Homemade Soap

melimel

I haven't a clue about which process was used! All their cooking takes place outside on an open fire - food and soap. They started by heating a large jar of olive oil with a smaller jar of water, then added a tub of used chip fat, then very scientifically (not) took a huge rocklike shard of the caustic soda and dissolved it in some water and added it to the oil, lots of frantic stirring, mixture bubbling up and indiscriminate amounts of cold water added, more soda added, more water added....This went on in similar vein for about 2 hours during which we had to change pans a few times as no room left! Finally the mixture had changed enough to be declared as ready. We used silicone muffin moulds to make individual soaps - great idea from a soap lady in teddington. The soap was ladled into the moulds and left to set, however soap was only the top 2 inches of the pot, there was a liquid underneath which sounds as though it is acid and they use it for deep cleaning courtyards! This is why I came back to research as none of the village women have a clue what it is they are actually doing, they have just been doing the same as their mothers!
It was all a bit hit and miss as well as I found out later they usually use over 50kg of oil and make the soap in a communal pot in the village - takes a full day!
I will keep trying to get it going here. By the way where is the best place to get the caustic soda?

Finally I can't believe you don't like beetroot - try roasting it...

StressedSteph

Hi all,

I just had to post my delight after making my own soap last night

I made Tangerine castile soap:p . I don't think making your own is the cheapest way of obtaining soap, but it sure was satisfying.

MY receipe was
40oz Olive Oil
5oz Lye (Caustic Soda)
14oz Water

When it reached trace I added the finely grated peel of 1 large orange and some Tangerine Essential oil.

Hopefully today or tomorrow it will be set and then I can turn it out of the mold, cut it up, stamp it will my little flower stamp and wait a Loonnnnng 6-8 weeks for it to cure.

Has anyone else made soap with any success, if you have do you have any good receipes. I made this Castile soap to start with as it was such an easy receipe and the cheapest.

Would love to hear your stories

squeaky

Hiya,

I've added your "recipe" onto an earlier thread about making soap at home which has all sorts of recipes tips and links. Usual rules apply

Nice one

Angelina-M

StressedSteph wrote: »

Hi all,

I just had to post my delight after making my own soap last night

I made Tangerine castile soap:p . I don't think making your own is the cheapest way of obtaining soap, but it sure was satisfying.

MY receipe was
40oz Olive Oil
5oz Lye (Caustic Soda)
14oz Water

When it reached trace I added the finely grated peel of 1 large orange and some Tangerine Essential oil.

Hopefully today or tomorrow it will be set and then I can turn it out of the mold, cut it up, stamp it will my little flower stamp and wait a Loonnnnng 6-8 weeks for it to cure.

Has anyone else made soap with any success, if you have do you have any good receipes. I made this Castile soap to start with as it was such an easy receipe and the cheapest.

Would love to hear your stories

Sounds good :-)

You've superfatted at around 7% which will give a nice gentle bar.

I'm not a fan of castile as it tends to go 'snotty' once in use but it is a lovely gentle bar and will suit most skins.

Good on you anyway, hope we get to see a pic! :T

npsmama

Which veg shortening should I buy to make soap?
The recipe I'm using is American.

Also I live in a very soft water area: does that affect soapmaking in any way?

thanks

Pink.

Hi npsmama,

There are lots of tips and information on soap making that may help on this thread:

Homemade Soap

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

knittingnelly

I've used Trex in the past and it turned out OK substituting directly into a soap recipe. Haven't tried making up my own recipe with Trex thogh as I have no saponification value for it...

HypnoNu

i read the title as "about using vegetable shortening in homemade soup" ...though it was a random fatty soup recipe :rotfl:

2cats1kid

Virtually any solid vegetable oil will work fine in place of shortening. If I am making my own recipe I tend to use the corn oil saponification value, but then I normally superfat with almond oil so I figure if I have underestimated then the almond oil will "mop up" any remaining lye and not be a superfat iykwim. I have never had any problems with harsh soap using this method.

I would imagine that soft water would be good for soap. I am in a hard water area, and if I use tap water then I tend to get a residue when I dissolve the lye, so normally use bottled spring water to avoid this.

Made my first batch of soap for years last night so my "normally" applies to years ago when I made loads. In fact I made so much I've only just run out, about 8 years later! All my fragrance oils have been sitting reproaching me, so I thought I'd best start using them again. I enjoyed it, so will have to start making soap more regularly again - I have enough fragrance oils to last me years!

npsmama

Does anyone know of a good place online to buy soapmaking supplies pls?