all purpose soap

reprinted, orginal posted on Tuesday, August 5, 2008

How I make soap
All Purpose Soap

24 oz. coconut oil = 1lb. 8 oz.

38 oz. lard = 2 lbs. 6 oz.

24 oz. olive oil (inexpensive kind) =1lb. 8 oz.

Total weight of fats is 5# 6oz.

I don’t always use these measurements. If I don’t have enough olive oil, I make up for it with another kind. Sometimes I even use all lard. I even use all recycled oil from the cafe in town after I strain it several times.

12 oz. lye ( I use household 100% lye drain opener)

32 oz. water (When I am making goats milk soap I use fresh goats milk instead of water, it needs to be very cold. It will turn a beautiful yellow and then to a tanish brown. I wish it would stay the lovely yellow.)

2 oz fragrance

½ to ¾ cup chopped oats (optional)

2- thermometers (candy thermometers work fine)

Measure everything by weight.

Line molds with freezer paper (shiny side up) or parchment paper.

Prepare all ingredients before starting process.

Run sink part way full of cold water and set plastic container of water 32oz. into sink.

Slowly pour measured lye into water while stirring.

When lye water and oils are both at 110 – 120 degrees at the same time, slowly add lye water to

oils while mixing with stick blender.

When mixture comes to trace add fragrance, color and other add ingredients if desired.

Mix these in and pour into mold(s).

Cover with parchment or freezer paper and a couple of towels or a blanket.

Let sit undisturbed 24 hours.

At this time remove soap from mold and slice into bars of the desired size.

When I remove the soap from the molds I cut it into 4 bars 2 inches wide.

I then slice it into 1 inch pieces.

My husband made my molds which are 8 in. X 9in.

We used 1X4 lumber for the sides.

For the bottom we just found a board to fit and used that.

I use a mitre box, to cut the soap into one inch pieces.

Let cure for three weeks before using.

This recipe makes approx. 36 bars of soap and fills one 8X9 inch mold.