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4.94 from 32 votes

Solid Dish Soap Recipe (cold process)

A solid dish soap you can use for washing pots, pans, and dirty dishes. It's ready to use two days after making it, and is a great zero-waste cleaning product for the natural home. This recipe yields 4-6 solid white bars with thick, cleansing lather that won't leave streaks on your glasses. Technical details: 0% superfat; 35.7% water discount
Keyword soap, soap recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Curing time 2 days
Total Time 2 days 1 hour
Servings 4 bars
Author Lovely Greens
Cost 10

Equipment

Ingredients

Lye solution

Solid oils

Citric acid solution

For scent

Instructions

Prepare to Make Soap

  • Cold-process soapmaking is a chemical process, and this recipe uses lye. Lye, in this case sodium hydroxide, is a caustic substance that is completely neutralized in the soapmaking process, but it can be harmful if not handled correctly. Please read this soap making safety guidance before proceeding.
  • Prepare your workstation with the tools and equipment. Put on rubber gloves, goggles, and an apron. Carefully pre-measure the ingredients. Add the oil and wax to the pan, and the lye, two water amounts, and citric acid into each of the four jugs.
  • Prepare the ramekins by washing and drying them thoroughly and setting them on a sheet of greaseproof paper. The ones I'm using came from a supermarket dessert pack and are 3¼" in diameter. At that size, you'll be able to fill four ramekins. If your ramekins are smaller, prepare a few extra—around 6 solid dish soaps.
  • You can also pour the soap into soap molds, but it hardens very quickly. If you use molds, opt for silicone cavity molds. If you decide to use a loaf mold, cut the soap into bars as soon as the soap feels as firm as refrigerator-cold cheddar cheese. This can be after just two hours of making it. If you wait too long, it will be impossible to cut the soap into bars since it will crack and break. Homemade solid dish soap is very brittle after that point.

Mix the Lye Solution

  • Next, dissolve the lye (sodium hydroxide) crystals in the water designated for the lye solution. In an airy place, pour the lye crystals into the water and stir well. There will be a lot of heat and steam, so be careful. Try not to breathe it in. Leave it to cool in the sink.

Mix the Citric Acid Solution

  • While the lye solution cools, make the citric acid solution: pour the citric acid into the water you set aside for it. Then, swirl and stir until the citric acid is fully dissolved. This can take up to a minute as the water will be room temperature.

Melt the Oil and Wax

  • Melt the coconut oil and soy wax in a stainless-steel pan on very low heat. When fully melted, remove the pan from the heat and set it on a potholder.
  • Pour the citric acid solution into the pan and stir until well combined. You'll notice the citric acid solution beading up at the bottom of the pan under the melted wax and oil. This is normal.

Preparing to Mix

  • Measure the temperatures of the lye solution and the contents of the pan. You should aim to cool them both to be about 125°F (52°C)*. The lye solution can be slightly higher than this, but try not to soap at lower temperatures for this recipe.

Mix the Ingredients

  • When the temperatures are just right, pour the lye solution into the pan of oils. It's now time to blend. You can completely hand-stir this recipe or use an immersion blender to give yourself a head start.
  • If you use one, dip the immersion blender into the pan and, with it turned off, gently stir the mixture. Next, bring it to the center of the pan, and with both your hands, hold it on the bottom of the pan and blitz it for just a couple of seconds. Turn it off and set the immersion blender aside. It's best to switch to hand-stirring with a spoon or spatula.
  • Stir the mixture until it thickens to a light trace—when the soap batter leaves a distinct trail on the surface, and has the consistency of thin custard. Trace occurs very quickly in this recipe, so please be prepared.
  • If you choose to use essential oil in this recipe, add it to the pan of oils at this point. Stir it in quickly.

Pour the Dish Soap

  • Working quickly, pour the soap into the ramekins (or molds). Tap each ramekin gently to settle the soap.
  • Leave the soap in a place where it won't be disturbed for two days. Saponification will be complete, and you can begin using dish soap from that point. However, soap always performs better if you leave it to cure for at least 28 days.
  • To use your homemade dish soap, I'd recommend wearing gloves, as the soap may be too harsh on your hands. Wet the soap and work up a lather with a dish brush or scourer. When you have a good lather, use it to wash dishes or to add to your washing-up water. Rinse dishes thoroughly with fresh water before drying.

Video

Notes

* We can make this recipe at 125°F (52°C) for most types of soy wax. However, please check the melting point of your particular brand.
Lastly, are you a beginner soapmaker looking for more guidance on making handmade soap? Enroll in the Natural Soapmaking for Beginners Online Course to get up to speed quickly. You'll learn all about soap ingredients and equipment and be guided through step-by-step soap recipe videos.