Soap Making 101

[calendula]

Ok, it says at Walmart.com they sell Lou Ana brand 100% pure non-hydrogenated (not that I'm eating it anyways) coconut oil. I just hope I can find some local lye because I want to make it this weekend.

Check the hardware store in the plumbing section, just make sure it's 100% pure sodium hydroxide.

 

[hillfarm]

Our super walmart sales it. So Idont have to drive to the sams club or order online. One good thing for Walmart. Of course the minute they realize we are using it to be SS they will yank it from the shelf. They need sheeple.

 

[hillfarm]

bramble berry is the cheapest i found so far for lye. two pounds for ten dollars.

 

[Bettacreek]

AAA-Chemicals.com is the best place I've found for small or large lye orders. $2.99 for 2lbs. Shipping does jack it up to $16.51 to me in Pennsylvania, but I've learned to buy bulk lye (it comes in 2lb airtight containers, and it stores well). It used to be cheaper for shipping, but of course, they've jacked those prices way up. When I bought my 16lb order, I believe it cost me $28 or $32 (those two numbers are bouncing around my head), but now it's $42 for 16lbs shipped. Suppose I should order another huge bulk order before they jack shipping up anymore. :/

 

[Bettacreek]

Still $18.50 to ship 2lbs of lye to me from Brambleberry.com I love them for their scents, but always order my lye from AAA-Chemicals.com

 

[Farmfresh]

I bought everything locally....grocery store, discount store, and Ace Hardware for the lye (Rooto drain cleaner, had to order a case through them but no shipping!)

Be sure the drain cleaner is 100% lye. Some of the lye-type cleaners also have metal filings. :/

 

[aggieterpkatie]

My first batch of soap is chilling in the fridge!!! I was pretty nervous about the lye. I think I sprayed every surface imaginable with vinegar as a precaution. I'm slightly nervous about whether or not the lye was dissolved 100% in the milk, since my thermometer wasn't working. What if it didn't dissolve? My soap will have lye granules in it and be unusable?

 

[freemotion]

Undissolved lye chunks in goat's milk turn orange (from caramelizing hte sugars in the milk) and you can see them when you pour the lye into the oils. If you didn't see this, you should be fine. Or you'll see little grainy bits when you cut the soap tomorrow. Either way, you'll know. I'll bet your soap is just fine, though.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Ok, that sounds great. I didn't see any discoloration at all from heating. I guess I did it right. It looked pretty when I got it in the mold!

 

[Farmfresh]

Why are you chillin' it?

Soap is much more mild if you let it take a long time to cool down. Unless it is a goats milk soap recipe, most recipes call for an insulation period where the soap is wrapped in a blanket or something similar for a day or so. Goats milk soap is usually just set at room temperature. Right?

AFTER the soap is set well (24 hours +), you can put the molds in the freezer to make it easier to get the soap out.