A Professional Soap Maker’s POV: Great idea, but you often get what you pay for (and sometimes you don’t). Kirk is in business to make a profit and coconut oil is a commodity - it may not be the bargain you think. Let me explain. Firstly, the primary assumption here is that all Castile Soap is the same. It is not, no more than all wines or all beers are the same. The bar soap is 4oz by weight (uses only coconut oil for fat), per Kirk’s. Assuming 95% active, one bar + 29oz water (weight) will get you about 32oz of soap at ~11.8% active soap. Whole Natural’s (WN) soap tested at ~18% solids (also low actives made mostly from coconut oil). Thus, you would need ~1.5 bars of Kirk’s per quart to get similar soap solids. Please note that Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap is closer to 40% active. In reality that ½ gallon of WN actually costs double what you noted (on an active basis) and translates to over $100/gallon (or just over 3 bars per quart). So, comparing WN with Kirk’s, both based on coconut oil, but with a wide difference in actives and an even wider distances in price, yeah, diluting bars is definitely cheaper. But you’ll have to live with a watery mixture that’s cloudy, prone to separation, low in actives and finally a solution not specifically made to exist in a liquid form. I would ONLY use distilled water (or soft water) for making soap. Keep in mind that Kirk’s does not list Olive oil as an ingredient, though you mentioned it as a high-cost of soap making; this is contradictory. Also, comparing to other soaps that use high levels of expensive Olive Oils, like Carolina Castile, would also not be a fair comparison. Liquid soaps in the market can vary from 15% to nearly 40% actives (dictated by fatty acids or margin grabbing) and unfortunately 95+% of consumers don’t realize it. How could they? Nearly every company lists their soap as a concentrate with no fillers ….yeah right. There’s much more that can be said about soap, soap making, and information on the internet; another time 😉
Thanks for that information it really helps inexperienced soapers make better comparisons. Would you happen to know how to make liquid castile soap (like dr bronners) a thicker consistency AFTER it’s been diluted to its proper concentration for use as hand soap? My family isn’t happy with it because it shoots out of the pump like plain water. I’ve tried foaming soap dispensers but they only last a couple months at best before they end up malfunctioning and head to the landfill. Being more conscientious can get complicated sometimes. 😂
@@spiritandtruth7399 There are methods to thicken castile soaps, but they will require some blending which could be a tedious task. I find that the best thickener, for your scenario, to be HEC (hydroxyethyl cellulose). Normally I would add HEC (.5% by weight) to water first, then while mixing, add concentrated soap (and keep mixing until HEC is fully hydrated). The soap's pH activates the HEC thickening process. You can try adding HEC to diluted soap, but I suggest premixing HEC with superfine sugar to help mitigate lumping. I have done this with coconut-based foaming soap (in this case finished product was not clear). BTW, sugar provides provides a number of benefits to product performance. I find guar and xanthan gum not stable over time, but may work fine for personal use. Again, best to disperse/hydrate in water first, then add soap. These gums are more tricky to disperse, especially if you don't have a lab setup. If you purchase a soap high in oleic acid (typically read as olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil), then typically only salt is needed. They are out there, but you can't dilute quite as much (as coconut soaps); they are slightly lower in actives (it's a fatty acid thing). Just add salt (ie 1-2%) to your water, dissolve, then mix into soap. Unfortunately, some high oleic soap products (and some coconut soaps) in the market have already been diluted & thickened (they beat you to it). They won't tell you... just charge you. above are suggestions only and should be evaluated case-by-case as there are numerous variables ...& do use distilled water. TheCastilery
do you know if there is castile soap that's not in plastic that's comparable to bronners soap . as oils leaches from plastic . Any info is much appreciated. Thanks!
@@curtcooper5465 There are high-end boutique soaps being sold in alternate packaging (aluminum) like Flamingo Estate and once-upon-a-time Trades For Good & I'm sure there are others. Both offer plastic dispensers, if desired. Is the concern hydrocarbon oils from HDPE in particular? I believe other resin like PET would not have the same issue. But even so, I don't know if there's any perfect mainstream container that won't leach something - maybe with exception of glass -talking castile soap contents only.
Yes, you can wash veggies, shave, wash your floors, 😂 it’s amazing. Even brush your teeth. Just make sure it’s a good brand that is truly vegan with no fragrance
Liquid Castile soap conventrate 1 bar makes 1 quart of liquid soap concentrate Heat 1/2 gallon of distilled and filtered water Grate 2 bars of soap and mix into the hot water Stir until disolved Add 1 tablespoon of veg glycerin per quart of solution (prevents separation.) Let solution sit for 2 days and re-blend should any separation occur. Once reblended, it should remain a liquid indefinitely. Dilute 1:10 soap concentrate to water
It needs to be vegetable glycerin. It prevents separation, and makes your skin soft. It also soothes skin and helps it heal. So, if you have eczema or psoriasis, it's an extra added bonus!
I love Castile soap and I use it for homemade laundry detergent and dog shampoo, adding citronella Eoil to it. I bought the same jug on Amazon for $26 or whatever it was. I just bought the bars of Kirks and I'll be making the liquid soap and doing it that way! Thank you for the video! 😀
First I love your videos !! I do have a question?!? I’ve tried to make my own vegetable glycerin and no great success.. is it super necessary? And if so do you know how to make it?
I do this & use Kirk’s bars- I chop them in chunks, boil water, add the soap chunks to a quart sized mason jar, top with boiling water and cover overnight with a lid. Then I store it in the jar and use it when I make baby wipes. So same idea, different method. Honestly it seems to work well, especially for wipes 😊 -
@@hypersloth8442 hi, I use one whole bar. The consistency is fine in summer and spring, but when it starts cooing off it gels up. But, it’s completely usable just as it is. Or you could add some liquid Castile soap to it - some store bought, and that brings it to the liquid consistency
And u top it to the very top with boiling water. I just make sure to have the jar sitting on a rag or washcloth. Periodically I stir it & it seems to almost always all dissolve by morning. Some ppl make it this way and dilute it even further, I just feel like this way is easiest for me. I’ve used it for foaming hand soap and it worked well, except in the winter time. Anyway, I hope this is helpful.
@@sarahkirbach5040 that's great to know, thank you! Yes, I hear this makes concentrate but would have to be diluted down for use like face/body wash or shampoo
I just did this in the microwave yesterday. Worked really well. I also found a really handy grater with a twist arm (like am old fashioned classroom pencil sharpener) for like $6 that makes quick work of the bars. 🙂
@@loray2k a.co/d/fxbyAlR So I actually bought mine at my local Safeway store in Seattle, but I did a quick Amazon search and am pretty sure I found the exact same one. One thing to note is that it is a couple bucks more online. I love this thing though, so totally worth it in my opinion. I did see a few negative see a few negative reviews, but I haven't had a problem, so I give it a solid 4 or 4.5 stars. Hope that helps! 😃
I've found those super size Mason jars at Goodwill. I just bought 9 for about $13. And there's a greater wheel attachment for the KitchenAid mixer that would make frating so much easier for you.
I am new to your channel. Thank you for the video. Do you have any videos with recipes for using your castile soap? I am going to be making some. I need to learn how to use it for shampoo, laundry, dish soap, and general cleaning. Thank you.
I need your recipe with 1 quart and one bar of Dr. Bronner’s unscented soap. Added the glycerin. Watched a video many times so I did it exactly like you did and I have a solid gel mass. Any idea why?
Did you figure this out? Mine is also a solid mass. I followed each step but with the bronner’s bar. 1 x 140grams bar to 1.75 litres and added a little under a tbs of veg glycerin.
Bar soap is made with sodium hydroxide, liquid soap is made with potassium hydroxide. This is why the liquid castile soap you buy stays liquid and bars of castile soap dissolved in water want to turn back into bars.
Great video, thank you! I have mason jar sized pump soap dispensers. With your Kirks castile soap recipe you just made, what is the ratio you put in your soap dispensers? (A previous recipe I had found elsewhere said to use 1c castile soap to 1c water… which I felt was off). Curious to know your ratio. Also… the previous recipe I was using left a film in my stainless steel sink, does your recipe do that or maybe all castile soaps do? Thank you and God bless!
@@Ashley-xt9fw Send it to wisdompreserved.life@gmail.com There's a chance it is just solidifying and not mold. That sometimes happens. Does it look like a fermentation scooby for things like Kombucha? Send the image and I will check it out.
I just followed your video and made some Castile soap from the bar. However, my turn out slimy and in white color after 2 days. Do you have idea of what did I do wrong?
@@WisdomPreserved Please help, I’ve followed your video. I have a mass of solids in jar. I used bronners 5 Oz bar to 1.75 litres, and added a little under a tablespoon of vegetable glycerin. The bronners comes in a 5 Oz bar and not 4 Oz. I’m in Australia and it’s cold here at this time of year. What went wrong?
It shouldn't. If it sits for a long time in the bottle some of the castile soap may get stringy as you saw in the video. In addition, if it sits a really long time a solid layer may appear. It kind of looks like a fermenting scooby. Just mix it back in.
I did the Kirk's soap blend works great only thing after 2 days it was a giant ball or jam I did add glycerin probably 3 tab thinking maybe I need more also I placed it in a bucket so I can mix it looks like shaving cream. Mixer I use is on a drill and giant blade I usually use when I make laundry soap. I usually like to store them in buckets especially if I start making alot. I used 2 bars or Kirk's and 2liters of hot water used a grater mixed it in pot until water boiled then lowered it made sure it all mixed in well once it cooled off a bit still warm I added glycerin inside pot and mixed it again still warm I added into gallon container and shook it inside where it also looked super sudsy but mostly liquid. Stored in garage where it looks like think clump jam that's when I mixed it in bucket maybe next time I'll mix it in gear 1 where it's slowed. Mixer I used is usually the one for paint plastic paddle maybe all those suds will settle and I ha e to wait another day just hoping I can make better body wash liquid hand soap