Many people make organic soap for fun - see example of Billie Goat Soap. The reason for this is that it is relatively cheap and, most importantly, it can be made free from perfumes, sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), animal products, parabens & pretty much anything that people can have reactions to.
This type of soap can be very difficult to find for some people, so the option to actually making it for themselves is generally a good and fun one.
So to get started I have devised a list for you all, through hours of research, that I hope well set you on your way to making organic soap.
How To Make Organic Soap
- One pair of good elbow length gloves
- Quality safety goggles
- A 10 litre pouring jug
- 2 x large plastic or wooden mixing spoon
- A thermometer
- Some food scales
- Large roll of plastic food wrap
- 1 x 15 litre stainless steel pot
- 2 meters of acrylic
- 1 x plastic shoebox lined with plastic wrap
- 2 x tablespoons of dried herb to liking - that is smell
- 350ml of distilled water
- 28 grams of organic cocoa butter
- 113 grams of sodium hydroxide
- 210mls of organic olive oil
- 210mls of organic white coconut oil
- 452 grams of pure vegetable shortening
- A wire cooling rack for your organic soap
Let's Make Our Organic Soap
Firstly, take your plastic box (or any suitable box) and line it with the plastic you have already purchased and of course making sure you have a safe working area - this will be your mold which you will then cut into small pieces.
Place oil/s into steel pot on a low heat. Place the thermometer into the pot making sure the temperature does not exceed 48 degrees Celsius. Melt the oils and then take off stove and let cool to 38 degrees Celsius.
Next, measure the distilled water into one of the plastic pouring container, and set aside. Put on your elbow length gloves and safety glasses - very, very important. Weigh the remaining plastic jug, and then add the 113 grams of Lye to the pitcher (weighing the pitcher first helps to ensure that you get the weight of the Lye correct). Be very careful when working with Lye. Lye is a naturally occurring substance, but it can cause burns if spilled onto the skin. If you do spill it on your skin, rinse with plenty of vinegar. Pour the lye into the plastic pitcher with the distilled water, and stir with one of the plastic spoons until the lye is dissolved. Stir no more than 10 minutes. You can then set the pitcher of Lye and water aside and put the candy thermometer inside. Let it cool to 38 degrees Celsius, this should take about an hour.
Once the Lye mixture is cooled to a manageable temperature, mix it into the stainless steel pot of melted oils. Slowly stir with a plastic spoon. Pour the Lye mixture into the pot of oils. Pour slowly and stir slowly too. Stir for at least 1o minutes, and then set aside. Stir once every 5-10minutes for the next half-hour, you will then notice the mixture begin to thicken gradually. As the mixture increases it's thickness, you may add your dried organic herbs - try Basil, Peppermint, or lemon grass for the aromatic scents.
As the mixture gradually thickens, you are ready to pour the mixture into the plastic lined box.
Pour the mixture slowly, and cover with plastic wrap. Next, wrap the old drapery around the entire box, and set aside for 24 hours. It is best to put the box in a well ventilated, safe area that is free from children and pets. Don't unwrap the box, as you do not want the heat to escape.
After 24 hours put on your rubber gloves and take the box. The box could possibly be still be warm, so be try to be careful. The organic soap should be solid, but if it's not, re-wrap and leave for another few hours .
It the soap is is hard, cut it right away. Remove the block of soap from shoebox. You will have a perfectly large square of soap. Simply cut into bars with a long, sharp knife. The bars will then need to be placed on a wire rack and set aside for 4 weeks. The soap needs this time to "cure"; the longer you wait the better the soap's texture and herbal smell.
Once the soap has cured, store the store in paper bags rather than plastic as it can be quite soft. Organic soap wrapped in plastic tends to make soaps sweat, whereas paper is porous and will protect the soap for a year or more. Try experimenting with a variety of different herbs for surprising scents. You can also experiment with the different textures, thickness, and shapes of soap.
Happy organic soap making.
Andrew
Down To Earth Organics