How to make homemade soap - 33 Homemade Soap Recipes (2024)

By Stacy Williams

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A couple of years ago, I discovered the joy of learning how to make homemade soap. Not only does it save you significantly, but it’s also pretty relaxing. As far as savings, learning how to make homemade soap was pretty high on the list of things to stop buying and make that we began making way back in 2014 when our budget was in serious trouble. What started out as a way for us to save money soon morphed into a hobby that I really enjoy now.

How to make homemade soap - 33 Homemade Soap Recipes (1)

Since 2014, I’ve come across a ton of different homemade soap recipes, but there are very few that I absolutely love. Some are for bar soap, some are body wash, some are for kids. No matter what kind of soap it makes though, these 33 homemade soap recipes are the best of my favorites! They’re perfect for using to cut your household expenses, for living a more natural lifestyle or as a great homemade gift idea!

How to make homemade soap – 33 Homemade Soap Recipes

Most of these can be made either on the stove in a heavy bottomed pot or in a basic crock pot<. I keep an extra pot and an extra crock pot that I picked up thrift store shopping on hand for making my soaps. It keeps my soap supplies separate from my cooking supplies so that there isn’t any chance of the two being cross contaminated. If you do need to use pots and things that you cook in, be sure to rinse them extremely well and to soak them in white vinegar to help remove any residues.

Tired of paying hand soap at $1.00 or more each? You’ll love this DIY Liquid Hand Soap then!

Ready to get rid of nasty chemical filled shampoo? This DIY Coconut Shampoo is all natural and works amazingly!

Skip the expensive tablets and give this Homemade Dishwasher Soap a shot. My dishes have never been cleaner!

If laundry soap is killing your budget, this Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent may just become your favorite! Make it for pennies on the dollar!

Most Natural DIY’s need Castile soap to be made, but it can be super expensive. This Homemade Castile Soap is cheap to make and works just like the expensive stuff!

I love a soft and creamy body wash, but I hate the cost that they have and how chemical laden they are. This Homemade Body Wash leaves your skin super silky and is incredibly cheap to make!

If you like Earl Grey tea, I have one just for you! This Homemade Earl Grey Scented Body Wash smells just like the tea is leaves your skin amazingly soft!

If liquid detergents with harsh soaps aren’t your think, you’re going to want to give this Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent with Castile Soap a chance. It’s super cheap to make (make it cheaper by making your own Castile using the recipe above) and smells great!

Love cooking? You’ll love this Rosemary Soap from Kids Activity Blog! It smells amazing and carries all of the healing properties of rosemary!

Little boys love all things dino and this Jurassic Amber Bug Soap from over at Parenting Chaos will be no different!

Make bathtime fun naturally with this Bath Crayon Soaps from Parenting Chaos! They’ll have so much fun!

Milk and honey has been used for centuries for it’s known healing and beauty benefits. Making this Milk and Honey Soap from Happiness is Homemade is just another way to use this old time favorite!

Trouble sleeping? Take a long soak with this Lavender Soap that A Pumpkin and a Princess brings us! You’ll be calm and relaxed before you know it!

Citrus is a great way to wake up in the morning and this Citrus Shea Butter soap from Food.Fun.Family will help make your morning bright!

Want even more? Check these out!

Orange Flaxseed Soap from Confessions of an Overworked Mom

Brown Sugar Scrub Bars from A Cultivated Nest

Coconut Shampoo Bar from Mommpotamus

Lavender Honey Soap over at Live. Laugh. Rowe.

Grapefruit Mint Poppyseed Soap over at A Beautiful Mess

Jasmine Dead Sea Salt Soap over at Essentially Eclectic

Rosewater Pink Clay Soap from Hello Glow

Sweet Almond Poppyseed Soap from Glue Stick Blog

Spiced Apple Goats’ Milk Soap from over at Confessions of a Plate Addict)

Aloe Vera Soap from Soap Recipes 101

Pecan Rooibos and Orange Soap over at Offbeat and Inspired

Olive Oil Soap over at Sierra Club

Coffee Bean Soap from Living Well Spending Less

Charcoal Clay Facial Soap from over at Wellness Mama

Earl Grey Tea Soap from Cucumbersome

Peppermint Charcoal over at Bulk Apothecary

Felted Soap from On Good Thing by Jillee

Ginger Spice Cookie Soap from over at Feathers in our Nest

Orange Clover Soap from A Cultivated Nest

How to make homemade soap - 33 Homemade Soap Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for making soap? ›

What is the formula for soap. For centuries, humans have known the basic recipe for soap — it is a reaction between fats and a strong base. The exact chemical formula is C17H35COO- plus a metal cation, either Na+ or K+. The final molecule is called sodium stearate and is a type of salt.

How to make all natural soap at home? ›

using only natural ingredients? Cut your natural soap base, shea butter and melt in a double boiler, mixing dry oats, dry flowers and a few drops of any oil you like. until fully incorporated. Add to silicone molds and wait until completely solid.

What are the 3 main ingredients in soap making? ›

Handcrafted soaps made from scratch require three things to become soap: oil, water and lye. It is the chemical reaction between these ingredients that turns them into soap. Most soap also has other ingredients added to provide benefits to the soap, or to color or scent it.

What is the simplest way to make soap at home? ›

Ingredients and equipment
  1. coconut oil ⅔ cup (helps to produce lather)
  2. olive oil ⅔ cup.
  3. other liquid oil ⅔ cup – like almond oil, grapeseed, sunflower or safflower oil.
  4. ¼ cup lye – also called 100% sodium hydroxide.
  5. ¾ cup cool water (use distilled or purified)
  6. Quart canning jar.
  7. Pint canning jar.
  8. Soap molds.
Mar 19, 2020

How do you make easy homemade soap? ›

Step 2: 5 Minutes of Soap Making
  1. Step 1: Figure out how much soap base to melt. ...
  2. Step 2: Cut soap base into chunks and add required amount to glass measuring cup. ...
  3. Step 3: Melt the soap. ...
  4. Step 4: Add the coloring and scents. ...
  5. Step 5: Mix and pour. ...
  6. Step 6: Demold the soap.

What is the main ingredient in homemade soap? ›

Soap Ingredients. The two base ingredients for homemade soap are fat and a form of lye, a caustic chemical. You can add dyes, essential oils, texturizers, and other enhancements to this two-ingredient base. An alternative to the fat and lye base is a glycerin soap base.

What is a soap calculator? ›

SoapCalc provides you with the information you need to make soap in your own kitchen using all natural ingredients. Homemade soap conditions your skin. It feels and looks good and has a wonderful fragrance of your choice.

How much lye is needed for soap? ›

A common dilution rate is 30% lye and 70% water. In other words, the total makeup of the lye mixture is 1 part lye to 2.3 parts water. When the ratio of lye to water increases, the mixture is more lye concentrated.

How do you make old fashioned soap? ›

Here are couple of old fashioned soap recipes: A typical Southern recipe: “One half-box of concentrated lye, four pounds of grease, one pound of rosin, five gallons of water. Boil all together until the soap is made…then add a half pint of salt dissolved in a quart of water, boil a few minutes longer, and pour off.”

What is the easiest soap to make? ›

If I were to choose a simple soap recipe that you can make at home it would, without a doubt be 100% coconut oil soap. I love this stuff, not least because you can make it from just 3 ingredients, one of those being water.

Can I make soap without lye? ›

NO, chemically-speaking, soap itself cannot be made without lye. Soap is made by blending oils (like olive oil or coconut oil), a liquid (water, goat's milk, etc.), and an alkali (lye). Lye is needed to convert oils into soap.

What is the main ingredient in soap that kills bacteria? ›

Triclosan and triclocarban are the most common compounds used as antibacterials in soaps. However, other common antibacterial ingredients in soaps include benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chloroxylenol.

What is the number one ingredient in soap? ›

To start with, we'd just like to make it clear that all soaps (even so-called natural ones) are made using a caustic chemical called lye. You may see it under different names, but ultimately soap is by definition made with lye (AKA Caustic soda).

What are the ingredients in making soap? ›

Soap Ingredients. The two base ingredients for homemade soap are fat and a form of lye, a caustic chemical. You can add dyes, essential oils, texturizers, and other enhancements to this two-ingredient base. An alternative to the fat and lye base is a glycerin soap base.

Can you make soap without lye? ›

NO, chemically-speaking, soap itself cannot be made without lye. Soap is made by blending oils (like olive oil or coconut oil), a liquid (water, goat's milk, etc.), and an alkali (lye). Lye is needed to convert oils into soap.

What are the 4 methods of making soap? ›

In general, there are four methods to make soap - cold process, melt and pour, hot process, and rebatch.

References

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