First, I am NOT a germ freak…at all (see my blog posts on Earthing and hand sanitizer).
That said…yes, I obviously wash my hands and certainly encourage my toddler washing his hands in our home, too. We simply aren’t obsessive about it.
When you do wash your hands, you want to make sure that a few things are occurring…
- You are actually getting them clean…in a NON-TOXIC fashion.
- You’re actually improving their condition…in an organic, HEALTHY fashion.
- It’s obviously important to not hurt your own body…and also not hurt your ENVIRONMENT.
Sound good to you, too? Then this is the super easy DIY antibacterial hand soap for you.
Heck, put it in your shower, too. It’ll do your whole body good.
Ingredients:
- Distilled water (or boiled H2O)
- Castile Soap (THIS castile soap at MRH is a very nice option)
- Almond Oil (Pronounce Skincare organic almond oil)
- Vegetable Glycerin (like THIS)
- Essential Oils: Lavender, Cedarwood Atlas, Tea Tree
- Glass hand pump (find them in Scratch Mommy Founder Jess’s herbal boutique here)
This recipe will fill an 8oz pump. Adjust this recipe according to your container size.
Make It:
Add the following ingredients in the order they are listed below…
- Pour castile soap into your pump container until it is 1/4 full
- Next, add the following…
- 2 T of Almond Oil
- 1 T of Vegetable Glycerin
- Add the following essential oils…
- Lavender- 15 drops
- Cedarwood Atlas- 8-10 drops
- Tea Tree- 8-10 drops
- Adjust EOs according to your scent preference, but these ratios and amount totals work well for this size container; remember, less is often more with EOs
- Fill to the top with distilled H2O
Ta-da. You are ready to rub-a-dub-clean and be Oh So SMOOTH!!!
And now, let me answer some ‘whys’ for this DIY antibacterial soap recipe…
Why Vegetable Glycerin (I know that someone will ask)?
You can learn more about it in this post I wrote for a DIY Natural (& Easy) Remedy For Pests, but in a nutshell, vegetable glycerine is a great vessel to help essential oils bind to whatever you spray &/or place them on (in this case, you).
Other DIY posts I have written, which use Vegetable Glycerin include…
Why Almond Oil?
Learn more about Almond Oil (and other excellent carrier oils you should keep around the home) in THIS post on my blog. Then, you have GOT to check out this extensive post all about carrier oils here!
Here are a few of my own recipes on the blog using almond oil…
- DIY ‘Fix Pretty Much Anything’ Healing Salve (almond oil & EOs)
- DIY Secret Ingredient Deodorant recipe (with NO baking soda, friends)!!!
- Soothing Tooshie Salve Recipe, too (which also works wonders for YOUR skin…think rough elbows, heels, knees, etc etc etc)
- Finally, Non-Toxic Citrus Dusting Spray
Finally, why those particular EOs?
Well, these essential oils are all proven germ-fighters123…and they smell delish, too!
Whew! So, basically…by keeping a few simple ingredients on hand you can really get a lot accomplished by way of easy, fun DIY projects, which will detoxify your home, the environment, and your body. You can create healthy habits, friends…it’s easy!
Until next time…
xoxo,
Jess, aka Scratch Mommy
Comments 35
Just made this as part of a “natural diy” assortment of Christmas presents I have made for my daughters. I REALLY like it. Didn’t have almond oil so I used avocado oil and olive oil. Thanks so much!! I am happy I found your site and am pinning this to spread the word. Blessings to you!!
Hi Susan,
Fabulous! I am happy that you like it. What a great gift to give…a natural DIY assortment. I love it!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. <3
Jess
Made this last night and I LOVE it already. I only used 1 T of almond oil and I can already tell the difference in my hands. I also realized that I forgot the glycerin so I’m going to go add that. I really messed up on the EO’s but that my fault (didn’t have your recommendations and went with Tea Tree and Lemon – just isn’t suiting my tastes but that’s my own fault). I did add several drops of Vit E oil too. I’m wondering, though, if there is any concern to the oils going down the drain. We have very old plumbing and I’m always concerned about it getting clogged.
Hi Bonnie,
So sorry for the delay! Yay…I am glad that you love it. 🙂 No, I have no concerns with the oils going down the drain. I feel much, much better with this going down the drain than most other things on the market today…you know?
We have a fairly old system and a septic tank. We’ve had no issues.
Enjoy your new soap!
Thanks for stopping by,
Jess
Does this recipe make a product that is thick and creamy, like typical liquid hand soap, or is it watery? My kids make such a mess with watery soap, and I could use them in foam pumps, but those seem to stop working after only a few refills. Thanks!
Hi Shannon,
Great question! This is not thick…it is watery. I keep meaning to experiment with adding some guar gum in to see if it will thicken. If you try that before me, please stop back by and let me know. 🙂
I purchased a glass foam pump and it is working very well. It is similar to this one. You might try it for the original recipe…
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/foaming-soap-dispenser-in-frost-glass/1017982826
Thanks for stopping by,
Jess
Thanks! I will keep you posted.
Added guar gum and it worked like a charm. Just add and stir as needed. Just made my third batch, love this stuff.
Thanks!
Yay! Got to love the titles that say DIY soap and the first ingredient to “make” the soap is soap.
Sorry if you thought the title of my post is misleading. As the title (DIY SUPER Moisturizing & Antibacterial Hand Soap) implies, this is in fact a DIY hand soap.
I do not feel that Dr. Bronners on its own is moisturizing, so I created this DIY version to give me the non-toxic toxic, yet moisturizing hand soap that I need.
Thanks for stopping by,
Jess
Do you need to shake it before each use?
Great question. Yup, I usually give it a shake, but not every time. Works well either way. It also works well in a foaming pump dispenser, as a reader recently emailed to let me know.
Thanks for stopping by!
Jess
Great ! I have once tried DIY antibacterial soap. They are wonderful..The result is a gentle, cleansing and conditioning bar that will help regulate excess sebum and soothe acne and rashes.
I read that women who are nursing should not use Cedarwood essential oils. Do you have a substitute for Cedarwood Atlas?
http://salvenaturals.com/blog/?p=100
So the soap doesn’t just wash the oil away? Or does it depend on the oil you use? I have jojoba and avocado on hand, hoping they will work just as well.
Just an added suggestion… I bought the foaming hand soap (Dial, I think) for $1.84 at the store, poured the soap into a ziploc Baggie to use for some type of jar kids craft (there’s gotta be some use for that awful hand drying out stuff!) , rinsed out the container and voila! This mixture “foams” perfectly! I put some in a regular soap dispenser and it just seemed to squirt the watery substance… The foam works great!
Hi Kristen! Fantabulous tips! Yes, this recipe is watery. I’m currently working on I’ve that will be more thick in consistency. Great to hear that this does work well in the foaming dispenser for you. I *thought* that it would, but couldn’t say with certainty for a while. …and thank you for the heads up sale! 🙂
You can use about a teaspoon of guar or xhantan gum. Take the oils and glycerin in a separate dish and add guar gum to it, stir well and then add it to the soap and water. Reason is so guar gum will incorporate nicely. If added straight to the water there will be lumps and no matter how much you stir there will always be lumps (been there, done that and I learned). Guar gum will not thicken in oil but once it’s mixed with water it will.
Also, your 8 oz soap dispenser is on sale at Mountain Rose Herbs for $2 this month…..
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I like the idea of diy moisturizing antibacterial hand soap. I t is organic, healthy and toxin free.
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I am somewhat new to DIY personal care products, but I have learned that when you mix water and oil you need a preservative or it will spoil within a few days at room temperature. So far I have only made lotions, but I am assuming the same is true for soap? Do you know how long of a shelf life this would have?
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I just made this and love it! How long should it last?
Hi there,
I have heard that the lavender-tea tree oil combination is not so good for little boys. I am trying to make a liquid shower soap for them and I think this could work except for that combination. Can you recommend another EO combination that would be ok for them AND ideally could help them simmer down for bedtime?
Thanks!
~Ratika
Hi Ratika! I’m familiar with the claims you’re talking about, but most aromatherapy experts approve of lavender and tea tree oil for children when they are diluted properly. Lavender especially is one of the safest!
If you still want to try something else, chamomile would be a good choice: it’s calming and very safe. However, that would lower the antibacterial properties of the soap. Happy DIYing!
I just made the soap and I was wondering how long it took for the EO’s to disperse in the soap. I mixed it up and I used grapefruit and orange EO’s, but it looks like they’re just sitting at the top.
Author
Hi Felicia,
Great question. You will have to shake it from time to time. I don’t use any emulsifiers in this recipe, so some separation is normal. Hope this helps.
I love this recipe for hand soap.. what makes it antibacterial?
Author
Hi there! Thanks for reading along with us. 🙂
Lavender and tea tree have both been shown to be antibacterial in nature, and cedarwood is antifungal. Hope this helps!
I made the soap according to the directions, substituting avocado oil for the almond oil (because of allergy) in a glass foam dispenser from http://rail19.com/soap-dispensers/foam-soap-dispensers/ . It’s the perfect consistency for foam soap and smells divine! I love the feel and smell of the soap.
Making another batch in another glass foam dispenser to share as a gift.
Thank you for posting!