Soap Making 101

[MissJames]

Ok then, what is everyone's favourite soap, for whatever reasons, smell, feel, whatever. What is number 1 for you?

I haven't started yet,but I'd love a good one made with olive oil. I have Rosecea and it's getting worse. : (
One of my nubians is still nursing ,so I may be able to get some fresh milk from her,also.
Any ideas or recipes?

 

[me&thegals]

Ok then, what is everyone's favourite soap, for whatever reasons, smell, feel, whatever. What is number 1 for you?

My favorite is called EIEIO because it has so many oils and milks from the farm, plus beeswax, egg yolks, honey... It's super hard, creamy lather, bubbly and gentle. I believe I posted it earlier in this thread.

 

[dagaul101]

EIEIO with all those ingredients, sounds like something you could eat, maybe thats the criteria for a good soap

 

[sammileah]

ok lye water? is it really just wood ash rinsed? as in clean out your wood burner, add water and make soap?
is it really that simple?

 

[Farmfresh]

Wood ash IS how they made it in the old days. To make things consistent and have a product that turns out to be ACTUAL soap. Please buy your lye... at least until you are a highly experienced soap maker.

 

[valmom]

Wood ash lye is going to be a combination of sodium and potassium hydroxides-not a nice clean predictable sodium hydroxide of known concentration.

Some day I am going to try it, but I am going to need to have a better eye for exactly when trace is starting to stop adding the solution to get to trace and not have a lye heavy soap. I also will need to concentrate the base so I don't have too much water in the recipe.

 

[freemotion]

ok lye water? is it really just wood ash rinsed? as in clean out your wood burner, add water and make soap?
is it really that simple?

They soaked LOTS of ashes, or ran the water through them slowly, filtering it as it came out the other end of the barrel or hollow log, etc.

To determine its strength (sort of) an egg was floated in it and if just a small bit of shell was above the liquid, it was ready.

After that, I have no idea of the proportions used. Stuff that came out mild was used for washing people, stuff that was too harsh was aged and used for laundry, etc.

For me, this is interesting information, only to be messed with if the situation is desparate enough. It would have to be pretty darn desperate! In that situation, I imagine fat would be pretty precious, too.

I understand better the Saturday night bath, or for some, the Spring bath!

 

[sammileah]

thanks for the info. I can't get the melt it stuff to turn out the way i want so not to worry on trying it.
my mom thinks i'm nuts i'm sure she would really see it as crazy if i started 'washing' her wood ash.

 

[dagaul101]

I think it is fantastic to be able to find a useful product from wood ash, I'm envious

 

[Farmfresh]

I think it is fantastic to be able to find a useful product from wood ash, I'm envious

Wood ash also makes a good garden soil additive. Wood ashes contain potassium, some phosphorus and magnesium.