Homemade Soap Recipes: A Guide to Making Soap at Home, Study notes of Chemistry

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MAKING

HOMEMADE

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So apR e c; pes Us; n 9 p u.r e Fat

Recipe No. 1

6 lb. melted fat 13 oz. lye dissolved in 2 qt. water

Melt fat gently to a liquid; strain through two or three thicknesses of cheesecloth. Mix the lye and water and stir to dissolve lumps; then cool to lukewarm before adding to the melt- ed, warm fat. In a fine stream, add the fat, which should be "creamy" and continue stirring until the whole mixture is thick and light in color. Pour quickly into shallow pasteboard boxes or a dripping pan which have been lined with damp cloth. When firm and nearly cold, cut into bar s or squares. Pack the soap with open spaces between the bars to allow for drying.

Rec i pe No.. 2

13 oz. lye 1 1/2 qt. cold water 1 cup borax

1/2 cup ammonia 1/2 cup kerosene 5 lb. melt~d, warm fat.

Dissolve the lye in the cold water, stirring to dissolve lumps. Then add the other in- gredients. Strain the melted fat when cooled and about the consistency of thick honey. Add the other ingredients. If a clear soap is desired, add 1/2 cup of sugar, tirringuntil th& mixture becomes the thickness of porridge. Pour quickly into shallow boxes or pans and crease into cakes. When almost cold, cut and store as directed in Recipe No.1. If the kerosene odor is objectionable, 1/2 cup of water may be substituted for the kerosene. Kerosene has excellent cleaning properties.

Variations

Either sassafras or oil of lavender gives a pleasant aroma to this soap. Perfume or extra cleansing material may be added during the saponifying before molding consistency is reached. A sandstone or scouring soap may be made by adding 2 pounds of powdered pumice to the above re- cipe or a very good "hand sapolia" may be made by adding 8 ounces of cornmeal or ground oatmeal. Recipe No. 3 (White Floating Soap)

This soap can be used for any kind of washing.

13 oz. lye 6 lb. strained fat 1 1/2 gal. water

Dissolve the lye in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Pour 1 1/2 gallons of water slowly into u old porcelain or enamel broiler; add the fat and then the lye. Allow the mixture to boil slow~ about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The soap is ready to skim out when it becomes flaky ' and the liquid appears clear. Test the soap. If it sticks on the hand when squeezed and seems greasy, a little more lye is needed; if it is too flaky, more fat is needed. Skim out the soap and place it in a wet cloth-lined wooden box to drain overnight or from 10 to 12 hours. Next, cut the soap into bars; dry, pack and store. The liquid left can be used for scrubbing.

Recipe No. 4

Prepare a soda solution by dissolving 13 ounces of caustic soda in 8 cups of water.

Render the fat and clarify it by boiling with slices of raw potatoes until the fat cease

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to crackle. Strain while still warm through a clean muslin cloth. Whiter soap can be made if the fat is strained through fine charcoal or clay.

Combine 6 pounds of clean, warm fat with the cool soda or lye solution and stir with a stick until it is the consistency. of honey and is ready to mold. Pour mixture into agate pans which first have been wet, ·or into wooden molds lined with wax paper, and allow to stand until cool. Before it dries, remove the paper and stack logcabin fashion for quick drying. Wrap and store in boxes.

Perfume or extra cleansing material may .be added before molding oonsistency is reached. To this recipe add 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls of borax or 1/2 cup of ammonia.

Recipe No. 5 (Toilet Soap)

4 1/2 lb. olive, cottonseed or coconut oil 1 1/2 lb. white lard

13 oz. lye 2 qt. water

6 drops oil of lavender and oil of geranium - Add to soap and stir in j~st before putting in mold.

Follow directions in recipe No.4. If color is desired, the soap may be tinted with ~egetable coloring.

R~cipe No. 6

Dissolve 13 ounces of lye in 1 quart of water. When all lumps have dissolved. pour the lye mixture slowly into 6 pounds of clarified, warm fat. Stir continually until the mixture is a stiff cream. Pour into a mold and allow to harden for 2 or 3 days. Then cut into bars and allow to age.

Note: Softer soap may be made by increasing the amount of water to 2 or 3 quarts.

Soap Recipe 's Using Crac ·lcling,

Crackling Soap (Boil Method)

4 1/2 lb. cracklings 13 oz. lye 3 qt. water

1/2 cup ammonia 1/2 cup borax 2 tbsp. citronella Dissolve lye in 3 quarts boiling water in a large granite dishpan. Add cracklings and boil steadily and gently until a good soap test is obtained. Occasionally, stir with slow, even strokes in one direction. Time varies from 1 to 3 hours. (Frequently 1 hour is sufficient to give a soap test, but boiling should continue at least 1 1/2 hours.)

Pour a small amount of the boiling mixture in a glass; add an equal amount of hot water and stir. If the mass becomes like strained honey and if the mixture threads off in hairs when dropped from a spoon, soap has come. Let a little of this mixture harden in a saucer. Touch the tip of the tongue to the hardened mixture. If the taste is sharp and biting, it indicates the presence of free lye. Make other tests at succeeding intervals until the taste does not bite.

The soap is now ready to blend. Remove from the fire and add 6 to 8 quarts of lukewarm water gradually, stirring all the time with a slow even stroke in one direction. When the whole mass becomes like strained honey with the dark lye water at the bottom and the fat substance on the surface combined and blended, the soap is ready. Sometime the soap begins to harden before it is thoroughly blended. If this happens, place it back on the stove and heat gently without too much stirring. Add ammonia, borax and citronella just before pouring in the mold. Cover the

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One-bar Soap

1 cup clean, melted fat·

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp. lye

Dissolve lye in water in an enamel pan or bowl. Allow to cool. Add slowly the fat which

is cool but soft. Stir constantly. Then beat with an egg beater until the mixture is like honey

or cream. Pour. into a small mold to set. Later, unmold and let cure.

White Soap (from Rancid Fats or other Inferior Fats)

Dissolve 13 ounces of lye in 2 quarts of water. When all lumps have dissolved, let cool.

Pour the cooled lye slowly into 5 pounds of warm fat. Stir continuously until the lye has been

added and the mass is pasty. Then heat slowly until the mass is boiling slowly. Let boil until

it is clear and there is no sign of fat. The hot soap will flake off a paddle atthis time.

Add salt slowly to the boiling mixture until the soap gathers and rises to the top. Let cool

and lift soap out of the container, discarding the dark liquid. Then pour the soap in the ket-

tle with 2 quarts of water and heat slowly until the soap has dissolved and the mixture isboil-

ing slowly. The surface will appear wrinkled. Then pour into a container with straight sides

and the top wider than the bottom. Keep hot, but not boiling, overnight so it will not harden

and the impurities can settle to the bottom. Then cool until the soap becomes firm. Dump out

of the container and cut off the black layers of impurities. The white upper layer can be sliced

into bars and set aside to age. The black soap can be used for scouring or reworked with another

batch and purified. The white soap can be used for any purpose.

• Note; To free bacon drippings or other meat fryings from salt and foreign substances, add 1 quart cold water to 1 quart grease. Bring to boiling point. Remove from fire. Stir well and add I pint of cold water. Allow to let cold and then remove fat from top and discard water and settlings. If fat is very salty or dirty, this process may be repeated several times.

Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, The Texas A. & M. College System and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress. of May 8,1914 , as amended. and June 30,1914.