How to Make Ash Soap
Understand that the basic ash soap making process involves a chemical reaction of adding a fatty acid (oil) to a base (lye) to get "a salt" (soap)., Choose and buy the type of lye that you will be using for the ash soap preparation., Obtain the fat...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand that the basic ash soap making process involves a chemical reaction of adding a fatty acid (oil) to a base (lye) to get "a salt" (soap).
Too much of the alkaline part can cause the soap to be caustic and cause skin burns.
Too much fat can cause the soap to be greasy. -
Step 2: Choose and buy the type of lye that you will be using for the ash soap preparation.
Homemade lye comes from wood ashes and can be made by making an ash hopper and allowing the lye to leech out of the ashes.
The ashes are added to the hopper and periodically soaked with water.
The lye is collected as it seeps out of the hopper.
This lye is less caustic than store-bought lye and is composed of potassium hydroxide.
Commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide and may be purchased as granules.
To properly make soap, the lye should be pure sodium hydroxide and there should be no flecks of gray or black on the crystals. , You may choose to render your own fat from butchered animals by cleaning the lard from pigs or the tallow from cattle.
The rendering of fat is done by putting equal amounts of lard and water in a pot over an outside flame and boiling until all fats are melted.
Remove from the heat, and add an amount of water equal to the first.
Allow this to sit overnight.
The hardened fat that forms will clean of all impurities.
This may also be done with leftover cooking grease.
You may also choose to buy purified lard from the store.
Lard may be either animal or vegetable based. , These can be bought online at soap making sites, or in a hobby/craft supply store that has soap making supplies. , Make your own with items around the house such as the bottom of a round, plastic container, or buy shaped molds at a craft supply store. , The water should be very cold, and you may wish to refrigerate it the night before.
The pot should be glass or enamel. , Stir with a long wooden spoon. ,,, Melt the lard. ,, -
Step 3: Obtain the fat needed for the ash soap making process.
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Step 4: Choose any preservatives
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Step 5: or fragrances that you want to add to the soap.
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Step 6: Find soap molds to pour your soap in for shape.
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Step 7: Pour 3 cups of distilled water into a 2-quart pot.
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Step 8: Heat the water on the stove
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Step 9: and slowly add 1 can (12 ounces) of sodium hydroxide lye.
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Step 10: Add fragrance and oil.
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Step 11: Cool for 1 hour.
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Step 12: Add the lye mixture to room-temperature lard in a large dishpan.
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Step 13: Stir for 15 minutes.
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Step 14: Pour into molds
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Step 15: and allow the ash soap to cool and harden completely.
Detailed Guide
Too much of the alkaline part can cause the soap to be caustic and cause skin burns.
Too much fat can cause the soap to be greasy.
Homemade lye comes from wood ashes and can be made by making an ash hopper and allowing the lye to leech out of the ashes.
The ashes are added to the hopper and periodically soaked with water.
The lye is collected as it seeps out of the hopper.
This lye is less caustic than store-bought lye and is composed of potassium hydroxide.
Commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide and may be purchased as granules.
To properly make soap, the lye should be pure sodium hydroxide and there should be no flecks of gray or black on the crystals. , You may choose to render your own fat from butchered animals by cleaning the lard from pigs or the tallow from cattle.
The rendering of fat is done by putting equal amounts of lard and water in a pot over an outside flame and boiling until all fats are melted.
Remove from the heat, and add an amount of water equal to the first.
Allow this to sit overnight.
The hardened fat that forms will clean of all impurities.
This may also be done with leftover cooking grease.
You may also choose to buy purified lard from the store.
Lard may be either animal or vegetable based. , These can be bought online at soap making sites, or in a hobby/craft supply store that has soap making supplies. , Make your own with items around the house such as the bottom of a round, plastic container, or buy shaped molds at a craft supply store. , The water should be very cold, and you may wish to refrigerate it the night before.
The pot should be glass or enamel. , Stir with a long wooden spoon. ,,, Melt the lard. ,,
About the Author
Zachary Perez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
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