Soap Recipe from Cheri
Source of Recipe
Basic soap:
14 oz lye (Red Devil Lye drain opener)
40 oz canola oil or cheap olive oil (takes longer)
44 oz coconut oil
16 oz palm oil (or shortening)
3 oz fragrance or essential oil
Equipment:
Stainless steel pot
Stainless steel utencil or wooden utensil, or wisk
Spatula/scraper
Primary mold (plastic shoe box works well)...lined (I didn't line the boxes..will let you know how that works out)
2 quart pitcher (plastic is fine)
Thermometer that reads 98-110 degrees
Directions:
1. Prepare lye. This can be done in advance, or needs to cool for one hour. Put 4 cups of water in a plastic pitcher. Carefully pour 14 ounces lye into the water (measure carefully), immediately stir with stainless steel utensil until dissolved, approximately 15 seconds. Don't breathe the fumes...best done outside. This gets very hot! This needs to cool to 98-105 to make soap.
2. Melt 44 oz coconut oil with 16 oz palm oil (or shortening) until clear and melted...I did this in the microwave. Pour 40 oz canola oil or olive oil into a big stainless steel pot (at least 6 quarts). Add coconut and palm oil to this. Stir oils together and test temperature. Oils must be between 98-105, also.
3. Matching temps of lye water and oil mixture. Both must be between 98-105 degrees before mixing. You can use hot water or cold water bath to bring temps to appropriate levels. Don't use the stove, it will get WAY too hot!
4. When temps are within range of 98-105, slowly stir lye water into oils, using a heavy wooden spoon or wire wisk, and slowly stirring. It should take approx 10 seconds to mix these, at least. Continue stirring until solution begins to thicken, lighten and turn into soap. You want it to be approximately the thickness of buttermilk. Must stir for approximately 15-20 minutes. If you use olive oil, this process will be MUCH longer, in the range of 30-40 minutes. You can rest briefly, it will not harm the mixture. You can divide the mixture into two containers, to use more than one fragrance at this point, if you wish, just use 1/2 of the recommended fragrance, if you do this, or 1.5 oz of fragrance or essential oil, in the next step.
5. Add approximately 3 oz fragrance or essential oil, and stir. The fragrance will sometimes thicken drastically, so be prepared to immediately pour into the mold. You can add color, oatmeal, cornmeal, or whatever additives you wish at this point. I just added fragrance and color.
6. Pour your soap into the prepared mold, using the rubber spatula and scrape your pot, smooth the soap if necessary. Cover the soap with a lid (plastic is fine). Wrap the whole mold in a warm fabric...I used a thick warm towel, right out of the dryer. Leave it to set for 24 hours...and yes, you can peek occasionally.
7. After 24 hours, turn the mold over an pop out your soap, gently applying pressure to the plastic mold. You can cut it right away....it's better to cut within 48 hours before it gets too hard. Let the soap cure for 3-4 weeks to properly harden and age. You can use it sooner, but it will dissolve very quicly. Store soap in open air, drawer or cardboard box...not in plastic. I have mine in an open basket on the counter in the bathroom, very pretty!
Cheri (who really wants to quilt 24/7)
http://www.geocities.com/flyingwaussies website of our dogs/pups
TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON....and a time to every purpose under Heaven......A time to sew....Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Sibyl,
Not sure if you've made soap with lye before...but be sure you wear rubber gloves when you are mixing the lye...or be extremely careful!! It can burn you...if this does get on your skin, immediately rinse with COLD water...and lots of it!!
Blessings,
Sibyl,
I used soap color stuff I got at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby..don't remember which..it was very expensive, and probably not worth it, I bought it on sale, though...and use coupons on some of it...LOL. From what I understand, you can use that fabric color stuff they sell at Wal-mart, for dying fabrics...cannot remember the name of it, but it's in the aisle with the fabric softeners and such. You also can use food coloring, but it will take a lot of it, or so I'm told..and it doesn't last...but then the soap won't last around here, either...LOL
When I measured, I used my measuring cup, so by volume (40 oz = 5 cups). I don't have a kitchen scale...yet....so that was my only option. I have a puppy scale...but the thought was gross to me! LOL. I had to buy the palm oil on Ebay, didn't wanna use shortening on my first batch...next time through...after I use all of the palm oil I have, I will use the shortening, though, because that stupid palm oil is hard to find around here!! LOL
Blessings
Hi Sibyl....
Yeppers, I did buy them on Ebay....and the place I bought them from, have an ebay store....and I went and found the link for you, cause I'm just too helpful! LOL
Here you go...
http://www.stores.ebay.com/id=32815977&ssPageName=L2
I paid $5.30 for 4 lbs of palm oil...and I paid $8.55 for 4 lbs of coconut oil....and since I bought from the same seller, she combined shipping for me, so it was pretty reasonable for the weight. It came UPS, too...so pretty fast.
I can buy coconut oil locally, but cannot find palm oil....and the coconut oil is available only....at our local health food store...but yee haw, expensive! LOL....
I honestly don't know if palm oil is worth the difference....but I will be finding out the next time I make soap...or the time after that...whenever I run out of palm oil, that is....I bought a total of 5 lbs...and think I have enough for one more batch.
One thing I did discover...the craft store fragrance isn't very good for this soap.....mine smells like ivory soap, instead of my fragrance...and I used enough.....not that I mind...it smells really good.
Blessings,
Cheri
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