Liquid Soap

[CarolineW]

Don't know how to move a post, but this is one from a link I was given (I think by Brazen), which I then adapted somewhat.  Here's the link to my posting:

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=686.msg3442#msg3442

[Thermomixer]

Quoting Kareen (brazen)
i've been wanting to make hand soap in mine (and i have a friend who made soap in hers)

here is the recipe i was going to use

I thought I should share this, as it is so easy to do, and so cheap compared to buying 1L refills from the supermarket even (they are about $4?)

http://tipnut.com/homemade-liquid-soap/

Quoting Caroline W
Don't know if you've made this yet, Brazen?  I just made it a few minutes ago.  Overall, I like it, but had a few problems, and some ideas for how I'll try it next time:

I would mill rather than grate the soap - it would have made the process much easier later on. 

I ended up adding double the water, as it really was TOO thick.  It wouldn't have come out of the liquid soap dispenser.  Possibly the type of soap I was using???

I added almond oil as well as the glycerine and honey.  I'll add about double the oil, and probably the glycerine too, next time.  The resulting soap has a lovely, luxuriant texture, and is nice to wash the hands with, but my hands still feel slightly dry afterward.  I'm hoping more oil would stop that.

Initially I was afraid to go above speed 3, in case I made the soap go all foamy.  But later found that speed 8 was the best, as it emulsified everything into a glorious texture.

All in all, I'm very pleased with it, but feel with a bit of experimentation it could be much better.

I used a standard sized bar of soap (100g) and upped the other ingredients accordingly (before increasing the water further).  It filled 2 soap dispensers at the end.

To get the soap into the dispensers, as it was so thick and creamy, I used one of those cookie things - don't know what they're called.  You put the thin dough into the dispensing tube and then pop in the shape that you want them to be at the other end, and then press out the cookies.  An icing bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off would have worked too.  Anything which allows you to direct the (very viscous) liquid into a small hole, and apply a bit of pressure to get it to go through the hole.  I can confirm that a funnel does NOT work 

[faffa_70]

Caroline can I ask how much almond oil you added to your soap and if you have made it again (is it better? did you do anything different again?) Wanting to give this a try and I suffer from dry hands as well

[CarolineW]

Sorry Kathryn - can't quite remember.  I think equal amounts with the glycerin.  However, it turned out to be perfect.  It turned out that my hands only felt dry because I'd washed my hands so many times testing out the soap!!!  It was actually glorious to use once my skin had settled down to their usual dryness, rather than 'just washed my hands about 10 times in quick succession' dryness.  Even my husband commented on it.

I'm afraid that I didn't note the measurements (doubt I even knew them at the time, to be honest).  I just poured things in until it looked like it might be right, and then tested how it felt to use it.  I haven't had time to make it again as yet, because life has been so hectic recently (it's all I can do to get a meal on the table at present!).  I definitely will make it again when life settles down, though.  It isn't just cheaper than the store bought stuff - it's better quality too.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.  My recommendation would be to go for it anyway, and just 'test it and see' for the measurements.

[faffa_70]

Thanks Caroline, I think I will just go for it! Will go for the equal amounts to start. Has to be better than the store stuff for sure. I at least know what is in it and that is appealing. I will report back and let you all know how I go. Think the TMX will have a cleaning day tomorrow as I need more Dishwasher Detergent and Washing Machine Goo 

[CarolineW]

   It'll be one very clean bean!!!  Let me know how you get on.

I'm looking forward to the day when I get to make the dishwasher and washing machine goo.  Guess I'll probably end up doing all 3 on the same day, too 

[scyrene]

I ended up with a white foam that filled the jug, and when it cooled it solidified to almost the texture of a foam mattress! I re-emulsified with water but I'm still not convinced. I didn't have any honey, so just omitted it. Have I made it wrong? Or is this texture/colour correct? I'm used to liquid soap/handwash being a thick liquid/almost a gel, rather than a foam.

[CarolineW]

Gosh, it's so long that I'm trying to remember .... I think it might have looked like foam, but when we came to use it it was actually like a creamy lux soap lather creamy thing (I think creamy is the key word I'm trying to go for here  )

But it definitely didn't solidify, and definitely wasn't like a foam mattress!  Maybe you didn't have enough liquid, as the honey would have contributed to that? Also, how much water did you add?  I remember that the initial amount I added was no where near enough.

Also, did you go straight to speed 8?  I'm wondering if my initial caution in using speed 3 is what allowed me to finish off at speed 8, and if perhaps it doesn't work if it's speed 8 the whole time?  Could be.  Did you use oil as well as glycerine?  Was it just the honey you missed out?

These are the things I can think of which might be it.  It would be good to hear your feedback on it, to help us to get a clearer idea on how to tweak the instructions.  It's very much at its experimental stage, at present.

I really must get around to trying this again, as it was fantastic stuff.  And then I could (try) to record what I do more accurately!    Well, I did admit I was a fly by the seat of my pants person in the poll 

[brazen20au]

sorry i still haven't got aroud to making it! (though i do now have the ingredients at least lol)

[scyrene]

Having read a book on home soap making, I have renewed confidence, but I'll wait for my current (bought) batches of hand wash to run out first

I suppose I should have followed the recipe to the letter first time. But you live and learn!

[Meagan]

Ok I had a go with this today using Caroline's tips and the original recipe from here http://tipnut.com/homemade-liquid-soap/

80g bar of soap milled I gradually went up to 8 and did a toal of 40 sec
add 220 boiling water (1cup)
speed 5 for 1min
Take care not to leave the TMX bowl open at this stage as someone may come along and stick their finger in for a taste mistaking it for meringue mix LOL (no this didn't happen just popped into my head at the time)
add 100g tap water speed 6 for 30 sec
add 1tbsp honey,2tsp glycerol,2tsp almond oil
speed 4 10 seconds
Leave to cool for 15 mins
At this point it formed a bit of a skin and when I mixed it with the spatula was a bit lumpy
It was about at the 1.25lt mark.
Then I added 300g tasp water and wizzed on speed 6 for 25 seconds

The recipe says to then put it in the containers and wait for an hour until putting on the lids......


The result was still a little thick but I managed to decant into the soap dispensers with some creative spatula use LOL. It filled three almost empty ones, one 250ml the other two are ceramic and probably take 300 and 450 and I have a container that would fill the largest one again I think. I will let you know how it goes when it has settled down. But it smells lovely and was cheap as chips to make when you work it out. I am hoping this will be a regualr in our house now!

[faffa_70]

Will be interested to hear how you go Meagan, I just realised that I hadn't come back after making it. I found it really drying on my hands and haven't made another batch. My hands are really dry anyway and I do spend alot of time washing them for one reason or another 

[Thermomixer]

Thanks Meagan - see how it goes.

[Meagan]

Ok so it is not as frothy as a store bought soap and it is quite thick so could probably do with a little more water. I like the smell  Will report back again after a week or so of using it 

Oh yeah forgot to mention it is a bit stringy when it comes out of the dispenser....LOL

[cookie1]

Will look forward to hearing how it goes Meagan. DH uses gallons of it as he gets filthy working on his old car.