Making a homemade bar of soap is an affordable and creative hobby. It will help you reduce contact with harmful chemicals in your daily life and become more self-sufficient. You will be able to learn more after the announcement.
Ingrediants
- 178 ml of water.
- 68 ml of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide).
- 148 ml of coconut oil.
- 148 ml of hemp seed oil.
- 154 ml of olive oil.
- 20 ml of fragrance or essential oil. (optional)
- Non-stick kitchen spray.
Steps
Step 1. Wear swimming goggles to protect your eyes, rubber gloves and a long-sleeved shirt or sweat suit
Step 2. Pour 178ml of water into a graduated plastic measuring cup
Step 3. Gradually add 68 ml of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to the water, stirring constantly
Step 4. Keep stirring until the caustic soda dissolves completely
Caustic soda will raise the water temperature very quickly. Be careful when using the solution
Step 5. Set aside the caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and water solution and allow to cool to about 185 degrees F
Check the temperature frequently with a pediatric glass thermometer until it reaches 110 degrees F (43 degrees C)
Step 6. Heat a large stainless steel pot over low heat
Step 7. Add 148ml of coconut oil, 148ml of hemp seed oil and 154ml of olive oil to the pot
Step 8. Stir the oils in the pot and heat until it reaches a temperature of around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C)
Step 9. Remove the pot from the heat
Step 10. Pour the caustic soda and water solution into the pot with the oils, being careful not to spread it everywhere
Step 11. Stir the solution continuously until it begins to thicken
This point is also called ribbon.
The thickening may take longer if you mix manually, so it is preferable to use an immersion blender to speed up the operation
Step 12. Add 20ml essential oil or fragrance (skin safe) if you prefer and mix well
Step 13. Spray a small bread pan or cake pans with non-stick cooking spray (use silicone that does not require a non-stick spray if possible
)
Step 14. Pour the solution into the pan or molds evenly, using a spoon
Step 15. Cover the baking sheet or molds with a towel to prevent the soap from cooling too quickly
Step 16. Let the soap sit for 24 hours and then take it out of the mold and cut it into pieces when hard enough - then store it in a cool place to dry
Step 17. Let the bars age / dry for about a month before using them
Advice
- Do not touch the soap with your bare hands. (You could get burned with fresh soap, as soda is an alkaline, very reactive material).
- Add oatmeal or herbs to your soap, after the solution has thickened, to obtain different fragrances and colors.
- You can use almost any type of grease for your homemade bar of soap. Palm oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter are the most common choices, but lard or fat can also be used.
- Keep vinegar or lemon juice at hand, in case you get burned with fresh soap or caustic soda.
Warnings
Caustic soda is sodium hydroxide and can become harmful if not handled with caution, moreover, if ingested, even in solution with a liquid, it can cause very serious internal burns. Remember to take proper precautions. Keep caustic soda out of the reach of children
Go through all the recipes with a saponification coefficient calculator to calculate the correct doses - a wrong recipe could be bad for your skin.
