The Mundt Runt Ranch: Soap Making!!!!

The past summer we spent time in Kansas City for a veterinarian continuing education conference. At the bottom of our hotel was a little soap shop that had all sorts of handmade soap bars, herbal teas, and other scented bath items and it got me thinking about how hard it was to make soap? After all they were selling individual bars upwards of 6-7$ a bar. I knew the basics from the numerous chemistry classes I took in college, the gist of it being that if you mix sodium hydroxided (lye) with fats and oils you get soap via the process of saponifcation. I've since learned that there is a bit more to the process then you would think, but the the reward is a beautiful block of soap.

First thing I came to appreciate is that Lye is DANGEROUS, simply because it is sooooo alkaline (high pH). A healthy fear of the stuff is the best way to keep you safe. In fact, I put on safety gear from head to toe....chemical gloves, goggles, old lab coat, chemical face mask, and closed toed shoes. For some reason I was petrified to touch the stuff, but in the midst of handling it I realized that I've played with far worse chemicals in college chemistry classes and that lightened my anxiety about it.

The second thing I learned is that soap can be made from a ridiculous variety of fats and oils, ingredients I would never consider as a constituent of bar soap. Finally, I learned that those various fats and oils have different properties they add to the soap and can be combined in what seems an infinite number of ways to create a unique product each time.

Here's is what you need.

1.) Safety Gear. I bought a chemical safety setup from Lowes. It contained the eye protection, face mask, and gloves. I also used one of my old "doctor" coats.
2.) Soap mold - I went to a craft store and bought a pine rectangular unfinished wooded box. I unscrewed the lid to make it suitable. You can buy soap molds, but I decided I didn't want to invest much if it turned out I didn't like making soap. I could also turn the wooden box back into a keepsake holder. The inside measurement of my box was 2.5 inches deep, 13 inches long, and 3 inches wide. It's important to take these measurements so you can base your lye calculations for it.
2.) Fats and Oils -I decided to use some basic oils until I felt comfortable with the process. I choose to combine lard, olive oil, and coconut oil. These are all available at the grocery store. This gives a really nice balanced bar that lathers well and is mosturizing.
3.) Lye (sodium Hydroxide). In ancient times, lye was obtained my filtering water through wood ash. Today you can just go to Lowes to the drain cleaner aisle. I purchased Roebeks Crystals, which are 100% lye.
4. ) Cold Water
5.) Hand Immersion blender
6.) Large Heavy Bottom Steel Pot
7.) Large Heavy Duty Glass Mixing Bowl with a handle.
8.) Good Quality Kitchen scale that measures in fractions of ounce. Mine is by Oxo and was about $50.

Step 1.) Learn the Process. Here are a few sites I read to learn the process. Pay attention to details and follow instructions.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/FAQ/CP-Soap-Making.aspx

Step 2.) Choose the oils you want to use. Here is a website that shows the properties of different oils.

https://summerbeemeadow.com/content/properties-soapmaking-oils

Step 3. ) Find or Make a recipe. For your first attempt keep it simple and use an established recipe. I used a lye calculator from Summer Bee Meadow .
http://summerbeemeadow.com/content/lye-calculator-and-recipe-resizer

Here was my first Recipe!!

Lard                22.75 oz (48.8%)
Olive Oil          16.36 oz (35.5%)
Coconut Oil      7.43 oz    (15.97%)
Lye                    6.8 oz
Water                15.89
Essential Oils of Choice     0.5cc

All measures are weights NOT volumes.

Here are some pics of my first attempts.