Don’t you love those expensive foaming hand soaps? I first came across them at a friend’s home and fell in love with the ease of use, the texture and the smell. The only thing I didn’t love about these soaps is the price. A typical foaming hand soap can cost up to $5 a bottle. And, when you take into consideration the kid factor (meaning that to a small child learning to wash her hands, if one squirt of soap is good, well then five squirts is even better), then you can see how expensive these foaming soaps are to have in your household.
Fortunately, there is a way to make your own foaming hand soap. it is pretty easy to do, because the secret of the foaming action has more to do with the bottle than it does with what is inside. So if you already have a bottle from a foaming hand soap, you are all set. If not, check with friends and family for an empty bottle. Worse comes to worse, go ahead and buy one of those expensive soaps, knowing that after it is empty, you won’t have to pay that much ever again.
To make your own version, just dilute your favorite inexpensive soap. I found that dish soap works really well, and it is very mild on your hands. You can dilute it down quite a way, but experiment and see what works best for you.
Next, add a touch of a clear extract to give it a nice smell. Two great extracts to try for your homemade soap are lemon and almond. You could probably try vanilla, too, but I’m not sure what would happen in terms of color, since vanilla isn’t clear. When it comes to the holidays, why not try peppermint extract for your soap?
One word of caution with foaming hand soaps, whether they are store bought or homemade. Avoid foaming hand soaps that are antibacterial if you have young children. The foam tends to be fun to play with, and little ones don’t always do a good job of rinsing it off. Antibacterial soap can irritate sensitive skin to the point of blisters, if it is left on for an extended period of time.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
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