Why We Chose to Make Dish Soap Solid?
There was a time when I had no choice but to resign from the job I had worked so hard for because of childcare challenges. At the same time, my child was struggling with severe skin issues, with peeling skin and frequent nights of discomfort from rhinitis. There were so many nights when I could only watch my child cry, feeling helpless because I didn't know what else I could do.
Desperate to find answers, I began reading reports and researching environmental factors that could affect our health. Along the way, I learned that everyday chemical ingredients found in household products could be one of the factors worth looking into.
Liquid detergents, in particular, often require ingredients such as emulsifiers, thickeners and surfactants to keep different components mixed together and provide the desired texture and cleaning performance. Because liquids are also more susceptible to spoilage, preservatives are commonly needed to maintain their shelf life.
This led us to question something simple: Do we really need all these ingredients just to wash our dishes?
And that question became the starting point for our journey towards a solid dish soap.
The Beginning of Mamaforest’s Natural Dish Soap Bar
As a mom, one of the first things that caught my attention was the liquid dish soap we use every day in our kitchen.
One day, I came across a newspaper article that shared a shocking fact: the amount of dish soap residue we may unknowingly consume from our dishes can add up to the equivalent of three soju glasses in a year — and five bottles over ten years.
No matter how thoroughly we washed or how many times we rinsed, could detergent residue still be making its way into our bodies? I began looking more closely at the ingredients in everyday dishwashing products and started asking myself whether there could be a safer alternative for my family.
Then came a simple question:
“If dish soap were solid instead of liquid, could we eliminate some of the ingredients needed simply to keep a liquid formula stable and usable?”
The first thing that came to mind was natural handmade soap, something I had loved for years. I knew handmade soap had its limitations, but I also believed that if we could overcome those challenges, we could create a dish soap that was both effective and more thoughtfully made.
And so, we started experimenting. After countless tests, Mamaforest developed a solid dishwashing bar made through the traditional handmade saponification process, offering a different approach to the conventional liquid dishwashing detergent.
But Could a Solid Soap Really Clean Well?
That became our next challenge.
We spent a long time exploring natural ingredients and traditional cleansing methods that have been used for generations.
We looked at familiar ingredients such as sugar, salt, coffee grounds and baking soda, as well as naturally derived cleansing ingredients that can help create a surfactant-like cleaning effect.
Through continuous testing, we discovered that the key was not simply using “natural” ingredients, but finding the right combination, process and balance.
“Soap? In the Kitchen?”
At the time we were developing our dish bar, more brands were beginning to introduce natural dishwashing products with cleaner ingredient choices.
We welcomed the change.
There was also a growing movement overseas towards returning to simple, traditional soap-based cleaning products as people became more conscious of both personal wellbeing and environmental impact.
It gave us hope that we were moving in the right direction.
But we also realised something important:
If a natural product wasn't good enough to change the way people wash their dishes, would it really make a difference?
We tried countless natural dishwashing products that promised a better alternative. Many had beautiful, simple designs and thoughtful ingredients. Even when they were more expensive, we were willing to pay the premium if they truly delivered. But too often, we found ourselves compromising.
Some relied heavily on naturally derived surfactants to maintain a liquid formula. Others simply didn't clean grease well enough. And when it came to solid soaps, we encountered different problems.
Some had weak cleansing power. Some broke apart easily. Some became soft too quickly. Some didn't lather well, while others were too small for their price or became unusable before we could finish them.
Our reaction was always the same:
“It's not bad… but is it really something I want to keep using?”
We didn't want Mamaforest to be another product that was simply “natural enough.”
So We Decided to Do It Properly
From the very beginning, our approach was simple: If we're going to make it, let's make it properly.
That meant we refused to compromise on product performance. We tested, adjusted and tested again. We even delayed the initial launch because the product wasn't ready until we ourselves were completely satisfied with it.
We wanted to create a dish bar that we would genuinely choose for our own homes — one that could stand on its own not because it was natural, but because it worked.
We believed the product had to be good enough to change the way people think about dishwashing.
That persistence eventually led to the creation of Mamaforest Natural Dish Bar — a solid dishwashing soap born from one mother's simple question and a determination to find a better answer.