Anyone make soap?

[L.Blake]

I love handmade soap. We haven't used commercial soap in years.

[Ari Meermans]

I used to 'til I burned myself--I'm a klutz--with the lye flakes a couple of years ago. Thinking about getting back into it with rebatch for safety's sake.

Photo of last homemade batch of lavender-vanilla:

[BunnyMaz]

I haven't made some in a while because I don't have the money for the ingredients, but the top drawer in our bathroom is still full to bursting with some bars I made. Some pure olive oil soap, some olive oil with almond oil and some with goats milk added. Soooo much nicer than the stuff you buy in the shops, and it doesn't dry out my skin like commercial bars. I've still got some ingredients left, not enough to make a batch with but I've been making my own facials and the like.

[Ken]

... sounds like a neat thing to do. A much better alternative to the chemically bars they sell in stores.

[Shadowflame]

I make my own laundry soap? Does that count?

[Literateparakeet]

I made soap years ago with goats milk and oatmeal. Best soap ever! I would definately do it again if I had time.

[Literateparakeet]

Originally Posted by Ari Meermans

I used to 'til I burned myself--I'm a klutz--with the lye flakes a couple of years ago.

Lye makes a very painful burn doesn't it...the pain just lingers. Yep, I burned myself too! For me it wasn't because I am a klutz (well I am that too) but mostly because I am an idiot sometimes.

[Ari Meermans]

Well, yeah, I can be an idiot, especially when I let my mind wander. Klutziness is the primary problem, though; my mom always said I was the only person she ever met who could trip on a baseboard.

[L.Blake]

Ken, that's why I started making soap. My favorite soap to make is beer or wine soap. I can't make a milk soap to save my life.

I have had lye burns on my fingers, because I stopped respecting the fact that it is a chemical.

[brainstorm77]

Originally Posted by Shadowflame

I make my own laundry soap? Does that count?

How?

[Ken]

... L. Blake. Out of wine and beer? I have heard of bathing with beer and that it's good for the skin. Making soap out if it is something else. You must be a magician or something to be able to manage that! :-)

[Literateparakeet]

Originally Posted by Ari Meermans

my mom always said I was the only person she ever met who could trip on a baseboard.

LOL!

Originally Posted by L.Blake

I have had lye burns on my fingers, because I stopped respecting the fact that it is a chemical.

Yep, that's exactly how I burned my finger too.

[L.Blake]

LOL Ken, it's quite easy, the alcohol makes for wonderful lather. Make sure your beer is flat, then stick it in the freezer until slushy, you do the same freezer trick with wine. Beer makes a great shampoo.

Brainstorm77, if you make soap with lye, do not superfat in any way shape or form.

Ari, I trip over my own shadow sometimes.

Literateparakeet, happens every time too.

[BunnyMaz]

Originally Posted by L.Blake

Brainstorm77, if you make soap with lye, do not superfat in any way shape or form.

.

Really? I superfatted some olive oil soap with almond oil and it came out great, and I only use lye. Then again, I also make soap in a slow cooker, so to be fair I may not be doing it how you're supposed to!

[L.Blake]

Originally Posted by BunnyMaz

Really? I superfatted some olive oil soap with almond oil and it came out great, and I only use lye. Then again, I also make soap in a slow cooker, so to be fair I may not be doing it how you're supposed to!

I got told not to superfat, no reason to add extra moisturizer to laundry soap. I'm following suggestions from another soapmaker. If we all did everything the same way, we would be a boring bunch of zombies [)]

[Snowball2695]

I've made it once with my mother, and somehow neither of us got lye burns.
Need to do it again, that soap was awesome.

[Shadowflame]

Originally Posted by brainstorm77

How?

It's pretty easy this is the recipie for liquid, but you can just mix all the ingredients together and not add any water for a powder.

Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax powder
~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

[LoopyLinde]

I make my own because I prefer soap without dyes or perfume, and that's impossible for me to find in stores. Plus it's cheap to make.

I use coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil (about 60 %), lye and water, and a bit of vitamin E as a preservative. And that's it. I also super-fat since it makes a wonderful soft lather, good for my skin which is sensitive to everything.

[KatieJ]

I've always wanted to make soap, I have about a gazillion books on the subject. I've been afraid of getting burned...

Like you, Ari, I could trip over dust. But I really want to give it a try.... *sigh*

[Ari Meermans]

Originally Posted by KatieJ

I've always wanted to make soap, I have about a gazillion books on the subject. I've been afraid of getting burned...

Like you, Ari, I could trip over dust. But I really want to give it a try.... *sigh*

I think you should. Just respect the lye. I think my problem was it became somewhat routine and I forgot to respect the lye. I'll likely get back into it because I loved doing it. I loved the finished product. I loved giving something as gifts I knew would be used and appreciated.

[Medievalist]

I keep misreading this thread title as "Soup" vs "Soap."

They are not the same.

[LoopyLinde]

Originally Posted by Medievalist

I keep misreading this thread title as "Soup" vs "Soap."

They are not the same.

No! Don't try to drink it. Blehh. ;-)

[LoopyLinde]

Originally Posted by KatieJ

I've always wanted to make soap, I have about a gazillion books on the subject. I've been afraid of getting burned...

Like you, Ari, I could trip over dust. But I really want to give it a try.... *sigh*

I've never been burned, but then I'm very cautious. Lye is not only caustic but when first mixed with water the temperature rises to over 200 degrees. Make sure there are no kids or pets about!

I make my soap from the basic formula in "The Natural Soap Book" by Susan Miller Cavitch. I highly recommend this book. Very clearly written, explains the science behind making soap without being too technical, provides many formulas for different kinds of soaps, and tells you how to derive your own formulas using different fats and oils. Again, highly recommended.

[Shadowflame]

Originally Posted by Shadowflame

It's pretty easy this is the recipie for liquid, but you can just mix all the ingredients together and not add any water for a powder.

Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax powder
~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

made my second batch of laundry soap this weekend. I think the first batch lasted almost 3 months! O.o This time I used less water and doubled the batch (kinda) much thicker and I'm only using 1/4 cup of the soap.

This really makes your clothes smell fresh especially if you line dry. I think the dryer takes out some of the scent

[evilrooster]

I did a bunch of soap-making this last week, just trying it out. I'm still not sure if its pH is safe; I'm going to wait till it cures and test it. I'm looking forward to using it and (hopefully) giving some away at Christmas.

I used a lye calculator to test the recipes I found on the web and make sure they were a little superfat.