Before we begin, let me stress that soap-making can be dangerous. Although it is easy to become comfortable with the process, you should only make soap when you fully understand the safety procedures.

 

Here is some general homemade soap information

Soap is made in two parts, lye and water, plus a mixture of oils. The two don't combine easily, so they must be brought to similar temperatures. Lye and water get very hot when mixed, so the mixture must cool before being added to the oils.

 

The oils must be gently heated.  Every oil has a different saponification index, which is a measure of how much lye is required to turn that oil into soap. This means, if you run out of coconut oil, don't go replacing it with olive oil.

 

Lye is VERY caustic, so don't get any on your skin. It also gives off nasty fumes, so use goggles and very good ventilation or a respirator. Check out the Materials Safety Data Sheet on lye.

 

You will also need a mold. You could use a 9 x 13 cake pan and line it with wax paper.  

 

Homemade soap: 
The hardest thing about soap is knowing when it is done. This is judged by a state called "trace." This is when a dribble of soap kind of stays on the surface instead of sinking into the pot. Think honey on a counter top as it slowly flattens out.

 

Homemade Soap Recipe

• Lye — Mix in large pyrex measuring cup, stir with a wooden or plastic spoon. Again, do not breathe the fumes. Wear goggles.

• 16 ounces purified water

• 7 ounces lye 

• Oils (Mix in a big pot.)

• 36 ounces Olive oil  (Use the cheap pomace olive oil; virgin doesn't work as well.)

• 16 ounces Coconut oil 

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Place the water in a glass or plastic pitcher then add the lye to the water.  Do not add water to lye, miss the mixture with a eooden or plastic spoon. Let lye mixture cool to 110 degrees F. Warm oils to 110 degrees F. When both are at the same temperature, slowly pour lye mixture into oils. Mix with a stick blender until trace, periodically scraping sides and bottom of pan with a spatula. I mix with short pulses of the blender, and it only takes about three minutes.

 

At trace, add 10 milliliters of your favorite essential oil. Mix as little as possible, just enough to combine. 

 

Pour into mold. Keep warm, place blankets over the soap for 24 hours to keep the heat in and help the chemical reaction.

 

The next day, when soap has set, cut it into bars and store, separated nicely, on brown paper in cool place. Turn over after two weeks. Use after one month.

 

 

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