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When the fat is cooked down and you've gotten all the grease out of it, it's time to strain out the solids. Make sure
that you don't burn the fat as the soap will not be as good. I use cheese cloth in a funnel shaped strainer. The picture shows
it coming out as a beautiful amber color.
Next, add the water slowly into the fat. By adding it, you'll cool it down and it will start to solidify. You always
hear that oil and water don't mix, but you're about to make it happen!
You'll want to make sure that the mix looks blended. You don't want to add the lye into it until it is. Let me stop and
say that from this step on, you want to use some caution. First of all, Lye is an alkali
and will burn your skin or eyes severely. Secondly, from this stage on, do not use any utensils that are aluminum as the lye
will act like an acid to it. The below picture is what you're looking for. It will look consistent and not show any separation
of the oil.
You'll notice that the saponification is already taking place! Look closely and note that soap bubbles are forming on
the top of your liquid. Click on the picture to see it better.
Now, in the final stages it's all a matter of sight. When you've cooked it a while it will look like very thick, creamy
chicken soup. You will want to have your molds ready as the mix has to be poured up as soon as it comes together. We use old
baking pans with Saran wrap in them to prevent sticking. Click on the picture for a better view.
| Note that soap is already forming on the edge! |
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Now you can pour it into molds. Once again, make sure that you don't use aluminum. The soap will take at
least a couple of days to harden enough to cut into bars. Even then it will be softer than the final product. It is usable
as soon as it's hard enough. It will probably take a week or so to really get hard.
See my notes at the bottom regarding cure time.
| Haley is helping keep the wrap from folding in. |
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A lot of people ask me what the cure time is on my soap. This soap has no real cure time. What they
are referring to is when the lye content or Ph is down low enough to handle with your bare hands. Cold processed soap (soap
done without a fire) has to be set up for several weeks before the lye is at a reasonable amount and it won't burn your skin.
This recipe allows the lye to break down and dissolve during the cooking. In fact, when I demonstrate this at shows,
I clean my pot out bare handed as soon as the temperature is cool enough on the pot. It is an extremely mild soap and has
never burned me chemically.
If you mix an alkali (Lye) and an acid together you get a salt. Chemically, soap is a salt and 7 would be
perfect. But don't worry if it's not a 7. Just look at these!
Camay
9.5
Dial 9.5
Dove 7.0
Irish
Spring 9.5
Ivory 9.5
Lever 2000 9.0
Palmolive 10.0
Zest
10.0
If you are using a cast iron pot as I do, make sure that you don't put cold water in a hot pot. Wait to
clean up until it's cooled down. Cold water will crack the cast iron and ruin the pot. But once it's cool,
put water in it and simply wash it out. There will only be soap in it so it comes very clean! Don't forget to wipe it
dry and grease it down to prevent rusting.
This soap does not make a lot of suds as other soaps do. If you want suds, you can experiment with coconut
oils. Also, a lot of folks have asked about adding herbs and things. If you want to put these in, add them in after the
mix sheets and you're about to pour. I leave my soap as basic and simple as possible. I get a lot of requests from deer
hunters and people with allergies. The hunters like it because it doesn't leave a smell on you and a lot of people have told
me that their skin cleared up after using it. Have fun making soap!
Granny
did it, so can you!
Click here to write me. I'll be glad to answer any questions!
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Now, measure out 5 lbs of the liquid fat. I have a stainless pitcher that just happened to hold half that amount
so I just use 2 of them. Bathroom scales are sufficient for your measurement. Put the fat in the iron pot and make sure
that you have pure, clean liquid.
The mix will start to turn into a greasy cream. Start your fire under the pot. I use small splits of pine. With
these you can bring the heat up quickly if you want to and also you can maintain control the heat better.
Now measure out 10 ounces of lye. This is Red Devil Lye that is found in the grocery store along with drain openers.
Yes, that's what your Granny used, too! She may have used lye made from the ashes of hardwood fire, but it's the
same chemical. Powdered lye has been around since the 1700's and is easier to get consistent soap from. You may have heard folks
talk about lye soap that burns the skin, but if you accurately measure the same amount, you'll get the same soap. Here,
I use a glass jar that has the ounces labeled on it. Sprinkle slowly and stir so that it all dissolves. I
use a wooden paddle to mix.
Now bring the fire up under the pot. You'll want to cook the soap mixture from 30 minutes to an hour. Stir occasionally
and keep it from boiling over. A slow boil is perfect.
Ok, here is the most important picture on the page! Notice that I've dipped my wooden
paddle into the mix and it sheets off of it. You can click on the picture to enlarge. But don't be fooled! Before it gets
to this stage, it will look like it's going to sheet but will still have a little clear drop if you wait a minute. Don't pour
if you see any clear liquid hanging with your icicles! It should look like hot wax that's hardening off of the paddle. When
you have sheeting like this, pull the fire away with a shovel and pour it up!
| A soapmaker's happiest moment! |
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