DIY Foaming Hand Soap

My friend A introduced me to vanilla scented foaming hand soaps from Bath and Body Works. On a shopping trip to Bellis Fair (in Bellingham, Washington), A and I stocked up on the aforementioned scented foam hand soaps. At that time, Bath and Body Works did not have any storefronts in Canada and this was the only way to get our scented foam soap fix.

At $3 for a 259 ml bottle, it seemed like inexpensive purchase. As I became more aware of my spending habits, this was one of the first to go since I was going through 2 to 3 bottles a month ($72 to $108 a year).

I have been making my own foaming hand soaps for a long time now using liquid hand soap purchased from Costco. The 2 pack of 2.36 litres of hand soap (5.72 litres total) would frequently be on sale for $8 to $9. I would use my empty foam soap dispensers and refill it 1/4 of the way with liquid hand soap and the other 3/4 with water to recreate my own foaming hand soap. It is a great way to save money.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to make foaming hand soap:

1. Take an empty foam hand soap container and fill it 1/4 to 1/3 of the way with liquid hand soap.

2. Fill the rest of the bottle with cold tap water.

3. Shake and use.

TIPS
1. Buy unscented liquid hand soap and add your own essential scented oils.

2. If you do not have a foam soap dispenser, ask friends or family for their old ones destined for the trash.

3. If you cannot give up your scented foaming hand soap, buy one bottle to use in the guest bathroom and make your own foaming hand soap for the other bathrooms. 

Cost breakdown for the math nerds:
5.72 litres of liquid hand soap can be used to fill a 259 mL foam soap dispenser 88 times (if you refill the dispenser with 1/4 of liquid hand soap each time). For $9, I was only able to purchase 3 bottles of scented foaming hand soap. See the cost savings?