Beginner's Guide To Making Soap At Home

COLD PROCESS METHOD OF SOAP PRODUCTION

Cold process method of soap making is the method by which soap is produced without the introduction of heat to the process.

 This is one of the widely used method of soap production because of its simplicity to carry out, but it has a limitation, in the sense that soaps produced have to pass through curing time, which usually takes 4-6 weeks.

One advantage of this method of soap production is, it allows soap maker to control his/her soap trace and add all the necessary additives without causing a volcano. And also it is safer when compare to the hot process method.

Materials :

• Stainless Steel Container or Heavy duty plastic container
• PH Metre
• Thermometer
• Weighing scale
• Molds
• Parchment paper
• Towel

Recipes:

• Water
• NaOH
• Oil or Fat

METHOD:

LYE PREPARATION

 Measure out your water in weight, and put in a stainless steel container or heavy duty plastic container. Then measure your lye also in weight and keep in a separate place.

Then pour your measured lye into the water gently and gradually while watching the lye as it is dissolving in the water.

At this time, the temperature of the lye solution is very high almost 200F or above, you need to allow the temperature to drop to about 105F, which takes 30minutes or less.

 While waiting for your lye solution to cool, measure out your oils, if you included solid fats in your recipes such as goat tallow. You need to melt the fat alone or in combination with other oils. Combine and strain the oils using a strainer in a stainless bowl.

Allow the temperature of the oils to be the same with or below that of the lye solution, may be 90-92F.

When the temperature of the lye solution drops to that of the oils, it is time to add lye solution to the oils.

Add the lye solution to the oil gently and gradually and stirring with a stick or immersion blender. Stir the mixture to trace.

When the mixture reaches trace, add your additives such as colours, plant materials, perfume and others.

While adding your perfume, ensure that the temperature of the soap mixture is closed or equal to the flash point of your perfumes.

Then, Prepare your mold by insulating its inner surface with a parchment paper, then pour your soap into the mold, make sure that the surface of the soap in the mold is normalised that is every part of the mold is at the same level by tapping the surface with spoon or shaking the mold on the floor gently.

Cover the mold properly with towel or blanket. After, 24 hours or more, you can unmold the soap and cut it into your desire shapes.

Now, it is time to allow your soap to cure, which takes four to six weeks.

Curing time is a time at which all the remaining unreacted lye in soap is completely saponified or reacted with the oil.

Conclusion

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