# Smart Soapmaking by Anne L. Watson...



## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

I just got this book and I was very excited to read it until I got to the point where it said, "Making soap with milk involves special techniques not covered in this book..."

Is this true? Cyndi told me that her recipes (listed on her website) work with milk too. What "special techniques" could this author be talking about?

I just wanted some simple instructions... :Bawling:

 RedTartan


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The 'special techniques' aren't anything to fret over. Actually, when I make a non-milk soap, I use the same 'special technique'.

You ready??



You freeze your milk.

You get all your oils ready FIRST.

Then you weigh out your frozen milk and add lye to it, mix well and IMMEDIATELY add to your waiting oils. 

When I make non-milk soaps (not often), I use ice cubes instead of water and use the same method.

When I first started doing milk soaps, I would freeze the milk in ice cube trays, then dump the cubes into gallon freezer bags. Now adays, I half fill a gallon freezer bag with milk, lay it on it's side and freeze it whole. When I'm ready to soap, I break off chunks of frozen milk.


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## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

Whew! Thanks, Cyndi. I wrote to the author yesterday to ask her about the special techniques and she sent me to a web tutorial that pretty much said the same thing that your tutorial says... Except that your says it so much better and has lots of pretty pictures... Except maybe that one by the lye/eye warning 

Anyway, she says that she publishing a milk soap making book in November because all the ones on the market now are difficult to use. 

My lye should be here any day now. I've got my scale and stick blender. I can't wait to try this!

I measured my milk and then froze it. Will that work too?

 RedTartan


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## Chickadee_42us (Jan 24, 2003)

I found the detail of freezing the milk AFTER I made a batch. It stunk for a while (weeks ;->), but I kinda like it now.


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

If you are a member of www.craftserver.com or want to join I am doing a live (meaning I'm online for questions while you make it - and I have pictures and directions that I post while you make soap) tutorial on making 100% milk soap there on August 21st. But really, it's just what Cyndi said. It's all about freezing the milk and keeping it stone cold frozen. 

I tried the freezer bag thing, but when I chipped my tile counter edge whacking it, I've gone back to freezing in cubes then putting them in bags to store.


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## sunnygrl (Sep 27, 2006)

cyndi... can i ask why you freeze your non-milk liquid? Are you using something other than water, like aloe or a tea ect.? I had figured that the freezing was only used to keep from scorching the milk... are there other reasons?


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

I'm not Cyndi, but I usually freeze the other liquids to keep the lye mixture cooler, which avoids burning things like cucumber puree. But when I make soap with water as liquid, I use ice cubes so I don't have to wait for it to cool.


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## whitehouse (Mar 17, 2008)

what is the difference in making soap with tea


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

Soap with tea - IMO label appeal. I've only done it once and it didn't offer anything to the bar, I thought anyway.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

beaglady said:


> I'm not Cyndi, but I usually freeze the other liquids to keep the lye mixture cooler, which avoids burning things like cucumber puree. But when I make soap with water as liquid, *I use ice cubes so I don't have to wait for it to cool*.


what she said


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

kidsngarden said:


> If you are a member of www.craftserver.com or want to join I am doing a live (meaning I'm online for questions while you make it -


Way cool!



> I tried the freezer bag thing, but when I chipped my tile counter edge whacking it, I've gone back to freezing in cubes then putting them in bags to store.


I don't whack my frozen milk - I put it on a chopping board (on top of a towel), place a large sharp knife on top (point end down) about 1" from edge of frozen milk. Take wooden meat hammer and tap down on the knife handle. Chunks right off.


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