How to Make Foaming Hand Soap

This idea comes from our friend Ashley Poskin. "This particular soap is especially important in our household because we have a four-year-old who is very, ​very​ enthusiastic about washing her hands," she says. "While we're happy about keeping germs at bay, we found ourselves having to refill the soap dish about once a week. Now, one pump fills her little hand with a huge swirl of foam and cuts down on the amount going down the drain."

Homemade foaming hand soap is not only fun to use, it's a step in the right direction towards a more sustainable home. On average, we throw out about 25 bottles of hand soap per household every year. With the investment of one foaming soap pump and the ingredients to go with, you can significantly decrease your contribution of soap bottles headed for the landfill. Additionally, foam soap is lighter and requires less water to rinse—which means you're also conserving water.

The measurement of ingredients below are for a 13-ounce bottle, like the one pictured here. Tea tree, peppermint, lemon, and eucalyptus oils are antibacterial and antimicrobial, and make great choices for hand soap. Since the foam comes out in a lather, it's important to remember to scrub​ to get the germs off. So, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, then rinse.