The DIY Diary: Liquid Soap

As you know, many of my Christmas gifts this year were made by hand.  While I really like the way the bath soaks and laundry soap turned out, I wanted to make a gift that would serve as a centerpiece to the other hand-made, non-knitted gifts.

Two very simple ingredients

I've mentioned before how much I love fragrant soaps and wanted to try my hand at making liquid soap especially after I found these beautiful glass soap dispensers.

Making liquid soap could not be easier or simpler.  Use your favorite bar soap -- I love Mrs. Meyer's and the scent of lemon verbena -- and grate the soap into a large pot.  Add nine to ten cups of water and two tablespoons of vegetable glycerin.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until the soap flakes are fully melted.  Remove from heat and let cool.  

Pour liquid soap into bottles and voila!  One batch of liquid soap filled six of these dispensers and I still have enough left over to fill about another four bottles.  As my sisters said, just call me Laura from Little House on the Prairie. 

My sister's soap dispenser in situ