How to Make Lye Soap

How to Make Lye Soap How to Make Lye Soap Making of lye soap isn’t that difficult as it seems to be. Though many people are apprehensive about using homemade lye soap on their skins, it still has its share of takers. Lye soap is quite old in age and people during that time used to make them for all purposes. During those times, women used lye soaps even on the babies. Therefore there is no need to get scared of using lye soap on your skin. The only thing one needs to take care of is that the proportion of all the ingredients must be proper and correct. Since the soap is natural in its making, therefore it is very safe on skin. You can also consider the making of lye soaps as a hobby and pastime which can also prove to be quite an earner for you. There are two sets of ingredients that are given below. Either of the sets can be used for making lye soaps. The sets of ingredients are as follows:

Set A
1) 4.2 oz lye
2) 32 oz lard
3) 12 oz distilled water

Set B
1) 4.6 oz lye
2) 4 oz palm oil
3) 18 oz olive oil
4) 10 oz coconut oil
5) 12 oz distilled water

After having decided which set of ingredients to choose from, you have to gather all the necessary items that are required for making lye soap. Have a look at the below mentioned steps that can help you in understanding the process in a better manner:

1) There are many calculators available online these days which can help you in your calculation of the correct amount of lye required for making the soap. Make sure that you choose an authentic calculator and find the exact amount of lye that must be used to make the perfect soap. Choose as much lye as it can react with the oil. However be careful not to use too much of oil in your making of lye soap as it can make the soap rancid in a short period of time.
2) Have a supply of vinegar ready with you during the making of lye soap. While making the soap, if you accidentally spill off some amount of lye onto your hands then immediately wash your hands with soap and then rinse it off with water properly. After having done that, use liberal amount of vinegar to douse the area where you have spilled lye on your hands. Since lye is extremely caustic in nature, it can cause severe burns on the skin while working. Ensure that you use goggles, rubber gloves and apron while making lye soap.
3) Take water (around 2 plastic cups) in a bowl and add the measured amount of lye into it. Stir the mixture constantly while heating it on high flame. Make sure that you heat this mixture in an open area so that the fumes do not suffocate you. Cool off the water mixture. Now start heating the oils over low heat in a non reactive pan. Prepare the soap mold while the water is cooling and oils are heating.
4) After both the water and oil reach a similar temperature, start pouring in the lye water into oil and keep on stirring. After you feel that the mixture has reached a perfect texture, pour it into the mold and cover it. Set it aside for at least a day. Once the bar cools off, you can cut it into the desired shapes and sizes.
5) Let the soap harden itself before using it. The more the soap hardens, the more it shall lather. Therefore allow it to cure for about 6 weeks before using it.