This DIY play dough soap tutorial has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #allessentials #allsulfatefree #CollectiveBias

Anyone who has been around the blog for awhile knows that I’ve got some favorite ways to keep things clean… like a favorite laundry soap that gets my clothes clean, and a favorite dish towel that gets my dishes clean. But I have found my all-time favorite way to get my kiddo clean, and that’s with a little bit of good, old-fashioned messy play. That’s right. I’m getting him messy to get him clean! The secret is something that’s one part sensory activity, one part bathtime hero: DIY Play Dough Soap. The best part? It’s only got 3 ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

 

 

A post shared by Jenni at MamaPlusOne.com (@mamaplus1) on Apr 15, 2017 at 10:51am PDT

When you have a 5-year-old boy, mud is pretty much unavoidable. I mean, it’s springtime in Kansas, and it rains non-stop. The rain even follows us. When we were in Missouri last month, we experienced 15 inches in 14 days. That means there is always plenty of mud for playtime. It also means that I need to be armed with enough laundry detergent to keep the washing machine going, and it means I better have a darn good way of getting my son in the tub without protest.

After a busy day of jumping in puddles, squishing sand, and burying every possible limb in mud, I like to reach for the all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® on the top shelf of the laundry detergent section of my local Walmart store. Right there in the store, I can read the ingredients, and I love it because sulfate free all ^® is one of the first laundry brands that lists this right on the package. It’s part of how I know it’s the right fit for my family.

As my family transitions to more sulfate free options in our body wash and hair care, I love that we can transition to that same standard in our laundry care. NEW sulfate free all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® delivers a powerful clean without harshness, and because it infuses the fabric with powerful cleaning ingredients, I know it will clean deeply and lift even tough stains from my son’s playtime.

But when it comes to keeping my son clean, that seems to be another story, and since I’m tired of the bathtime fights, I decided to make a change there, too.

DIY Play Dough Soap Ingredients

To make this super-easy DIY, you’ll only need 3 ingredients.

• Cornstarch
• Sulfate-free body wash (any kind you’d like!)
• Food coloring (optional, but very fun!)

That’s it. Seriously.

DIY Play Dough Soap Instructions

The dough is really easy to make, too.

Simply start with 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part body wash. I like to start with 2/3 cups cornstarch and 1/3 cup body wash for a small batch. Stir the mixture together until it’s all combined. If the resulting mixture is too solid, add a bit more body wash. Too liquid? Add some cornstarch.

If it gets too firm to mix in the bowl, transfer to a lightly cornstarch-coated surface and knead until everything is well-combined.

You’ll know the mixture is right when it can hold a print, but isn’t too stiff to make the print in the first place. You can even stop a little sooner, when it oozes slightly if you want more of a “slime” texture.

Work in about 4-6 drops of food coloring to get the right color you’d like. I went with some neon colors, but you can use any colors you’d like. If you don’t want your hands stained, you can use gloves to mix it, but once it’s well combined, it won’t stain your hands during bathing. The only real risk of staining occurs during the mixing process, so don’t fret!

This is so much fun to play with– you can even mold it into fun shapes!

You’ll want to store it in an airtight container until bathtime to avoid the DIY play dough soap drying out… if it does dry out, coat it in some shower gel and try your best to knead the gel in.

When your child comes in crazy muddy from play, strip the clothes into the laundry and start a load with sulfate-free all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS®, then put your kiddo in the bath with your sulfate-free DIY play dough soap.

My son loves to play with it, and I love that he is excited about bathtime again because of it. I’m always trying to find ways to make bath time more fun, which is why I love the shower jelly that I shared recently… but honestly, this soap got him way more excited, and I love that he has fun playing with it in the tub!

The ingredients are tub-safe and easily dissolve, and the cornstarch is great for softening his skin, too. I pinch off small dime-sized amounts for him to play with, scrub with, and enjoy. He loves sculpting it before scrubbing off (and don’t worry, even if it leaves some fun colors on the skin or the side of the tub, it’ll wash right off of both with a little water!)

What is your secret to getting clean after muddy play?

Mine is definitely a combination of this soap for body and all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® for clothes. I love that they tell me why the ingredients are in the soap, and exactly what’s there. It means I can be confident about the ingredients that are cleaning my family’s clothing. If you’re ready to make the switch to brand-new, sulfate free all® detergent, there’s a digital coupon available here from now until July 31 or while supplies last. It’ll save you $1.50 off of any 1 bottle of all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® in fragrance-free or fresh scent.

More Messy Play and Cleanup Ideas

DIY Jelly Soaps
Homemade Chalk Recipe
Unicorn Kinetic Sand
5 Ways to Make Bathtime More Fun

More Great Reasons to Use sulfate-free all®

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Free to Be Me Party
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