# details on making lye for soap please!



## liznbeatle (Nov 17, 2007)

Hey All,
I have been reading with great interest the threads on making soap and could not figure out from the threads exactly how you processed the wood ash to make the lye. I would really like to try this as I can get free lard from the local butcher. Is any wood ash suitable or does it have to be a specific type of wood? How long does the soap have to cure before the lye is no longer a problem? Will just lard and lye make a good quality soap, it is probably going to be beef and pig lard. I am paying a lot for dye free detergent, I would love to make my own soap flakes for the washer if I could. Does anyone use their soap for laundry maybe with borax or something? I would appreciate any experiences. Thanks Lisa


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I can't help you with the making of lye, although it was discussed on these threads below:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=209725
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=211678

I make my own laundry soap using my lard/lye home-made soap, I began doing this because of my allergies to laundry detergents. Below is my recipe:


1 bar soap grated ( you can use Fels Naptha but I use my homemade)
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda (not baking soda) - I get mine at Publix
water

I grate the soap the night before and put it in a 2 quart pan filled with filtered water.
In the morning, I turn on the burner and dissolve the soap (this only takes about 5-10 minutes as the soap has softened overnight.)
Take a 5 gal bucket and fill about 1/2 way with HOT water, add the borax, washing soda and soap mixture, add hot water to fill and stir frequently for about an hour allowing to cool a little. Then pour the liquid into bottles and cap, shake the bottles every few hours through the next day.

I pour early as this stuff tends to gell and clump, which makes it difficult to pour into the bottles after it has done so. If you pour into the bottles while it is still warm, it pours much easier.

You can also make a powdered version, but I find it doesn't dissolve well in our water so I prefer the liquid.

Dawn


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## liznbeatle (Nov 17, 2007)

Hey Dawn,
Thanks very much for the recipe, we have allergies to perfumes also. I will be giving this a try, I apreciate the info. Lisa


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