry you were disappointed! I have not experienced the issues you describe so I wonder if maybe it is a difference in the water – do you perhaps live in an area with particularly hard water? Also, glycerin is a degreaser so in future beauty/cleaning formulations you might consider increasing the amount rather than decreasing it if you are experiencing a greasy finish.

      Reply
    • Hi Mamis, new comments are approved manually so that spam doesn’t slip through. I hadn’t yet logged in and approved your comment when you checked back.

      Reply
  44. Just to double check: its vegetable glycerin that is used, correct? Im ordering it from bulkapothocary.com and want to make sure im getting the right thing before i complete my order. Thanks!

    Reply
  45. Hi Heather, I am almost done with the first batch of this recipe and am ready to make a second one. I ended up adding a little bit of water to try to make the consistency more liquid, but the soap remains gel-like. Is this the consistency of your soap? And if so, does it clog up the Mason jar dispenser? I am reusing a squeeze bottle from my last dish soap but it’s annoying to try to squeeze out gel out of two little holes.

    Thanks, Heather. This is a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Hi Wendy! Mine starts out liquid but does gel over time if I don’t use it up quickly. I just add a little warm water and stir as needed 🙂

      Reply
  46. I have made this twice but are you sure the amount of glycerine is correct? Mine is sooooo thick I have to keep adding water to even be able to shake it! I finally added only a 1/2 cup to my container and almost filled to the top with water…what am I doing wrong? Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Nanci! It sounds like you probably need to add less washing soda. The good news is, the soap you have is basically a concentrate, so diluting it with warm water to whatever consistency you like is just fine 🙂

      Reply
  47. Hi heather,

    Thanks for posting this recipe, and reading the comments has helped with a few problems I had, namely:

    -huge thickening issues (I also put mine in an old plastic dish squirt bottle which made it quite a bit harder to shake and to squeeze. I was worried about the dilution issue so I’m happy to hear about the concentrate part.
    – I also found that blending the final product (the next day) with an immersion blender made a difference in terms of clumpiness and smoothness
    – I had read that coconut milk had natural saponins in it so tried that and it seems to work fine – not better or worse. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on that.
    – I was interested in one of the comments to just try straight washing soda, and I was wondering what the advantages of this would be over doing that – cost or just the familiarity of a “soap” product or if you had heard of doing it before?

    Reply
    • Hi Ali! I have used straight washing soda in a pinch and just don’t think it works as well. Re: coconut milk – that’s interesting! I hadn’t heard that so I’ll have to check it out 🙂

      Reply
  48. I’m new to the DIY kick and have had fun and success so far. So I am going to be making this dishsoap when my store bought runs out. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
  49. Hi… Thanks for the website and your book of DIY cleaning recipes. I purchased it and have made many of the recipes with great success. The dish soap came out foamy and chunky though and I am not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe to the T using 1 TBLS of Super Washing Soda. We don’t have a dishwasher so everything is done by hand and I would like a recipe that would work well for a sink full. I saw a post earlier that said this recipe is better used on a rag for spot washing. I will try to make it again using less washing soda and see if it might work better. In the mean time, do you know of a way to tweak this recipe for that? I am eliminating all chemicals from our household and really want to get Dawn out of my kitchen. Thanks again for all your help.

    Reply
    • Hi Dawn, I would agree that this recipe works best with spot washing rather than filling up the kitchen sink and scrubbing lots of pieces at one time. If it were me, I’d try straight washing soda for a sink full of dishes followed by the rinse aids listed in my dish detergent section. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  50. I really liked the idea of this homemade dish soap, so I made it. I didn’t add the essential oil at the end because i used Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile soap in citrus orange, which already had orange, lemon, and lime essential oils in it, and it smelled really good. I washed a sink full of dishes using 1/2 tsp. soap, and the dishes seemed greasy. Do I need to add the orange essential oil I purchased to make it less greasy? Also, how much soap should I be using per sink full of dishes? Thanks for your help because I really want this to work. : )

    Reply
    • Nikki, it may have something to do with the mineral content of your water. Overall, though, this recipe is better for hand-washing individual dishes. If you’re looking for something to wash a sink full of dishes with you might consider adding extra washing soda to the basin.

      Reply
      • I will try that. It’s okay that I didn’t add the essential oil? I’m also excited to make the towels. I was wondering though, do the buttons on the towels scratch surfaces? Thanks!

        Reply
  51. Hey there – I put this dish soap together 2-3 days ago and it has thickened up nicely. It is incredible! I just used It to soak my burner pans and they look like new. I purchased your ebook and although I’m one of those people that do not really like ebooks (they scroll funny) I will enjoy the recipes it contains. I have already made the washing detergent and it also works great!

    Reply
  52. I love your blog & the great info that you share. I have tried a few recipes with great success. I just tried the Liquid Dish Detergent. Mine did gel well but I’m finding that I do not get any bubbles. None. I expected very few but your picture showed some. I’m wondering if you think it was because I used a bar of glycerin melting soap. Keep up the great work.

    Reply
  53. Bit misleading, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) does not contain dioxane as it has not been ethoxylated. If SLS is ethoxylated to make it more mild then it becomes Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (Also knows as Sodium Laureth Sulphate) (SLES) which can contain dioxane as a bi product. It is still not proven to cause cancer.

    Sorry I am a chemist and I hate these myths being put over as facts. (Not by you as you’ve taken it from the source website you quote)

    Reply
  54. I used my own homemade soap, hope it works, ok. soap was a cocoanut oil soap. use good glove when grating bars, also veggie peeler works good. you can sculpt those funny looking homemade bars into great looking soaps.

    Reply
  55. Does homemade dish soap kill germs as well as store bought dish soap? I’ve been wanting to make my own dish soap for a couple years now but we eat a lot of chicken and I want to make sure my cutting board, knife, and counter will be clean afterwards. Don’t want any lingering germs to make my family sick!

    Reply
    • Carrie, it is my understanding that soap works differently than antibacterial preparations. Soap rids a surface of bacteria by lifting and washing them away, while anti-bacterial substances attempt to kill germs without necessarily removing them. The problem with anti-bacterial substances, of course, is that if certain germs do survive they tend to be the stronger ones.

      Reply
  56. Was excited to give this a try but ended up pretty disastrous. As several others have tried, we put the mixture in a recycled dish soap bottle, but the result was too thick and sudsy to properly squeeze out. Pouring a couple of capsules into the dishwater resulted in a cloudy water that left a very waxy residue on the dishes, my hands, and in the sink once it was drained. This may not be a valid solution for filling the sink, but even so I’m not sure that I’d use it to wash just a dish or two considering the waxy film covering everything.

    Reply
    • So sorry it didn’t work out for you, David! Do you happen to know whether you have hard or soft water? I’m wondering if that could be affecting your results.

      Reply
  57. Pretty neutral water, not hard enough to leave deposits on anything and not soft enough to feel filmy/soapy. We’ll probably try again using much less grated bar soap and may leave out the liquid soap altogether based on other recipes we’ve been reviewing.

    Reply
  58. Do you think this would also work well as a dishwasher detergent? I’m having a hard time finding a DIY recipe that doesn’t leave some sort of residue.

    Reply
  59. Heather-

    We have one of those dispenser / scrubby all in one things where the soap goes in the handle of the scrubby. Do you think this soap would work well in that? Is is still “sudsy”? Thanks!

    Reply
    • We have the same thing Aimee. I put some in the handle and add hot water to thin it out a bit. It works ok but I am going to make another batch to get a thinner consistency.

      Reply
  60. I really love this dish soap! I made it awhile ago and am making some more right now. 🙂 I don’t have a dishwasher, so I hand wash all of my dishes & this works perfectly. I used the citrus castile soap and put some tea tree oil in it. It’s excellent.

    Reply
  61. Very excited to find your recipe, thank you!! One question… Do you have to shake the bottle to remix this soap before using? I have been in search for a DIY dish soap but all the ones I have found thus far require shaking to remix before using and I have an in sink dispenser for my dish soap. Your recipe doesn’t say that it does so hoping I have found the one! 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Gina, unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend using this recipe with an in-sink dispenser. It does need shaking from time to time and can thicken as well. It’s no problem if you’re using a bottle because you can just add water and shake, but obviously that won’t work for you.

      Reply
      • Ah, I’m so bummed! Back to the drawing board I guess. :-/ Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question! 🙂
        Also, I have been oil cleansing for about a month now, since reading your blog post about it. I am LOVING it!! Thank you for such an informative post on the subject, I have shared it with many!

        Reply
  62. Thanks for the dish soap recipe! It was easy to make and suds up beautifully! I make my own Washing Soda and having added 2 heaping Tbsp, I must have added too much, because the results were a solid gelatinous mass at room temperature. Heat it up and it went back to being liquid. I will make another batch and add less Washing Soda. I did notice that I tend to use a lot more than I did when I used P&G Dawn liquid soap, so I will make another batch and see if, once I get the recipe right, I still use larger amounts than before. If so then this recipe become uneconomical, which was half the battle. Here’s to Hopes and Prayers that I succeed!

    Reply
  63. My previous post wouldn’t let me reply. I had issues with this soap being clumpy and nasty. Unwilling to throw it away and unsure what to do with clumpy, sorta liquid soap, I kept stirring it throughout the day until it resembled cream of wheat. This morning I figured I had nothing to loose and stirred the soap with my stick blender and that did the trick! Perfect creamy liquid soap. So if anyone else has trouble getting a nice consistency, I would recommend trying a blender of sorts before giving up.

    Reply
    • Yes, using a wand, I whipped mine into a froth then bottled it. After a few days it separated and clumped again. But used with hot water, the clumps quickly melt. I still like the recipe. I will have to add less Washing Soda next time. Thanks for the whipping idea!

      Reply
  64. Would it hurt to use Bonners Castile soap with peppermint in it? Thats the only one I can buy locally and I need soap now 🙂

    Reply
  65. Heather,

    First off, just wanted to say I’m so thankful for your site!
    Secondly, I tried making this dish soap liquid and it seems to leave a film on my silverware. Have you ever had this complication? Is there anything I can do to fix this? My batch turned out to be a bit clumpy– would adding water resolve it?

    Reply
    • Hi Ashley, I’ve had a few people report that – it seems to have something to do with the hardness/softness of water in different areas. You might try adding a bit more glycerin and giving it a whir in the blender to eliminate clumps. If it is also thick adding water should help.

      Reply
  66. Thanks for the dish soap recipe! I’m gonna try it! I know tree tea oil can be used as an anti-bacterial. Do you think it would be okay to add tree tea oil and lemon essential oil?? And if so Aprox how much should I use?
    Thank you!

    Reply
  67. Hi!!!
    How long does the soap lasts when stored and do you use Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap in the recipe or another castile soap?
    Thanks!

    Reply
  68. Great recipe. I always make a double batch and fill a large old bronners soap bottle. I have had some consistency issues in the beginning but figured out the right amount of washing soda to use. mine never separated, I am about to make a batch right now and am out of glycerin, I will let you know if it will cause mine to separate or turn out differently. thanks for your inspiration I love your website!

    Reply
  69. Just out of curiosity does anybody know how to thicken clear, liquid soap? Any kind- just hand soap, dish, etc.
    I had an easy recipe that was just water, Bronner’s liquid castile soap and a little EO, just for nice-smelling liquid hand soap, that looked pretty in glass dispensers. …But it was so runny that it was really hard to keep from slipping through your fingers.
    So I’ve wondered for a while what companies do to make their soaps thicker, and a little more gel-like. Do we think there’s any healthy, non-toxic way to do this, while keeping it mainly clear, and pretty-looking. (Totally for vanity’s sake, I know.) But please share if you have insight! 🙂

    Reply
    • I make liquid hand soap in old B&B works foaming dispensers using 1/3 cup scented Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap & 2/3 cup filtered water.

      Reply
    • Washing soda is exactly the same as baking soda, except it’s been heated. I make mine by placing baking soda in the oven. I’m not aware of a suitable replacement, but personally I am comfortable using washing soda.

      Reply
    • I’m glad you asked cuz I was wondering the same thing. I keep the big bottle of Dr Bronner’s around but not any bars of soap. Someone please answer if you’ve made this recipe using all liquid Castile (and no bar soap)! Thanks!!

      Reply
      • I was wondering the same thing! I hate the gelled liquid soaps, but I love the liquid Dr. Bronner’s. I just started trying to live naturally, so I’m just now stumbling on to this recipe and haven’t had time to try it yet. BUT, I did find a completely natural clear dish soap that I could purchase already made, but it’s a little high. I found it at Walmart for under $5 a bottle, but you can also find it on Amazon.

        A LOT of so called “natural” products still contain SLS, and other chemicals. This Dapple soap doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. They also make other products but I haven’t tried any of them yet.

        Reply
  70. Would honey or maple syrup work instead of vegetable glycerin? They help shampoos rinse clean and I have used them in homemade bubble solutions for the kids in place of glycerin. Also, would these effect the shelf life if used?

    Reply
  71. I would like to make this soap, but I hate the smell of castile soap. In fact, when I started dating my husband, I had to ask him if he would change his soap. He was using a castile soap and I could smell it on him. Is there something else I could use?

    Reply
  72. Do I have to wait the full 24 hours before using? What’s the significance? I’m all out of soap so need to hurry up the process if I can. Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Shannon, the reason I suggest waiting is that the soap thickens a lot. If you use it beforehand you may think it’s too thin and add more washing soda, which will cause it to thicken too much to use after it sets. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  73. I’ve seen a similar recipe but the washing soda was used after the soap was dissolved. Is there any difference in order?
    Would like to know before trying it. Thanks!

    Reply
  74. I am really excited to make my own dish soap but I am concerned with it not killing things like ecoli. Are there certain ingredients that kill the nasties on the dishes, cutting boards etc?

    Reply
  75. So I couldn’t read through all the comments to see if there was an answer to my question. I just made this last night and it as very clumpy so I added water and mixed it got clumpier in a matter of 5 minutes, and then I add more water and blended it and this morning it’s very solid that it doesn’t move if you shake the blender. Is it the water? And if it does using distilled spring water make it better?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • It sounds like the minerals in your water over-reacted with the washing soda. Try using less washing soda next time. For this batch, just thin it out by adding more water 🙂

      Reply
  76. Thanks so much! I’m definitely going to try this recipe. How would you adapt it for thick, liquid hand soap? Also, I’ve seen recipes that use dish soap to make laundry detergent. I’m having a problem with oil stains on my clothes from picking up kiddos with homemade lotion on them (almond & coconut oil, etc). Thanks again!

    Reply
  77. Hi there! I just recently discovered your blog and am loving it. I scrolled through some of the comments, but there are just so many. I’m wondering if this not only keeps icky ingredients/toxins out of the house, but also saves money on store bought dish soaps? Thanks!

    Reply
    • I tried it and got the same result as Terya. What a disappointment. Gathering ingredients and planning to make this for weeks.

      Reply
    • Might be the type of bar soap you used. This, pretty much all, homemade soaps will not suds. Suds do not clean, they are only for visual effect. The suds from bought dish soap are from the very chemicals that are bad for the environment. The greasy feel, make sure you rinse with hot water, even add vinegar to rinse water. I use less washing soda and add 1 tablespoon of borax. Borax is all natural biodegradable and a great grease cutter.

      Reply
  78. Hi Mommypotamus, I am very happy that I found recipe for washing liquid without borax!
    But I don’t have any Liquid castile soap. I am from Austria it is a bit to expensive order it from amazon for me…
    Can I instead use just bar soup or it is necessary use liquid one too?
    Thanks for your answer.

    Reply
  79. Hi Mommypotamus,

    I just love your recipes, great work. Your blog is really helping me on my quest for chemical free. The last frontier is the dishes. I tried your dish liquid recipe last week, and although it works I found the mixture thickened substantially (almost solid). So, I added more 1 cup boiling water (as mentioned above), gave it a whirl with a stick blender then let it cool. Still very thick, so I added more boiling water and another whirl. I don’t think it is our water as we have filters and use rain water. Should I just keep adding water until it slightly liquid, or start again?

    Cheers

    Reply
    • Hi Nicole! Thanks for your question. Yes, I would keep adding water, and then next time I made a batch I’d use less washing soda 🙂

      Reply
      • I am having the same problem as Nicole. I used filtered water with ours so I know its not a hard water issue. I have been adding boiling water to it then blending it and letting it sit for 24 hours again every day for a week now. It is not thinning out at all. Is my batch just a waste now and should I ditch it and start over? I didn’t use a lot of washing soda to start with either so I’m not sure what the issue is here.

        Reply
  80. Hi, I recently found out I am allergic to coconut oil. I have been looking for a soap that I could

    Hi, I recently found that I’m allergic to coconut oil, dissappointed because alot of diy home products are made using coconut oil, and difficult to find recipes that use a different oil. any suggestions on the best oil to replace it? Was pleased that I found a recipe for a Shea Butter face lotion!!!! It’s amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Norma,
      If you’re not allergic to nuts, I’d try a nut oil like walnut oil. Its more expensive than coconut oil, but unlike olive oil, will not go rancid. I use it to make a DIY wood polish with beeswax and it always lasts (unrefrigerated) for many months. Good luck!

      Reply
  81. I made my own soap bar with 50 % coconut oil and 50 % olive oil. How exactly can I make liquid dish soap with it? Do I just melt it and add water? Do I have to buy the super washing soda?

    Reply
    • I coarsely chop a bar of soap, add hot water and leave for a few hours to dissolve. It’s better to put in a jar because it separates slightly so I shake a little before use. 1oz soap for 1 cup water.

      Reply
  82. I never would have thought to make homemade liquid dish soap! It’s a great idea and I love the Mason jar pump! Definitely getting the supplies to make this today!

    Reply
  83. I’m curious what the purpose of glycerin is in this recipe. I saw another recipe that used all the same ingredients but left the glycerin. Is it necessary? Can’t wait to try this out!

    Reply
  84. Thank you for the easy to follow instructions! I am new to making my own products so I appreciated how thorough each step is laid out. That being said, I think I did something wrong and I was hoping you may have a suggestion for me on how to fix my soap. My soap became VERY thick about 12 hours in, almost to become a solid so I added some more water and stirred it up. The water seemed to thin the soap out a bit but within the hour it would thicken right back up so I would add more water and the same thing would happen. I added yet more water until I have added at least a cup of water and each time the consistency of the soap would become foamy and expanded so much that I had to change containers. It is a bit thinner but it is still thick. I decided to try to use it and the soap leaves no bubbles when I had to spoon it out into my sink. Do you have any suggestion on what I did wrong? What should the consistency end up to be like? Any suggestions would greatly by appreciated!! Thank you!!

    Reply
  85. Hello, could you give me an idea of what the Dr Bronner’s bar soap is as well as the Castile soap – I’ve never heard of either in South Africa and need to find an alternative. Many thanks

    Reply
  86. This idea sounds amazing! I thought that it is impossible to make dish soap at home. Thank you for the recipe, I will try it!

    Reply
  87. Hi mommypotamus!

    Love this recipe but wonder if there’s something that can be done about the spots it sometimes leaves?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  88. So I’ve tried making this recipe at least 15 times now. I really hated how much plastic I was wasting buying commercial dish soap. However, I can’t for the life of me get the solution not to coagulate. If I put it in a blender, it becomes foamy, not a thick liquid. I burn through an 8oz dispenser in a matter of days. The glycerin adds a bad film on my sink after it dries. I meticulously measure the volume of each ingredient. I’ve vetted it enough to say that it doesn’t work for me.

    I’ve found that the standard palmolive dish soap goes about 10x as far. And it doesn’t leave spots on my sink and dishes. I guess I’ll keep on the hunt for a decent replacement to palmolive, but so far I haven’t found it.

    Reply
  89. lots of the same challenges: spots; clumping+; a feel to dishes, sink, that isn’t quite right (so i have to dry immediately).
    less washing soda seems to be a solution (no pun intended). does anyone know how that interacts – doesn’t interact with hard vs soft H2O? also, since i too have a large batch made, what might chemically “combat” the effect of washing soda? besides more H2O.
    also, could it be clogging my kitchen drain when it’s like this?

    Reply
  90. I made the liquid dish soap as directed. It got really solid so I added more distilled warm water and waited. Still solid. Shaking it up breaks it up a bit, but large cloudy/white lumps. Shook it up. Now tiny rice-like lumps. Should I heat, cool, and then blend? Why do we need to add bar soap AND liquid castile soap since they are both castile soap? Why not just the liquid?

    Reply
  91. I couldn’t find any Non GMO Glycerin but I Glycerin in the baking aisle can I use that instead? If not any suggestions where I can find the Non GMO Glycerin? I’m in Vancouver, Canada. Hope to hear from you soon I’m looking forward to making this recipe. Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  92. My first batch turned into a nasty snotty slime. I threw it out in disgust. Since then I’ve done some research, and the solution is don’t boil the soap and water, get it nice and hot, but below boiling point.
    If it turns out too thin, rather than adding washing soda, dissolve 3 Tablespoons of salt in 8 tablespoons of hot water, whisk small amounts into your soap until you like the texture, don’t throw it all in at once.
    If it goes too thick or slimy give it a good mix with the blender, wait. Do this about 3 times and it should thin out and lose the slimy feel.

    Reply
  93. Hi! I don’t know if this has been asked and answered yet but there was so many questions I didn’t have time to read through them!
    I know when you use regular Dr Bronners soap, they say to rinse dishes with vinegar-water, otherwise there will be a film left on the dishes, do you not need to do that with this recipe? And why?
    Thanks!

    Reply
  94. Hi Heather,
    Help! I was “pumped” to make this dish washing soap, and I ran out and bought all the ingredients right away. I made it yesterday, with homemade washing soda. It thickened up A LOT by today! I diluted it down with a bit of warm water to a good consistency, but when I tried it in the sink, it turned into what I can only describe as…dirty bath water. You know, when your child leaves the bar of soap in the bath water, milky, scummy and no suds or bubbles. The only thing that I did differently is added a few drops of tea tree oil. What do you think I did wrong ?

    Reply
  95. This recipe looked great, when I found it, but alas it is rubbish. I followed the directions exactly, even followed the troubleshooting tips in the comments but no dice. If it too thin and you try to thicken it, it separately and only thickens on the bottom or the top. I’ve looked at other websites and their recipes are similar if not the same, it appears making dish soap at home is simply not possible.

    Reply
  96. Tried to read through comments, don’t think anyone mentioned this but if you are worried about SLS you probably shouldn’t use Sal Suds since it’s the second ingredient after water. Same as the products you’re attempting to avoid. 🙁

    Reply
  97. Hi Heather, thanks for posting this recipe. I’m curious about how you use this product vs the washing soda. i read in previous comments that you use the washing soda when scrubbing dishes in a sink full of water, for example, and then i read that you use this liquid dish soap for “spot cleaning.” i’m wondering, after you scrub the dishes in the sink full of water, do you follow that with a dish soap scrub, or is the washing soda scrub and a rinse under the faucet good enough for you? just curious how you’re using them. i realize that you may use the dishwasher most of the time, but it sounds like you do the sink method sometimes? thank you.

    Reply
  98. i have a note about my previous comment — i don’t know if i’m using the washing soda correctly, but here is what i’ve experienced — i fill the sink with hot water. i shake some washing soda into it, and rub a soap bar between my hands in the water to add some soap. it makes the water a bit milky. i then scrub the dishes with a natural-fiber cloth, (as i’ve learned that synthetic fiber cloths and sponges are polluting our environment and ourselves with micro plastics). It feels as if the washing soda is dissolving (i mean, why wouldn’t it?). because it dissolves, if I need to scrub stubborn spots, i need to pour a bit more into whatever pot that needs extra scrubbing to get the stubborn spot out. i see washing soda’s use directly on stubborn spots, but why put it in the sink full of water, or did i misunderstand how others are using it? this is referring to some previous comments that suggested that the homemade dish soap is best for spot cleaning (putting it right ton the dishcloth), and is not good for putting a sink full of water and dishes. as a substitute, some suggested putting washing soda in the sink full of water and dishes. thanks for any thoughts!!

    Reply
  99. How long does homemade dish soap last? I’ve heard of homemade lotions being dangerous because of bacteria formation. What is the shelf life of this homemade recipe?

    Reply
  100. Hi,

    This is my second try at a diy dishsoap, I wasn’t very happy with the first I tried because it wasn’t very effective with grease stains.
    I was apprehensive that the same could happen with this but it turned out great, perfect texture and cleaning hability.
    I used a few drops of lemon and bergamot essential oils and it smells great.

    Thank you so much for sharing

    Reply
  101. Felicia, so does this recipe suds really well, in a sink full of water, not on a sponge to wash a dish at a time, but a sink full of dishes?

    Reply
  102. Hi Heather,

    Some proponents of homemade dish washing liquid and dishwasher powder advise against the inclusion of essential oils. Given essential oils are not water soluble, they can potentially leave a coating on our clean dishes that we subsequently ingest with our next meal. Not great for our health. What are your thoughts on this? I certainly love the smell that a little lemon/eucalypt can provide, but I’d be concerned if I was inadvertently digesting these residues over time…

    Cheers,
    Emma

    Reply
    • Liquid soap is a dispersant, which means it does suspend the essential oils throughout the liquid. I personally feel comfortable using them in this way and think that most dishes likely rinse completely clean. Even if they didn’t, though, we’re talking about tiny, tiny amounts – far less than we’d consume by zesting some lemon peel over a dish. I don’t advocate internal use of essential oils unless done under the care of a qualified practitioner, but I personally don’t feel that using them to clean dishes is a reason to be concerned.

      Reply
  103. Hello, most of the liquid soap recipes I see call for glycerin, I’m just wondering what the purpose of the glycerin is in the soap? I add it to my body washes to help soften the soap, and I add a little bit to my homemade fabric softener, because it helps to coat the clothing and stop static. Which is one of the reasons why I never use fabric softener on towels washcloths or rags. Thank you

    Reply
  104. Hello, At what part of the soap making process would you add the tbs of activated charcoal ? Also if I was to use the coconut oil soap as you suggest as a substitute, would it be in place of the Dr. Bronners bar soap or the liquid castile soap? I’m new to this and I want to make sure I get it right. Looking forward to your answers. Thank you

    Reply
    • Eddie, the activated charcoal wouldn’t serve a purpose in this recipe and could leave residue, so I don’t recommend adding it. The coconut oil soap would replace the Dr. Bronners bar soap.

      Reply
  105. Hi Heather, I have made this liquid several times. I use liquid castile soap only and it is terrific. However, this time it has separated. Any suggestions as to why this has happened?
    Thankyou

    Reply
  106. This really is the BEST soap!
    The BEST shampoo bars EVER!
    I have been maki g them for a year now and LOVE them.

    You are so very generous to have shared your hard working trials to perfect these products and for no fee.

    They stay hard til the tiniest sliver. I do not know why companies use palm oil And destroy rainforest and orangutan habitat, when you do t need it.

    THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU

    Reply