I would like to know how to make dish washing soap.
By mgramasah from Malaysia
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
TSP (Tri-Sodium-Phosphate) plus hand soap remnants work very well for a powerful dish soap, that is gentle on the hands.
Collect the small remnants of hand soap and when you have two cups full, simmer them with some water in a stainless steel one gallon pot, until they are dissolved. Add cool water and a couple tablespoons of TSP. Stir well.
Fill the results into a dish-washing soap pumper and a gallon jug.
Works well for floor and wall cleaning too.
Have FUN!
DearWebby
webby.com/
For dry hands-wear thin cotton gloves under rubber gloves to avoid the sweating that causes moisture and strips oils. Williams and Sonoma, a store that is found many places or has a catalog, sells cotton lined gloves for $12.99, but they last longer than regular unlined gloves that get finger punctures. they are great for dry skin.
I also put lotion and vaseline or coconut oil on top of the lotion on my hands and wear cotton gloves at night. Keep a bottle of your favorite lotion fortified with olive oil or almond oil on a shelf and frequently rub a bit on your hands throughout the day.
I also wash my hands in this lotion when they are dirty except of course for food prep or after the toilet. The lotion is good enough for these purposes except as stated. Also wear gloves for all wet work and use disposable gloves for cutting up vegetables or cooking with wet foods-all this contributes to dry hands. I buy the disposable gloves at Amazon.com. you can buy 500 or more real cheap.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
Is there another soap that can be used besides Octagon soap? The Octagon soap cost too much on the internet.
By Ronald M.
You can use any clear soap or ivory soap bar works the same. I buy ivory soap three or six at a time. It lasts forever in the pantry. If it gets old it'll be difficult to grate but will still work.
Do not buy on the internet. Most grocery stores and Walmarts sell it now. Afro-Caribbean stores too. You can find it at Shop Rite, Best ways, some drug stores. It usually cost .79 or so - pretty cheap.
I have been looking for octagon for a long time. I used to buy it in Alabama years ago. I thought I was just in the wrong area now BUT alas, Colgate doesn't produce octagon any longer :(
Well to my surprise I didn't know that Octagon soap was not being manufactured & now it's way too expensive!! I looking to buy for my daughter acne&boils problem, my mom made a remedy for acne with this soap..it works too!
Some people recommend using Fels-Naptha, which is still available at most larger stores or online. You should be able to use any basic soap, like Ivory but make sure it doesn't have a lot of additives as that could have mixed results when using.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to use.
I love Octagon Soap but can't find it. Is there an alternative for it other than fels naptha?
I would appreciate it if someone can give me a recipe for making soap, dish washing liquid and other detergents. Thanks.
By Dorothy from SA
Use the Search for Answers: on this website. I've read numerous posts on making your own laundry detergent! (09/29/2009)
By Marjorie
I don't know if you can find it in your country, but there is a product called TEXOL which is good for just about anything. You only need a few drops and it suds up fine with a sponge for dish washing. I also use it to clean my wood kitchen cupboards from grease. Plus put a tablespoon in my twin tub washing machine (with my homemade laundry detergent) and it cuts through the grease something awful. It's pricey, but you use so little, that a 5 gallon container last for a year. Do not use it in an automatic washing machine, too many suds will damage the machine, but its great for presoaking greasy stained laundry before you wash them. I think its a marvelous product! (09/30/2009)
By cettina
I need a recipe for a good sudsing, cheap, homemade dishwashing soap recipe. Please help guys, my mom thoroughly enjoys washing dishes, but we live on a shoestring budget. I would like to be able to afford moms clean habit. Thanks to all.
Igmom from TN
Check laundry soap prices at your local feed store where they have five-gallon buckets of it. It's very slippery, but it makes a good dishwashing soap. Put a couple tablespoons powder into a 2 cup bottle of water, best I can remember. Makes extremely cheap dish soap. (07/17/2007)
Buy gallons of dish detergent or use coupons on very small sizes to get the best price. Thin the detergent by adding water to it. (That's what is in the cheap varieties, water.) Don't use your hard earned money to buy water. You can add it yourself. Please note there is a different between soap and detergent. Detergent is what you need to wash clothing and dishes. Soap is for skin.
I have extremely sensitive skin and my hands crack and bleed. My dermatologist tells me not to wear plastic or rubber gloves. They can make "dry" hands worse as they cause sweat. Its actually the water that causes the drying and cracking. I like Palmolive dishwashing detergent. Try to find the old-fashioned kind. Detergents with antibacterial agents in them hurt my hands.
Best of luck.
(07/18/2007)
By Carol in PA
Octagon soap. It's cheap it's in bar form. It doesn't suds up a lot. It strips grease well, and can be used to clean the floor, counters, cabinets, anything in the kitchen really. It costs about $1; it doesn't melt away fast because its hard. (01/04/2008)
By Monique
(Submitted via email)
I found a recipe for homemade dish soap and am using it now. I bar of Octagon soap, made by Palmolive. Shred that with potato peeler and let "cook" in 2 quarts of water. It will boil over so use a large tall cooker. Let it boil for about 5 minutes. The recipe then calls for 1/4 cup of lemon juice, but I didn't find it necessary. And add 1/4 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda. I have that on hand, because I make my own laundry soap as well.
Sue V. (03/12/2009)
By Sally
Every dishwashing liquid I buy dries my hands right out. I would like to try and make my own. Any good homemade recipes for dish soap out there? Environmentally friendly would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Susie from Barrie, Ontario
A few sources for recipes:
Easy recipe from
Save that empty dish-soap bottle, and refill it with a homemade dish soap. Fill a 22-ounce squirt bottle with Castile soap, which is a pure odorless soap. Add 15 drops of lemon or lemongrass essential oil, six drops of lavender essential oil and five drops of bergamot essential oil.
Also see:
and this thread from right here on Thrifty Fun!:
I read somewhere to use the leftovers from shampoo and conditioners. I believe in frugal.com
Thanks germanbini for the cleaning tip site, it's great for all the natural product solutions you need if you don't want to clean using chemicals. TWO thumbs up
CHEERS :)
By Kylie
If your hand dry out washing dishes, wear rubber gloves.
By Anita
