Soap Making Process

Cold Process Soap


Equipment

  • stainless steel or enameled pot
  • wooden spoon
  • candy thermometer
  • rubbermaid jug
  • safety glasses
  • rubber gloves
  • accurate food scale
  • soap molds or plastic containers


Ingredients (for appx. 18 six ounce bars)

  • 11.2 oz. Pure lye
  • 32 oz. Cold water
  • 1 lb. Olive Oil
  • 3 lbs. lard
  • 1 lb. Coconut oil
  • 1.4 oz. Fragrance or essential oil
  • soap colorant


Instructions

WARNING: Lye is a dangerous and caustic substance. Be sure to wear safety glasses and gloves during the soap making process. Never mix hot water with lye. Read the warnings on the lye container before beginning.

  1. Weigh out all ingredients, except the essential oil, before you begin. Essential oil evaporates quickly so it must be weighed just prior to use.
  2. Place 32 oz. of cold water in the jug.
  3. Take the jug outside and very slowly pour the lye into the water.  The water will get hot and fumes will be released. Stir the mixture with the wooden spoon and then put the lid on the jug. Bring it back inside and allow it to sit 2-3 hours or until cool. Be sure that the jug is marked appropriately so that everyone knows it’s a dangerous solution. Ingesting lye can cause death. This part of the process can be done the day beforehand to allow ample time for cooling.
  4. Put the fats into the stainless steel pot. Heat on a medium high burner, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 125°F. Take care not to heat the fats too quickly or they may catch on fire.
  5. Place the pot in a sink. Wearing gloves and goggles slowly and carefully pour the room temperature lye solution into the heated fats. Stir the mixture together with the wooden spoon.
  6. Use the wooden spoon or a handheld blender to beat the mixture until it becomes very thick. This takes about 5 minutes with the blender or 1.5 hours with the spoon.
  7. Stir in soap colorant with a spoon. Add the fragrance and continue to stir with the spoon.
  8. Pour soap into molds and allow to sit for 24 hours in a warm room. The soap should still be slightly warm even after the 24 hours are up.
  9. Turn soap out of molds and allow it to “cure ”at room temperature for up to a month before using. If the soap will not release, place the molds in a freezer for several hours. Heating the backs of the frozen molds with a hairdryer should allow the soap to release more easily.