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soap making

680 views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  velcromom 
#1 ·
hi, i'm new to posting here, lurked a bit, LOVE the ideas shared by you guys!

for xmas my dh got me some supplies for making soap with lye. even though i'm nervous about handling the stuff, i am looking forward to making soap, with essential oils, natural colours etc. i am going to try my first batch on the weekend, i think.

does anyone here make soap from scratch? i am wondering what to use for moulds. i have an idea for using those small plastic tubs that the sunrise dessert tofu come in,

http://www.sunrise-soya.com/?p2=page2.jsp&page2=214

but don't know if they will hold up to the heat/chemicals. any suggestions? or should i just stick to making a large slab of soap and cutting it after it's firm? my recipe i've decided on makes about 5 lbs, i think.

also since it will be all of us using the soap, which essential oils are safe for kids, or should i also do a batch of a totally unscented one for them, dh and i are looking forward to soap scented with sweet orange, or lemongrass, or bergamot, patchouli, i think those are the essential oils i have on hand so far. i was going to throw a pinch of saffron threads for colour.

thanks in advance if anyone has any input for me. you guys are great, i tried rinsing my hair with cider vinegar and was shocked at how nice my hair felt after. same for washing my face with honey. wow!
 
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#2 ·
I make soap. I use wooden moulds to make slabs that I cut, then smooth out the edges with my gloved finger while it's still soft. They come out prety nice. Little plastic tubs should work but I found trying to use moulds of any kind more work than it's worth, you need to grease it or something so the soap will come out, and pour, stop, move to the next one, etc. The soap should be down to around 100F when you pour it in the mould, but heats up again in gel phase I'm not sure how hot.

Some EO's I've used are: lemongrass, rosemary, sandalwood, lavendar, tea tree, and petitgrain. Also have used honey or cocoa powder for scent and color.

My standard soap recipe is:
28oz olive oil
8oz coconut
2oz castor
2oz hempseed
15oz water
5.5oz lye
plus .5 to 1oz EO
 
#3 ·
My first molds were cardboard milk or half-and-half containers. You can cut off a long side for a log mold or cut off the top for a vertical mold. Just cut off the preferred side and wash, they are ready to go! They work beautifully and you can just tear them off the soap when you're done--no clean up necessary!
 
#5 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn View Post
I make soap. I use wooden moulds to make slabs that I cut, then smooth out the edges with my gloved finger while it's still soft. They come out prety nice. Little plastic tubs should work but I found trying to use moulds of any kind more work than it's worth, you need to grease it or something so the soap will come out, and pour, stop, move to the next one, etc. The soap should be down to around 100F when you pour it in the mould, but heats up again in gel phase I'm not sure how hot.

Some EO's I've used are: lemongrass, rosemary, sandalwood, lavendar, tea tree, and petitgrain. Also have used honey or cocoa powder for scent and color.

My standard soap recipe is:
28oz olive oil
8oz coconut
2oz castor
2oz hempseed
15oz water
5.5oz lye
plus .5 to 1oz EO
thanks! i will save the recipe! i have never heard of petitgrain before, what does that smell like?

i think for my 1st batch i'll try the bars to cut, and once i get a feeling for how the stuff behaves, i'll try the moulds.
 
#6 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by staceyshoe View Post
My first molds were cardboard milk or half-and-half containers. You can cut off a long side for a log mold or cut off the top for a vertical mold. Just cut off the preferred side and wash, they are ready to go! They work beautifully and you can just tear them off the soap when you're done--no clean up necessary!

that's a great idea. silly question.... the tall litre ones, are they too tall, or should i stick with the half size?

i am nervous of having this stuff in the house with the kids running around etc. if they don't stink too bad i could keep them in my (off limits for playing) bedroom to harden up. is there a strong smell once you've gotten to the "trace" step and poured them in moulds and covered them up? or are they pretty much harmless once in moulds, and the only thing to avoid is the raw lye? (btw does that stink as it's cooling down to 100?) everything i've read says it has strong fumes mixing the lye with water, but it doesn't say anything about when it's just sitting there after. or after mixing with the fats.
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by velcromom View Post
Have you been to millersoap.com yet? It's a great resource for learning soapmaking.

ohhhh lots of great ideas there...... i had seen it when i first started to read about soap making, but then had forgotten that site. i will check it out again!
 
#9 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by karliyanchus View Post
that's a great idea. silly question.... the tall litre ones, are they too tall, or should i stick with the half size?

i am nervous of having this stuff in the house with the kids running around etc. if they don't stink too bad i could keep them in my (off limits for playing) bedroom to harden up. is there a strong smell once you've gotten to the "trace" step and poured them in moulds and covered them up? or are they pretty much harmless once in moulds, and the only thing to avoid is the raw lye? (btw does that stink as it's cooling down to 100?) everything i've read says it has strong fumes mixing the lye with water, but it doesn't say anything about when it's just sitting there after. or after mixing with the fats.
Thanks for the pos feedback on my soap! It's definitely become an important creative outlet for me!


Honestly, you can use whichever size milk cartons you want. The smaller ones can make square soaps, the larger rectangles. Just think about shape and how you choose to cut them--maybe use a few of each kind so you can figure out your preference. They don't hold much so you may need a few for each batch.

The lye water is definitely the most "dangerous" stage but "raw soap" in the mold should also be handled with care. It takes a while for soap to completely saponify so there is still some active lye in the soap for a while. Plus the soap can get very hot as it gels in the mold.

You'll find a method that works for you with the kids. I measure my water and lye, then carry to the garage where I hold my breath and stir it together. It stays there until cooled. When I'm ready to carry it in and mix the soap, I make sure ds is upstairs or in his chair eating. The actual mixing and pouring doesn't take much time if you have a stick blender. Once in the molds, I put in the oven for safe-keeping. (If you're going to be cooking, be sure to check the oven first! I've made the mistake of actually "cooking" soap before!
)
 
#10 ·
soapmaking update, i finally got around to trying a batch and it worked!

the recipe was in the soapmaker's companion by susan ****** cavitch, it's called build me a buttercup. i added sweet orange essential oil and a pinch of saffron threads for colour. pretty!

that was really fun and i will def. be doing it again, experimenting with different scents, textures etc. i kept waiting for a day warm enough to open the windows because of the fumes, when mixing the lye, but our windows have been frozen shut for weeks, (it's been anywhere from minus 20 to minus 40 c, yikes) so i gave up waiting.

dh is a teacher so i went to the school when there were no kids there and mixed the lye up in their spray paint room, whatever it's called, with the air exchange fans, in their shop. worked perfect! i am so pleased, thanks for the tips.

i'll be getting a hand held blender thing, though, my arm was gonna fall off, lol
 
#12 ·
there is really no reason to be so afraid of the fumes....do you want to inhale them? absolutely not! but all you have to do is turn your head and/or hold the neck of your shirt over your mouth and nose while stirring the lye in the water and once the lye is dissolved...only a minute or two...the fumes are gone.

danielle...you will need potassium hydroxide to make liquid soap which is harder to buy than sodium hydroxide.

a basic recipe tho...

20% coconut oil
30% canola oil
30% sunflower oil
20% soybean oil

run thru a lye calculator for water and lye amounts www.summerbeemeadow.com is great for figuring liquid soap recipes.
 
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