Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Soap- Step By Step

Today I had my friend Melanie over and I showed her how to make soap. I learned a lot from my last attempt and it went really well this time! I made three batches that all turned out wonderfully. In fact they went so well that I added some extras to make some of them a little more fun! I love the way the kitchen smells when I’m making soap! No one else in the house does, but I think it is a wonderful home-y kind of smell. And I feel this sense of accomplishment knowing that my entire counter is covered with soap that I made all by myself!

soap counter 01

If you’ve always wanted to do it, you should try it. It’s not that difficult and it makes you feel like a cross between Laura Ingalls and Dr. Frankenstein. LOL

First you gather all your supplies…

soap day 01this is just some of the supplies 

Step 1- While your oils are melting in the crock pot, carefully mix the lye into cold distilled water. Be very careful with this stuff! (I don’t have pictures of the lye because I was too busy being very careful… LOL)

soap day 05

Step 2- Slowly pour the lye mixture into your oils in the crock pot while mixing it with the stick blender. You also need to be very careful with this step so that you don’t splatter it everywhere. (again this is why there are no pictures…)

soap day 06 after the lye has been added and the soap is getting thick

Step 3- Continue to mix the soap with the stick blender until you reach “trace”. This is when the blender leaves a trail in the soap.

soap day 07

Step 4- Cover and cook until it starts to look “foamy”. Uncover and stir it down.

soap day 02almost done… 

soap day 08 Step 5- Take a tiny bit of soap out of the crock pot and let it cool on the counter. It should become hard as it cools. You know when it’s done when it no longer “zings” when you touch it to the side of your tongue. (it kinda feels like licking a 9-volt when it’s not done and it’s not as bad as you think…)

Step 6- Spoon into molds lined with plastic wrap, wax paper or parchment. Slam mold on the counter to settle the soap into the mold.

soap day 03silverware trays work great as molds

Step 7- You can speed up the cooling process by placing the molds into the fridge or freezer.

soap day 04  Step 8- Remove from molds, peel off paper or plastic and cut into bars using a crinkle cutter or sharp knife.

soap day 09 Step 9- Let sit in a cool dry place for at least one month to let it “cure” and get hard. The bars last much longer if they have some time to dry first.

Step 10- Enjoy your homemade soap and give some away, too…

soap day 11

soap day 10

back row from left to right: plain, lemon-poppyseed, oatmeal

middle row: sweet orange & strawberry seed, milk n’ honey, cold relief formula (eucalyptus, peppermint and orange)

front row: oatmeal orange-mint, double mint, shaped plain

6 comments:

Funny Ernie said...

You have to call me next time. I'd love to chip in and learn to make soap.

Rachel The Magnificent said...

Carrie! You need to have a soap-making thingy, I'd love love love to learn how to do this!

Unknown said...

Just found your page from the Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange. I have never heard of making soap in the crockpot! Great idea and I will have to try it.

Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

my7dwarfs said...

how much of everything do you use & where do you get your lye? thanks

my7dwarfs said...

how much of everything do you use & where do you buy your lye? thanks

Leingang Family said...

Here are some of my recipes... there are more here on my blog. I buy my lye at a place in Portland called Essential Wholesale. http://thebackyardfarmwife.blogspot.com/2010/06/castile-soap-recipes.html