making your own soap

[smom1976]

wonderful.. thank you so much.. I am going to take a look at walmart for those..

and might just have to make a trip to the hardware store..

but let me get this strait..

you mix your lie/water mix in the rubermaid pitcher then you poor it into the pot with the oils and mix it all together in the pot with the stick blender.

 

[Farmfresh]

That is right! Just make sure the lye/water is the same temperature as the fat/oil before you mix them.

You make the lye solution first as it will take a while to cool down, longer than it does to warm the oils. Check your recipe to see what temperature it calls for.

 

[dacjohns]

Here a couple of threads from BYC that have soap making in them.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=66537&p=1

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=42130

There are quite a few threads about soap over there. I haven't found the one I was looking for but this might help.

 

[Henrietta23]

A nugget of advice = POWER TOOLS!

I use a hand held mixer - the kind you use for mixing a drink in the glass. It really helps with the time to trace and the stirring time which is probably the hardest part. Other people use a stand mixer. Both methods ensure a through mix, and shorten time to trace - when the chemical reaction turns the acid in the fat and the base in the lye into a salt which is what soap is.

You mean the thing Emeril Lagasse calls a boat motor?
This is something I hope to do someday, just for family and friends. We buy handmade soaps locally. We hear people complain about the price but if you have even an inkling of the work involved the price is worth it.

 

[Farmfresh]

YUP that is the thing!

I found one cheap under $20 at Walgreens.

Works great - just be careful not to overheat it - I killed my first one that way. They are not really intended for long term mixing. I motor boat awhile - and then stir - then motor boat. This also gives you a chance to check for trace - which happens FAST using this method.

 

[Henrietta23]

YUP that is the thing!

I found one cheap under $20 at Walgreens.

Works great - just be careful not to overheat it - I killed my first one that way. They are not really intended for long term mixing. I motor boat awhile - and then stir - then motor boat. This also gives you a chance to check for trace - which happens FAST using this method.

Yeah, I've killed a few too. I will be keeping my open for sales now!