Making soap at home is a satisfying and inexpensive way to meet the needs of your family or make great gifts for your friends. You can make soap using specialized equipment, but making it from raw empowers you to choose your own ingredients and tailor the soap to your needs. This article provides information on making soap from raw materials using the cold process method.
Ingredients
- 0.68 kg coconut oil
- 1, 08 kg of white butter
- 0.68 kg olive oil
- 0.34 kg of sodium hydroxide aka base substance. (also called caustic soda)
- 0.91 kg distilled water
- 0.11 kg of your favorite essential oil, such as peppermint, lemon, rose or lavender
Step
Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Make Cold Process Soap
Step 1. Gather the ingredients
Cold process soap is made of oil, base and water. When these ingredients are combined at the right temperature, they harden into soap in a process called saponification. Go to local craft shops and shops to buy the listed materials
Step 2. Set up the soap making workspace
The easiest is to set aside a place in the kitchen, as you will need to heat the ingredients on the stove. You will be working with alkaline substances, dangerous chemicals, so make sure children and pets are not with you when you work. Spread the newspaper out on the table and assemble the following tools, which can be sourced online or from your local craft store:
- Safety glasses and rubber gloves, to protect you from alkaline solutions.
- One scale to weigh ingredients.
- Large stainless steel or enamel kettle. Do not use aluminum, and do not use pans coated with non-stick surfaces.
- A wide-mouthed glass or plastic pitcher, to hold water and alkaline substances.
- Double cup glass measuring cup.
- plastic or wooden spoon.
- A stirred blender, also called an immersion blender. This is not absolutely necessary, but reduces the stirring time by about an hour.
- Two beaker thermometers that record between 26-38 degrees C. Candy thermometers work well for this purpose.
- Plastic molds suitable for cold soap making processes, or shoe boxes, or wooden molds. If you are using a shoebox or wooden mold, cover it with parchment paper.
- Some towels to clean.
Step 3. Learn how to work with lye safely
Before you begin the soap-making process, read the safety warnings that come on the packaging of your caustic soda. Keep the following in mind when you handle alkaline substances or raw soap, before processing:]
- Caustic soda should never touch your skin, as it will burn your skin.
- Wear safety glasses and gloves when handling alkaline substances and raw soap.
- Work with lye outside or in a ventilated place to avoid breathing its fumes.
Part 2 of 4: Mix the Ingredients
Step 1. Measure 0.34 kg of caustic soda
Use a scale to ensure proper measurement, and pour the caustic soda into a double-cup measuring cup.
Step 2. Measure 0.91 kg of cold water
Use a scale to ensure precise measurements, and pour the water into a large, non-aluminum container, such as a stainless steel pot or glass bowl.]
Step 3. Mix the base with the water
Place a container of water under the chimney of your lit stove, or make sure the windows are open and the room is well ventilated. Add the caustic soda to the water slowly, stirring gently with a spoon until the alkaline solution is completely dissolved.
- It's important to add the caustic soda to the water, not the other way around; if you add water to the caustic soda, the reaction between the two substances is too fast, and may be dangerous.
- As you add lye to the water, it will heat the water and release steam. Keep your face away to avoid inhaling the vapors.
- Set the mixture aside. Let it cool and let the steam dissipate.
Step 4. Measure out the oil
Use a scale to weigh 0.68 kg of coconut oil, 1.08 kg of white butter, and 0.68 kg of olive oil.
Step 5. Mix the oil
Place a large stainless steel pot on the stove over low-medium heat. Add coconut oil and white butter and stir until melted. Add the olive oil and stir until everything is completely melted and combined, then remove the pan from the heat.
Step 6. Measure the temperature of the base and oil solutions
Use different thermometers for lye and oil, and keep monitoring their temperature until the alkaline solution reaches 35-36 degrees Celsius and the oil is at the same or lower temperature.
Step 7. Add the alkaline solution to the oil
When both substances have reached the proper temperature, add the alkaline solution in a slow, continuous flow to the oil.
- Stir with a wooden or heat-resistant spoon; do not use metal.
- You can replace it with a stirred blender to mix the base and oil together.
- Keep stirring it for about 10-15 minutes until it "traces"; You'll notice the spoon leaves a visible trail behind it, just like you see when making pudding. If you're using a stirred blender, this should happen in about 5 minutes.
- If you haven't seen the tracing within 15 minutes, let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes before continuing to stir again.
Step 8. Add 0.11 kg of essential oil once the trail occurs
Some fragrances and essential oils (cinnamon, for example), will cause the soap to harden more quickly, so be prepared to pour the soap into the mold as soon as you mix the essential oil into it.
Part 3 of 4: Pouring the Soap
Step 1. Pour the soap into your mold
If you're using a shoebox or wooden mold, make sure it's lined with parchment paper. Use an old plastic spatula to scrape out any remaining soap from the pan onto the mould.
- Make sure you are still wearing gloves and safety glasses during this step, as raw soap is caustic and can burn the skin.
- Lift the mold three or four inches above the table and then slam it onto the table. Do this several times to force out any air bubbles in the raw soap.
Step 2. Close the mold
If you are using a shoebox as a mold, put a lid on it and cover it with a few towels. If you're using a soap mold, glue a piece of cardboard on top before adding the towels.
- Towels help protect the soap to allow saponification to occur.
- Leave the soap covered, undisturbed, and free from gusts of air (including air conditioning) for 24 hours.
Step 3. Check the soap
The soap will go through the gel stage and the hot process for 24 hours. Remove the soap and let it sit for 12 hours, then see what the results are.
- If you measure accurately and follow the directions, the soap may have a thin layer of whitish, ash-like substance on it. It is essentially harmless and can be scraped off with the edge of a ruler or an old metal spatula.
- If the soap has a deep oily layer on top, it cannot be used, as it has separated. This will happen if the measurement is inaccurate, you don't stir long enough, or if there is a drastic temperature difference between the base and oil solutions when they are mixed.
- If the soap does not harden at all, or has white or clear bubbles in it, this means it is caustic and cannot be used. This is because there is less stirring during the soap making process.
Part 4 of 4: Making the Soap
Step 1. Remove the soap from the mold
Turn the box or mold upside down and let the soap fall on a clean towel or surface.
Step 2. Cut the soap squares
You need to use tension to cut this type of soap. You can use a sharp knife, long wire with two handles, or heavy nylon thread or fishing line.
Step 3. Allow the soap to work
Place the soap on parchment paper on a flat surface or drying rack for two weeks to allow the saponification process to complete and the soap to dry completely. Turn the soap over after two weeks to let the other side dry.
Step 4. Let the soap work for one month
Leave the soap in the air for at least a month. When the soap is fully treated, use it in your home as you would store-bought soap, or wrap it as a gift for your friends. This will keep it durable.
Tips
- Caustic soda can be found in the plumbing section of most hardware stores or purchased online. Make sure the package says it is 100% sodium hydroxide.
- Temperature is very important when mixing oil with lye. If they get too hot, they will separate; if they are too cold, they will not turn into soap.
- Do not use perfume as a fragrance, especially if it contains alcohol. This will change the chemical reaction that occurs between the lye and the fat, and will cause your soap to fail. You can use natural essential oils or fragrances specifically manufactured for use in soaps. A little essential oil or fragrance can go a long way. You may only need about a teaspoon.
Warning
- After the soap dries in the mold, if there are small white lumps in the soap, it means the soap is caustic and should be disposed of safely. The white lump is caustic soda.
- When mixing chemicals like caustic soda with water, always add the chemical to the water, not the water to the chemical to reduce the risk of the chemical reacting quickly and splattering.
- Caustic soda (Sodium Hydroxide) is a strong base and can be very dangerous. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. If it gets on your skin, rinse with water (after washing with water you can add vinegar to neutralize it) and seek medical attention. In case of contact with your eyes, flush with cold water for 15-20 minutes and seek medical attention. Use a bottle of eyewash if available. If swallowed, contact a poison control center.
- Tools used to make soap should be used to make soap only. Do not use it again in the kitchen or around food. Be careful when using wooden utensils as they are porous and can fall off when used repeatedly to make soap. Do not use an egg beater as many of the parts can stick to the caustic soda.
- Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when working with caustic soda. Do not leave caustic soda within the reach of children and animals.
