I first used a recipe I found in Dr. Hulda Clark's books. She actually
suggested using borax water for shampoo, but gave the recipe for lye
soap as well. You can probably find that recipe online, just search on
Dr. Clark's lye soap recipe. Most of her material is now out there on
the web. I later found a slightly different recipe/method - don't
remember where I found it, but like it very well. It has a higher lard
amount I believe than the Clark recipe I used, makes a softer soap. It
also gives more detailed instructions than the Clark recipe. I'll paste
in what I use - think I got this one on the web as well, just saved the
text in a document. Wish I had kept the site to credit the author, but
forgot to include it in my saved doc. You can probably find numerous
other recipes as well online, just searching on lye soap recipe.
Anyways, here is what I use now, with thanks to the unknown author.
Ingredients:
1 can (12 oz or 340 grams) Lewis Red Devil 100% lye
21 1/2 oz (605 gms) ice cold or part frozen distilled water
5 lbs, 7 1/3 oz (2.48 kg) lard or all vegetable shortening.
Equipment:
1 ea, 1-2 quart Pyrex or oven ware bowl
1 ea, 4-6 quart plastic bowl or stainless or cast iron pot
1 ea, plastic, wooden or stainless big spoon
1 ea, shallow cardboard box lined with plastic trash bag(I use a
designated dishwashing pan lined with a plastic trash bag.)
Rubber gloves
Canning pot (for water bath if you use plastic reaction bowl)
Instructions:
Prepare the lye water by freezing 1/2 of the water into ice cubes. Put
the ice cubes and the rest of the water into the 1 to 2 quart bowl.
Using the stirring spoon (known to soap makers as the "crutch"), pour
lye slowly into the ice and water, stirring until the lye is all
dissolved. Take great care with the lye, it is very caustic and will
burn the skin and eyes! Any splatters must be washed off immediately
with lots of water!
Cover the solution to keep out air and allow to cool (or warm up ) to
about 85 degrees F.
Melt the fat in the 4-6 quart bowl or pot. Don't use aluminum or
galvanized bowls! Plastic ware can be heated in the water bath.
When the fat is melted, cool it down to 95 degrees F. Prepare the box
with it’s plastic trash bag lining, so the fresh liquid soap can't leak
out.
When all is ready, begin to stir the liquid fat in a clockwise direction
while pouring the lye water into it in a thin steam (pencil size or
thinner) until it is all added. Crutch (stir) the mix vigorously, using
“S” pattern or use a hand blender alternating with a circular pattern
until the mix begins to cool and thicken.
At this point do NOT stop or the mix may separate!
First the soap will be murky, then creamy, then like heavy cream and
finally, like hot cooked pudding and will show traces when you dribble a
stream from the crutch onto the surface. This process can take from 10
minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the temperature, weather and purity
of your ingredients. Stir vigorously but patiently! With hand blender
stir time is cut to 1/10 of the regular time.
When your "trace" does not sink back into the surface, the soap is ready
to pour into the lined box. Wear rubber gloves and treat the raw soap
like you treated the lye water. Wash off all splatters immediately. Have
10% vinegar and water and a sponge to neutralize splatters.
After 3-5 hours the soap may be cut into bars with a table knife, NOT a
sharp knife. Allow the soap to cure in the box for about a week before
breaking it up and handling it, and another month before using it.
The old farm ladies carefully "tasted" the fresh soap with the tip of
their tongues for the sharp bite of unreacted lye, as I do today.
The soap from this recipe makes a bath and facial soap, and if you want
old fashioned "Grandma’s Lye Soap," use less fat; about 5 lbs 5 oz
instead of the original amount called for in the recipe. Allow this soap
to mature in open air for six months.
On 12/4/2010 10:00 PM, Harold MacDonald wrote:
Sara,I would like to get a good recipe for home-made soap,could you
point me to where you got yours?
Thanx,
Harold
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