Homemade Mechanic Soap (Pumice Soap)

I really enjoy making soap because it’s just so darn easy. And the results are always something that can be used. Sure somebody can use a felt pouch I sew up for them, but will they?

As far as I know, the soap I have made and gifted has all been used and that makes me super happy. After all, it’s something we all have to buy and getting a necessity free is pretty awesome in my book. Granted I have a tendency to ask for things like socks and vacuum cleaners as gifts and then get super stoked to actually receive them :)

Mechanic soap is something that is always next to the sink in the guest room. Always. Well, unless I’ve gone through a cleaning fit in which it might be below the sink waiting for me to put it back in place. But man, oh, man, after I get that sink all shiny and clean I don’t want to busy it back up with STUFF.

Though I am not a mechanic I still use mechanics soap on the regular, mostly to quickly remove paint from my hands. I’m one of those crafters who gets lost in the moment meaning I have several moments, erm, days, where I get to walk around with stained hands because I was too lost to put on a freaking pair of gloves.

Mechanic soap is great. It’s a pumice filled soap that uses the exfoliant to grab at stuff on the skin you neeed to pull away. It also uses a grease cutter, in this case orange oil, to remove oily residue from skin easily. And it can easily be made at home which is awesome if you like to DIY super useful things.

Want to make mechanic soap at home?

For each bar of homemade mechanics soap you will need:

• 4 ounces of suspending melt and pour soap base
• 1/2 tablespoon ground pumice stone
• 12 drops orange oil
• orange soap colorant (optional)
• microwave-safe measuring cup
• bar soap mold – I got mine from Hobby Lobby, but from what I can tell this is almost exactly the same

The type of storebought mechanics soap I’ve got in my guest bathroom uses pumice to help scrub away paint and citrus to help cut the grease and so those are the same things I’ve used to start making my own at home because I know how well it works.

Though it’s not required, I bought a cheapie scale at Amazon and now I measure out my soap in ounces so I get nice, evenly sized bars. Totally NOT a necessity but it’s kept me from wasting soap by melting more than I actually need for a project so it might be worth the small investment for you, too! (I LOVE THIS THING)

Cut your soap into chunks and place into a microwave-safe measuring cup. Melt in 15-30 second increments until you just have a little bit of solid soap still floating around.  Using the heat of the already melted soap and the glass, gently still the soap and watch everything finish liquifying. This method of finishing up your soap ensures you won’t accidentally burn it, which can disrupt your soap setting up properly.

Add 1/2 a tablespoon of pumice and 12 drops of orange oil to the melted soap base.

FYI – any more pumice and you’re gonna rub your hands raw! After some experimentation, my fave is right at 1/2 a tablespoon per bar but feel free to make a tester and go up or down based on your personal preferences/needs.

Add color, if using, and gently stir your soap to incorporate.

When cooled down enough to not melt your soap mold, pour the soap.

Spray with alcohol to pop any bubbles floating on top. Allow to sit flat for several minutes to begin setting up at which point you can move to the fridge for a quicker setup. Once fully solidified pop out of the mold.

Mechanics soap works really well for paint covered hands, an affliction which I tend to suffer from quite often! The pumice is the perfect exfoliant to rub away the paint (see how it’s sticking to the bar) and the orange oil is the perfect way to cut through grease. If you’re a maker of just about any kind, you’re gonna love making this soap!