I love Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap, the only problem is that when you use as much castile soap as I do the price can add up. The price around here is about 5 dollars for one of the smaller bottles. I had heard of Kirk’s castle bar soap, so I bought it to use in the shower. I really loved it and it is super cheap too compared to other soaps. It is all natural and made with coconut oil, but it does not smell like coconut. I found it in the regular soap aisle at Wal-Mart, less than $1.50 for 3 bars.
I had made liquid hand soap out of other bars of soap before, so I figured I could make this into liquid castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s. I grated up a bar of Kirk’s, put it in a big container, covered it with 10 cups of hot water, stirred and let it sit 24 hours.
After 24 hours I had a nice liquid soap, but very thin. I was actually a little disappointed and thought that I had watered it down too much, until I used it. It was still very sudsy and effective! You could use less water if you wanted it thicker but for me this works just fine. Here are some of the ways that we use it around our house:
Face/body wash in the shower (add baking soda for a great exfoliating wash)
Hand soap (in a regular pump bottle or about 1/4 soap to 3/4 water in a foaming dispenser)
In place of Dr. Bronner’s in my homemade shampoo (I double the amount for this)
To clean fruits and veggies from the store (to remove germs and pesticide residue if you buy conventionally grown produce)
In place of Dr. Bronner’s for cleaning (Diluted with hot water for mopping the floor, cleaning the walls, cabinets, etc.)
Bathing pets
Pest control in the garden (Drop bugs into a bucket of hot soapy water)
I really love this stuff and you can’t beat the price. You get 10 cups per bar of soap so that is almost 2 gallons for less than 2 dollars 
Little changes like this can make a big difference in your budget and eliminating toxic chemicals from your life. It takes hardly any time at all to make, it is cheap, all natural and works wonderfully. If you can think of any other uses for this please feel free to share in the comments. Enjoy!
<3 Ashley
Homemade Liquid Castile Soap:
1. Grate 1 bar of Kirk’s castile bar soap into large pot or container.
2. Add 10 cups hot water, stir and cover.
3. Let sit 24 hours, stir.
Note added on Feb. 6th 2013 – This liquid soap seems to thicken or gel up when cold, store in a warm area of your house and it should remain runny like it should be.
Thank you so much for this! I have also been wondering if there was a way to “replace” the Dr. Bonner’s Liquid Soap. I very much enjoy your blog and it has become another resource for me in my quest of living a more natural life. Thanks again.
You are very welcome Wendy! I am so glad you enjoy my blog and find the information useful
The main reason I wanted to do this was to share everything I am learning. Comments like yours that let me know I am helping others make it all worth it, thanks 
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Thanks for this I am allergic to olive oil so all castle soaps are out, and Dr. Bronner’s liquid Castile soap is in a lot of recipes I want to try, I am going to try it with a coconut Glycerine soap and see how I go.
Thanks
Hi Nesi, I must have missed your comment before I am sorry. This soap does not have olive oil in it, only coconut oil
It won’t let me Facebook “like”. What is you’re Facebook page called? I looked up the title of your blog and couldn’t find it.
Hi Amy! My blog does not have a Facebook page at this time, the like button is just to like this page. It will let me do it, so I am not sure why it is giving you a hard time, so sorry. If you want to share this on Facebook you can copy the link and post it in your status update, thanks
Hi Ashley, I was wondering… to end up with the nice scents of Bronners Castile soap, couldn’t you start with their bar soaps like you did with this recipe? And would microwaving the soap to melt it work instead of grating it? (I read someone microwaved their bar soap at another site) I am going to try this and hope my teenage daughter like it. She goes through so much shampoo and this would definitely be better for her hair. (and everyone elses)
Thanks for this site.
Hi Denise! That is a good question… actually no the Dr. Bronner’s Bars do not have the same results as this. I have tried both ways and this one definitely works a lot better. To get the same scent as Dr. Bronner’s you could buy the essential oils, which is great because you can choose the strength of the scent. I would not recommend microwaving because I have never tried it so I am not sure what would happen lol. I hope your daughter likes it! I have been using this to wash my face and using my green tea toner afterwards and my skin has never looked so good. I wish I had this as a teenager lol. Please come back and let me know how it worked out
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Have you used/experimented with this recipe in a foaming pump? Normally, the foaming solution soap is quite dilute, even watery.
Yes it is fantastic in a foaming soap dispenser! You can use essential oils to add scent too
I have been having nothing but trouble with the foaming pump. The pump gets clogged with this recipe after a day or two.
I’m afraid I can’t use the Kirk’s – or any bar – for the foamers.
Aileen I am not sure why it would not be working, I use an old Dial pump and an old Bath and Body Works pump and I have never had a problem. I have been using them for months. Sorry it is not working for you
Have you tried a different one? Are you adding water too and not just the liquid soap? Those are the only things I can think of that might cause a problem. Hope you get it figured out.
BTW I just noticed in your comment above you said normally those solutions are watery. This recipe should turn out very thin and watery too. I thought I had added too much water the first time I made it.
I have had two bars of Kirk’s Castile Soap in my laundry room for months… in hopes of finding a recipe like this!!!! Soap is in the pot!!! Can hardly wait until tomorrow!
I bought brand new foamers from a bottle wholesaler for this. I have a used foamer and am testing with a new foamer as well. (Two testing bottles, both of them clog.) I thought it was just my overworking the foaming pump.
I know the soap in a foamer has to be very watery. I have some farm-made castile that I’ve been using for a year. I’ve rinsed shampoo bottles and emptied that into a different foamer bottle. (Boy howdy does that get foamy!!)
Back to the Kirk’s….
First recipe was plain. Seemed ok for a day or two.
Second batch I tried glycerin and coconut oil. Gunk city – had to strain it. Still doesn’t work.
Third batch more issues. I’m not in front of my project right now, so don’t recall which bad result it was….Oh, maybe this was the olive oil test, thinking a more liquid oil to moisturize would be nice. I didn’t use more than a teaspoon for a half bar of Kirk’s. (Half bar batches were how I was testing.)
Fourth batch I bought some clear glycerin-based soap bars (looks like Pear’s). Again with the problems…. that time I used the handmixer, too.
I went and bought a bottle of Whole Foods 365 Shower Gel, thinking it might be the solid bar giving me a problem. This stuff diluted doesn’t foam. I tried it less diluted to no avail.
Tomorrow I am getting some 365 Shampoo to see if that works better.
Wish me SCADS of good luck.
Thanks for talking this through with me. As these are presents, all my friends I’d normally talk with about it I can’t because they’re the targets of the gifts!
Ok I can see why you are having problems. This recipe works great for Kirk’s castile soap but not necessarily other kinds. Each soap if different so you will get different results. I have made liquid soap out of other soaps that needed A LOT more water or else they will turn gunky like you said. Also some will foam less than others. I have had the best results by far with the Kirk’s brand. If you were having problems with the Kirk’s brand I honestly don’t know what to say because I have never had a problem, sorry. The whole point of this was to be a replacement for Dr. Bronner’s but if you can find it (I know Target sells it) that works really well in the foam pumps too.
Oh good I am glad you found my little blog
try the same with soapnut solution instead of castile soap
i’m talking abt shampoo
I have heard of those but have not tried them yet, thanks for the idea!
I used other soaps because the Kirk’s did not work. I expected it to work, and when it didn’t, I tried others….
But I thank you for your conversation about it.
Sorry it did not work out for you I wish I had an answer but I just have no clue :/
We certainly did try!
Hi Aileen, is your house cool in the winter? We heat with a wood stove so our temperature varies. I noticed when I tried to make liquid from a Kirks bar, it foamed really good at first, then after a couple hour when it cooled off it turned harder, and clogged the foaming bottle. I am not sure if it was because it was too cold for it or what.
Dawn I am thinking that must be the case. We have a wood stove too and the liquid kirks in the kitchen where it is colder seems to be getting thicker. I never did have this problem in the summer (when I posted this) :/
Ashley, I stumbled on your blog from another one (I’ve already passed it on to my mother, too) and am trying the shampoo recipe, after I make this liquid soap. I have a question on using it in the shampoo recipe, though. You mention that you “double the amount for this.” What exactly are you refering to? Double the soap bars in this recipe (to two bars), double the amount of liquid castile soap called for in the shampoo recipe (using 1/2 cup instead of 1/4 cup)…?? Thanks for the clarification and your generous work to share with others!!
Thank you Belinda! Sorry for the confusion. I double the amount of the liquid castile soap that I use in the shampoo recipe. I am not really sure if it is needed, that is just how I do it lol. I hope you like it
Would I use this same recipe to bathe dogs in?
I personally think it is way better than the dog shampoo they sell at the stores, loaded with chemicals, perfumes, and dyes. Dogs can be very sensitive to that stuff too!
Thank you so very much! I am trying to be frugal and healthy all at once and this really fit the bill! Pinned!
Glad to help Tay! Thank you for the comment and pin
I hope some of my other recipes can help you as well!
Have you ever had a batch turn to “snot”? I grated the soap (Kirk’s), added it to about 8 cups hot water and it dissolved nicely. I let it sit overnight and the next morning it was a firm gel. I thought the gel would break up when I stirred it, like the homemade liquid laundry soap I’ve made, but instead it was exactly like soapy snot. (I should have checked here first — maybe it’s because I didn’t let it sit for the full 24 hours?) I tried adding more water and breaking it up with a hand mixer but that just made slimy foam. LOL! Sooooo then I warmed it again and tried stirring it while it cooled but nope, snotty slime again. Is this happening because I’m not letting it sit undisturbed for the full 24 hours?
Hi there. I always use 10 cups of hot water so I am not sure how big of a difference 2 cups of water would make. I have experimented with a few kinds of soap and most do seem to turn into a snotty consistency but I have never had that problem with the Kirks. I have noticed recently that the liquid Kirk’s I keep under the kitchen sink seems to be thickening up on the bottom… Not sure if it is because it has been under there for a while or because it is cold in the kitchen. I also keep some under the bathroom sink upstairs where it is warmer and do not have that problem. The only thing I can think of is maybe you need to add more water during the first time you dissolve it? I don’t know what else it could be since I have not had that problem, sorry.
Okay! Next time I will do exactly what you do and hopefully it will work better! I might trying redoing this batch and letting it sit for the full 24 hours. Thanks!
I hope it works out for you
Thank you for this recipe. I am looking to replace my son’s 365 Whole Foods body wash with a Castile-based recipe. Glad I found your blog. Great job- natural living and save money too!
Hi Victoria, glad to help! I hope it works out for you
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What is the shelf life of this liquid soap? Thanks for all your effort.
Hi Carmen! I am not sure how long it takes to go bad, I use it all up before that happens. We use it for so many things lol. It does seem to thicken on the bottom the longer it sits though. I would not recommend letting it sit longer than say a month.
Ashley, do you have hard water in your area? I have used the kirk’s castille soap in my laundry soap for a bit, but I believe it was leaving excess oils in our clothes due to the hard water, and thus making them smell – yuck
… so just wondering what all to use this on in my area. Thanks for all the different ideas
Hi Tabitha, I am pretty sure we do have hard water. I have not tried Kirk’s in laundry soap so I don’t have any results to compare sorry. I use Fels Naptha in my detergent and it does a great job
I’ve read about Castile soap and stumbled upon some today at Walmart in the bar soap aisle. I plan on making the liquid soap and am interested in knowing the recipe for the shampoo. Wha is the recipe for the shampoo? Thanks!
Hi Kiva. You can find my shampoo recipe here: http://ashleyshomemadeadventures.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/homemade-shampoo/
Thanks!
Most liquid soap recipes I’ve found online say to use distilled water. Why would this be better than tap water?
Hi Joyce,
Distilled water is the purest, therefore the safest to use. You will be storing it for a time so you want to make sure it is not contaminated with anything. Here is some info about the difference:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5079200_difference-distilled-water-tap-water.html
My first attempt at liquid soap making is not going too well. I used one bar of Kirk’s and 1 gallon of water. It’s has sat for 24 hours, I’ve beat it up 3 times and it is still only soapy looking on the top and the rest is like water. Shall I just use it as is, or maybe heat it up a bit and beat some more?
Hi Joyce,
I am not sure how well it would work with a gallon of water. I use 10 cups. It still looks water even with only 10 cups, but still works great. I hope that helps!
I only use 10 cups of water and it is already very thin and watery, but still works great. I am not sure how well it will work using 16 cups of water. Maybe heat it back up and add another half of a bar? Not sure how well it would work though. You will get different results with different amounts of water and different types of soap. Hope that helps!
I am going to try this recipe and add a little vinegar to se if it improves shelf life..it worked in my old shampoo recipe, though the recipe itself did not work well for me…and there was oil in it so..it works for pickles, right? so I am going to try it out…
Oh I hope you haven’t yet! Castile soap and vinegar don’t mix well. It makes it clumpy and basically ruins it.
I mean, for the shampoo recipe…
Great idea, I hope it works well for you
Hi Ashley, Thanks for all your work and sharing with the rest of us. Have you tried to use your liquid castile soap in a recipe for the dishwasher?
Hi Judy. Thank you! No I have not, but I do have a recipe for dishwasher detergent on here as well
http://ashleyshomemadeadventures.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/grandma-approved-homemade-dishwasher-detergent/
Do you ever use this to wash dishes with? I have heard of people using Dr. Bronner’s as dish soap and was curious if this would be safe for that too.
I don’t see why not but I can’t say for sure since I have not tried it. Good luck
I’d also love to know about using this with dishes! I’d imagine if it’s safe to wash off veggies with it’d be safe with dishes.
Hi Melissa. I am not sure, I have never tried it. Please let us know how it works if you do
I have not made my own liquid castile yet but I do make my own laundry detergent – both powder and liquid – and making the liquid is virtually the same process so for all of those experiencing “goo” or separation of ingredients, I have found the best way to solve that is to use an immersion blender to thoroughly mix everything. It works great for my 5-gallon buckets of detergent so I’m sure it would work for this too. Good luck!
I use my immersion blender for this and my laundry detergent too, love that thing! lol.
Hi Ashley, I just found your blog and thank you thank you for your recipes. Especially the dish soap. I can’t wait to get the ingredients. I just made laundry soap, so look forward to other homemade items.
Thank you again.
Thanks Terri, glad you found my little blog
Ashley, I wished I would have read this earlier. I just bought a 32oz bottle of Dr. Bonner’s Castile soap for $17 at Target – oh my goodness. I should have just put the bottle down and walked away. So, thanks for this recipe! Just a note, I told Momma about trying the stuff and she is curious to see the results. She remember’s her mother washing clothes growing up with castile soap.
Do you know what department in Walmart I could find Kirk’s?
I would still probably use Dr. Bronner’s in the winter and this is the summer since it does seem to gel up in the cold for some reason. Kirk’s is in the regular soap aisle
I’m curious if anyone has tried adding a small amount of natural oil for moisturizer (I’m thinking coconut oil) with good results? I would think if essential oils mix into it just fine that other oils would as well..?
Heather, I found a 3-pack of Kirk’s bars in the normal bar soap aisle.
Hi Rayni,
I am not sure I would use coconut oil because it solidifies under a certain temperature. If I were going to try it I would try grapeseed or olive oil. I think mixing it with a regular or hand blender would be the best way. If you try it please let us know how it comes out
Thank you for this. For those asking about laundry, National Geographic has a high efficiency laundry soap substitute recipe (just Google it) that uses liquid castile soap. I might try the Kirk’s after my big expensive bottle runs out!
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Hello!! I am new to your site…and am really impressed!!! I was looking for a way to replace Dr. Bronner’s..this is amazing! Thank You!!
Hi Lorie,
Thank you! I hope you like it
I’m thinking the reason everyone is having problems…some have watery results, some snotty results
and some have a gel or solid on their hands, must be do to the temperature they keep the soap at. Since Kirk’s is made with coconut oil only, we all know that coconut oil is very temperature sensitive. I tried this myself and it started out as a runny liquid, but over time it started to solidify. Eventually is was a rather solid mass. I kept it in the mudroom which was cool in Winter. We use a wood stove also. Now that Summer is here it’s still a ‘solid’ mass, but that’s o k. I just open it up, grab a dollop and add a little more water to it. I’ve been using Dr Bonner’s on my hair and it left it really greasy. I shampooed with Kirk’s this morning and it’s back to normal again. I’m switching!