Rub-A-Dub-Dub
I made my first batch of soap using Rhonda's recipe from her fantastic blog at down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au
I have sensitive skin, and I'm not a fan of how store brought soap feels on your skin after you wash your hands, so I took the plunge and made my own. Soap making seemed very daunting to start with so I have tried to make everything really clear and detailed. Once you make it the first time it's no trouble at all!
Ingredients:
450 mls Demineralised Water
172 grams Caustic Soda
1000grams Olive Oil
250 grams Copha cut into cubes
(Be super super careful with Caustic Soda! If will burn through skin, bench etc. I advise using glasses, gloves and long sleeved shirt to start with. Also stay away from bowl when you add water to it so your not breathing in the fumes and don't do with children or pets around)
Equipment:
Newspaper - put down on bench first
Scales - measure everything in grams except water
Large glass bowl - measure Caustic soda in this (zero bowl on scales first)
Large stainless steel saucepan - measure oil/copha (zero saucepan on scales first) and put in here
Pyrex bowl - measure water in here (zero bowl on scales first)
Wooden spoon
Cooking thermometer
Wooden spatula
Soap moulds - grease using vehetable oil or spray oil (I found these plastic ones for $2 or use silicon loaf pan/silicon muffin pan)
1. Set up newspaper and measure out all ingrediants into their bowls/saucepan
2. Put saucepan on low heat with thermometer clipped on the side. It needs to get to 50 degrees celsius.
3. Carefully pour measured water into the large glass bowl with caustic soda in it. Stir slowly using a wooden spoon. It will be white and fumes will come off as it bubbles and heats up. Stir carefully until it's clear.
4. As caustic soda/water cools down the oil is heating up. When they are both 50 degrees celsius pour the oil into the soda/water. Use the hand mixer on the low speed on the bottom of the bowl to mix for around 5 mins until it reaches trace. Trace is when it is thick enough that ripples formed on the surface stay put.
Clean up: Rinse everything the caustic soda came into contact with lots of cold water then wash as normal. To clean the soap bowl I make sure I scrape out as much as possible into the moulds with the spatula then wipe out with paper towel and just leave it. When I make soap or washing powder I use this large glass bowl.
6. Tip your soap block out and cut up into any shape and place on a plastic coated wire rack as you need to leave it for 6 weeks to cure. This makes it harder so that it lasts a longer and ensures all the caustic soda is out of the soap. You need to turn your soap every day to ensure it dries evenly. If you use moulds and you find it hard to tip the soaps out, place them in the freezer for 5 mins and try again. Cure for 6 weeks as above.
Hints:
- buy equipment secondhand at an op-shop (stainless steel pot, wooden spoon, spatula, glass mixing bowl, container for soap mould)
- I store all these things in a big plastic tub with a lid and use the equipment for making laundry liquid, soap, hand wash etc
- buy equipment secondhand at an op-shop (stainless steel pot, wooden spoon, spatula, glass mixing bowl, container for soap mould)
- I store all these things in a big plastic tub with a lid and use the equipment for making laundry liquid, soap, hand wash etc
