Soap Makers Help!

[Queen Scoot]

is it really hard to make soap?
i am a lil intimadated here

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I liken it to baking or cheesemaking...it's not difficult, per se, but it is fussy. You MUST be precise with your measurements, and careful with your temperatures, etc. But I do believe that just about anyone can do it--go for it!

 

[BirdBrain]

Queen,
I don't even measure temps any more. I heat the oils until they are just barely melted and I use 2/3 of my water measurement in ice cubes so that my lye is ready to go really soon. Soap making is just like cooking. You measure carefully and the rest is just experience. You will learn to detect trace very early and you will begin to understand the relationships of certain oils with how they perform in your soap. WWW.soapcalc.com is my favorite site for developing recipes. It lets me see what I am likely to get as a result before I even make it.

For an easy recipe, try this:

Olive 23.5 oz
Coconut (76 degree 14.5
Palm 12
Castor oil 7.5

Water 17.25 oz
Lye 8.08 oz

All of the oils you can get at a good grocery store. For palm oil, look for unsaturated cooking shortening. Castor is available in the pharmacy area. Coconut and olive are available with the other cooking oils. You can get lye at Ace or True value hardware stores and sometimes Lowes. Lowes sells a brand called Riobic and Ace and True Values brand is usually Rooto.

You need an accurate scale that measures ounces. This recipe is superfatted at 5%. You could just use 8 ounces of Lye and you would be just fine.

The first time I made this recipe I added 2 Tablespoons of poppy seeds and 3 tsp orange EO at trace. It turned out to a be a favorite around here. You can make it with out the addatives and it makes a very nice unscented bar.

Have fun!!

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Don, prayers being said for you and your surgery staff.

Easy soap recipes and pictures can be found on my soapmaking site

I got in a couple new FOs last week (to round up my order to reach free shipping). I'm in lurve with "Lemongrass & Sage". Made a 12# batch last weekend.

Boy-o, did it accelerate trace!! My green swirl is more like green globs, but it sure does smell good!! My spinning student came by as I was unmolding and she promptly bought one, with the understanding she can only sniff it the next 3-4 weeks!!

 

[Don]

Quote:
I was really intimidated to begin with as well. I was so worried about wasting materials or getting a negative reaction from the lye / water mixture. I have to tell you though, as Nike says ... "Just Do It".

Seriously, just find a simple recipe ... mix it up ... and watch it go.

Here's a list of basic items that I used to get started as well as a simple recipe:

1 @ 4 cup heavy glass measuring cup (mine is Pyrex)
1 @ 8 cup heavy glass measuring cup (wal-mart, $6.00)
1 @ 1 cup heavy glass measuring cup

1 @ 4 quart plastic mixing bowl with handle/pouring lip

1 @ analog kitchen scale (8.00 @ wal mart)

Plastic mixing spoon
1 @ immersion / stick blender (19.00 @ wal mart)

(the 10.00 one they sell will burn up ... trust me, I know.

) (I picked up a spare yesterday at Goodwill for 4.00 too.

I personally recommend you get one at LEAST 200 watts, the one that burnt up was 100 watts ... not enough power.)
A 'bullet' blender, as seen on TV ... for grinding the oatmeal.

I'd imagine a regular blender or coffee grinder would work too.
2 stainless steel 'instant read' thermometers

(10.00 for 2 @ Sams club)
newspapers to lay down on the kitchen counter to work on
I have a mechanics face shield for the lye mixing,

but inexpensive safety goggles will work.
disposable latex or rubber gloves
Something to mold in. My first pour was into mini loaf pans that I put baggies and wax paper in. I recommend the baggies, not wax paper though. Butcher paper would work better.
Keep some white vinegar on hand in case of skin/lye contact, it will neutralize it.

As far as ingredients:

I use distilled water ... soft water will work better than tap water though if you dont get distilled.

Louana coconut oil ... from grocery store

Canola cooking oil ... like I use in my deep fryer for turkeys! hehehe
Armour brand lard

Quaker oatmeal
Rooto brand lye (sold as drain opener)

Here is a basic recipe for you:

10oz distilled water
4.5oz lye
16oz lard
8oz canola oil
8oz coconut oil
3/4 cup ground oatmeal
2tsp sugar
1tsp salt
OPTIONAL: 2 tsp essential oil - to be mixed in at trace (I havent yet)

This is a very basic recipe that will yield 2lbs of soap. You can use a 2lb 'log' mold or whatever you wish ... just make sure that you have enough to handle 2lbs of liquid. Also make sure they are lined with plastic baggies or butcher paper or the like.

It is important to note that if you use an analog scale and not a digital one ... you will need to 'bump' it ass you measure out your ingredients. By putting some in, bump the cup to make the needle move, add more and bump again. They can be accurate, but small measurements wont make the need move on their own. This is very important when weighing lye. Personally, I would recommend a digital food scale if you can get one. I'm just used to doing this with gunpowder so I dont mind.

1: Prepare your lye solution. While wearing your goggles/gloves ... measure out the water into a glass measuring cup then pour into the big plastic one. Measure the lye into a small glass and set aside.

At this point I take about half of this water and mix the salt and sugar into it until completely dissolved then return it to the rest of the 10oz of water in the big plastic measure. If I do it in the big plastic bowl, I cant see if it's all dissolved cause the big bowl is white.

If you try to mix the salt and sugar in after the lye is mixed, it will solidify and the salt and sugar will be wasted. (I know, I tried it.

)

Then I take the water, in the big plastic bowl, and the lye (still in the glass) and mixing spoon outside. Lay down papers on your sturdy working surface (picnic table?). Gradually stir the LYE INTO THE WATER ... not the other way around. ALWAYS ADD LYE TO WATER ... never water to lye. If you get the lye on you, rinse with vinegar and cold running water.

It will heat up and probably steam, please dont breathe those fumes. Continue to stir until the lye is completely dissolved in the water then leave it to cool. Rinse the plastic spoon w water.

2: While the lye is cooling, I prepare my oils. I put the oils into the smaller measuring cups to SLOWLY melt them ... one at a time ... in the microwave then I pour them all into my big glass measure. It's important to only heat the lard to the point of melting and not beyond as it will STINK and possibly discolor if you overheat it.

Once your oils are all measured out, melted and poured into the big glass measure ... use one of the thermometers to check the temp. I personally prefer my oils AND lye water be at about 100 degrees when I mix them. A few degrees either way wont matter, but try to get them close. Some soapers make the lye water well in advance and bring it to room temp before mixing. I dont have the patience for that. Hehehe

3: Once your lye water and oils have cooled to about 100 degrees, slowly pour the lye water into the oils using the stick blender as a spoon to stir by hand ... dont turn it on just yet. Once the lye water is all stirred in, you can turn the blender on for short periods to continue mixing. Don't run it continually or you'll burn it up. Run it for a while, then stir, then run it, then stir. Do not raise it out of the mixture or it will splash and mix air into your soap. Continue stirring until it comes to trace.

4: Trace: When it thickens, you need to test for trace. With the stick blender OFF, stir then lift it out of the mixture and let some drip onto the surface of the mix. If you can see a trail or "trace" of the soap on top ... you're ready for the next step. If not, continue to mix for a few more minutes and try again. Repeat until you get trace. Trace, to me, feels like when you're making gravy and it starts to thicken. Once it happens, it happens quickly!

5: When trace starts, you'll want to mix in your ground up oats and/or essential oils. Using the stick blender to mix them in well. Don't dilly dally ... mix 'em in and then quit stirring.

6: Now it's time to pour! With your molds already lined w/ paper or what have you ... pour your soap mixture in. If you'd like, use a spatula or something similar to scrape the tops of your molds and make them level.

7: Here's where my process varies from others. I walk away from the molds and clean everything up. Period. Some folks cover their molds or insulate them by wrapping with towels or put them in a styrofoam ice chest. I just walk away and let them be. Make sure they are someplace they wont be disturbed though.

8: I normally wait for 24 hours then unmold the soaps. Let them dry overnight once unmolded if you use a log mold and want to cut into bars. Then, put them on a cooling rack and let them cure for about 3 or 4 weeks.

That's it. Mind you, that is very basic and I may even do things contrary to what some folks say ... it just works for me and I like things simple.

And for a guy, it might help to hang this:

I hope this helps and that I didn't leave anything out ... I'm kind of "out of it" right now and probably should try to sleep. It's been a LONG day.

Peace and Grace to you ... and good luck!

Don

 

[miron28]

i gotta try to make soap! now all i have to do is get some goats!! does it matter what kind of goat?

 

[BirdBrain]

Get the kind that gives milk. :LOL: Withers and bucks won't do it.

Seriously though, www.fiascofarm.com (I think that is the right link) has lots of good info about goat ownership.

 

[smom1976]

Quote:
walmart sells goats milk.. both in the milk section.. and in a can. .

much easier than taking care of a goat...

so here is a little dirty secret... I get the canned milk,, next to the evap milk.. according to the directions you have to mix the milk with one can water to make it the right consistancy.. I guess it is evaporated.. soooo...

I mix the water that I would have added to the milk to the lye.. let it cool then I add my cooled goats milk concentrate.. I can never get it frozen because I put it in the freezer first thing with making soap and it doesnt freeze.. not enough time.. it doesnt "burn" too much.. it turns a little dark yellow.. but that is it.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Quote:
I have 3 stick blenders ... all Rival, the 100 watt kind. Been using one for soaping since 1999, it finally gave up the ghost just a year or so back. The 'trick' is not to use it constantly. Blend for a minute or so, then turn it off and stir. It is not built for continual use and over heating. You'll have better control over when you reach trace.

Keep some white vinegar on hand in case of skin/lye contact, it will neutralize it.

Warning: getting on SOAP BOX

If you get lye or lye solution on your skin, do NOT use vinegar on it!!! Rinse with copious amounts of water. If you try to neutralize it with vinegar, you will start a chemical reaction that will cause a more severe burn. WATER, WATER and more WATER! Once you have diluted the lye, you may use vinegar if you want, but it really isn't needed.

1 @ analog kitchen scale (8.00 @ wal mart)
This is a very basic recipe that will yield 2lbs of soap.

It is important to note that if you use an analog scale and not a digital one ... you will need to 'bump' it as you measure out your ingredients.

I do not recommend a analog scale, especially for such a small batch of soap. Just two tenths of an ounce (.2) variance per pound of oil is enough to change a 5% superfatted soap to one that is 0% superfat.

I believe Walmart sells digital postal scales for around $30 and Old Will Knott has great prices on scales. I use theh KD-7000.

Tip: place your scale in a zip lock bag while in use to protect it from oils, lye, liquids, FO/EO.

Then I take the water, in the big plastic bowl, and the lye (still in the glass) and mixing spoon outside.

I often wonder why folks do this. I mix my lye solution with the container in the sink and the pot of oils next to it. I don't want to take the chance of carrying lye solution any distance in case of tripping over something (pet, small child, my own feet, et al)

I can never get it frozen because I put it in the freezer first thing with making soap and it doesnt freeze..

It won't freeze in that amount of time (as you found out!) I use to use that same method (before we got our own milk cow), but when I got the canned milk home from the store, I would shake the can real well, pour it into a ziploc bag, lay it flat in the freezer. Doesn't take up much room and frozen GM when you're ready to soap!​

 

[Queen Scoot]

ok guys ya'll talked me into it. imma go for it! this weekend ill get the supplies and make me some soap!