# Soap! I made soap! (maybe)



## *Cakes (Aug 9, 2004)

Soap! I did it, I made soap! Well, I'm pretty sure I did.

I used "Rachel's Tried & True" recipe from miller's soap web site. (Vegetable shortening, Coconut oil & Canola Oil...) Making the lye solution went so smooth (Whew!) I got it out of the mold, sliced it (felt nice and soft to slice and yet it crumbled on the edges, does that signify anything?), and now 24 hrs. later, these big 2"x4" bars of soap are curing on a plastic needlepoint screen which is sitting on grocery bag paper. Looks good, except for the crumbled edges. I keep looking at them!

Mistakes: 1.) Didn't give myself enough time (oil & Lye solution took a loooong time to cool, the lye I used a cool water bath) plus because of probably my stirring and using Canola oil it would not trace. Then after an hour (supposed to take 20 mn. or so ) I thought I saw a trace, was running out of time, and poured it into mold hoping for the best. 
2.) Used a plastic storage container for a mold. Harder to get out than I expected. Maybe could put wax paper on bottom, but better yet a whole different mold.
3.) Had a vinegar/water solution ready for spills but didn't have it close enough to me when the critical moment came of adding the lye solution to the oils-yet my splashes left no ill effetcs after wiping w/ vinegar.

So, I learned a lot and will anxiously await to try my soap!


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## Tater'sPa (Jun 27, 2002)

Congratulations!! 
Sounds like you've done a fine job! :dance: 
As for the mold, try to find something you can line with freezer paper...pops right out 
Have fun and good luck on your next batch!


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## moosemaniac (Mar 7, 2003)

Congratulations! Waiting (the first time anyway) is the hard part.

Ruth


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

Congratulations! It osunds like you did very well. If you think you may become addicted to making soap, try smaller batches, like 3# of oils, instead of the big batches I remember from millersoap. 

You can use ice as part of your water to speed up cooling of the lye solution. If your edges crumbled, try using a drywall taping knife with a thin blade, to cut. Have fun!


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## *Cakes (Aug 9, 2004)

Thanks for the congrats, the hardest part was jumping in. 

Say, i just realized why i had such a hard time geting it out of the mold-i very stupidly had the mold sitting on a towel plus a towel on top. So, it is probably Super insulated on the bottom. It does have a slightly darker color on the bottom. Actually, a darker color on the bottom could also be a stirring problem, couldn't it?

Please, please tell me that is just an aesthetic issue-I didn't ruin my soap did I? Sigh!

(Maybe these questions should be a new thread!)


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Congratulations! That was my first soap too, I used a dishpan with a kitchen trash bag for a liner. Waiting was a killer for that first batch. I don't know about the stirring, I bought a cheapy stick blender from walmart to make my first batch. Did you use anything to scent this batch, some of them will discolor your soap.

Hope you enjoy your new addiction.


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## Sarah Bella (Mar 26, 2007)

Congratz!! soap making is very rewarding. I just make small batches, 2# is plenty to 
make 10 good sized bars 


Here is my basic recipe

1lb lard
1lb tallow (saved from cooking ground beef) 

4.3 oz lye (always run recipes thru a lye calculator as a safety measure) 
10 oz liquid

I use grocery bags to line my molds (turned inside out or the dye will be left on your soap) 

I've tried ALLL the fancy oils and butters but i always come back to straight lard/tallow, it really is the best in my mind (cheap, hard, long-lasting)


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Soap making is something I have wanted to try for years. There are a lot of things I do (or have tried) but for some reason, soapmaking kind of intimidates me. You've given me hope that I just might be able to give it a try. My problem is, I want all those nice soaps like Tater Pop has (I am totally hooked on his soaps) and can't believe I could do such a thing.


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## Tater'sPa (Jun 27, 2002)

Karen said:


> Soap making is something I have wanted to try for years. There are a lot of things I do (or have tried) but for some reason, soapmaking kind of intimidates me. You've given me hope that I just might be able to give it a try. My problem is, I want all those nice soaps like Tater Pop has (I am totally hooked on his soaps) and can't believe I could do such a thing.


Honestly it's not that difficult...and as you see from the above posts, once you're waiting on that first batch :dance: YOU CAN"T GIT ENOUGH :hobbyhors
Karen, you can do it!!
Today another 3 batches, Ocean Rain, Cedarwood Amber and an old favorite that I haven't done for a while, a goat milk soap with marshmallow root powder, powdered vanilla beans, ground oats scented with ylang ylang & vanilla essential oil blend.


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## *Cakes (Aug 9, 2004)

I think my soap failed, it just dosen't look right. (Boo, hoo!) Slightly darker on top of the bars (bottom in the mold)-must've separated. Not sure if I should wait 4 wks. & test it or just get rid of it & try again.

I did ask the guy at the refuse/recycle/hazard waste dropoff place about proper disposal. He seemed to think it was fine to just toss in the garbage. As I drove away, I realized he was probably thinking of the Hot Process. Hmmm... BUT it was so cute because he was intrigued that I had made (tried to make) soap and requested when I do have a good batch could he have a bar? You bet! Forces me to try again.

Karen, you have to try! I was actually shaking when I poured the lye crystals into the glass jar on my scale I was sooo nervous! I really mean it when I say if I can do it, you can too! And even though I failed I made it through what I thought were the scary parts and I know now I can do it. I have already gone over in my mind how I want to do it next time. Thanks to all!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

If the problem is just cosmetic, don't worry about it.

With separation, you'll have puddles of oil and lye mixture.

Even if it separated, as long as your recipe was accurate (did you use a scale to weigh ingredients?) you can 'rebatch' it.

I've found the easiest way to do this is to grate the soap, throw it in a crock pot. As long as the soap is fresh out of the mold, there is no need for extra moisture. If it is older soap, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of liquid per pound of soap gratings over the soap and mix well before putting in crock pot.

The waste disposal guy probably thought you were talking about M&P


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## BelleL (Jun 13, 2007)

I am going right now to check out the MIller's soap site. Thanks!!!!!!!!
Belle


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## Lannie (Jan 11, 2004)

I found out a long time ago that if you add a little grapefruit seed extract (not grapeseed extract) to your oils before you mix in the lye water, it will trace in minutes rather than hours, even just stirring by hand.

I make 5 pound batches, and I add about a tablespoon of GSE to the oils and mix well, then whisk in the lye. I've never had to stir for more than 5 or 10 minutes. The first few batches I made, without the GSE, I stirred for over two hours before I got even a thin trace. So now, if I don't have GSE, I don't make soap. I consider it an essential ingredient!

Also, another note on trace time... If you use peppermint or wintergreen essential oil, it will sieze up to thick pudding consistency almost immediately (I'm talking _seconds _ here). So if you don't have any GSE, maybe you could make a mint scented soap. At least you'd be guaranteed of a fast trace. Just make sure everything's ready because you'll barely have time to whisk the EOs in before you have to pour, and pour fast. It will still come out in a big lump that you'll have to level in the mold, but I find that lumpy swirly pattern after it cures to be quite attractive, and mint soap is heavenly.  

~Lannie


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## Sherrynboo (Mar 19, 2005)

Lannie, I always put my EO's in with the other fats since it is an oil and never had a problem with peppermint. I used something quite a few years ago, can't remember exactly but I think it was patchouli, and it separated immediately! I couldn't get that batch back together no matter what I did! Since then I have just added the EO into my fats to begin with.

sherry in GA


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## Lannie (Jan 11, 2004)

How weird, Sherry! I use patchouli and it doesn't sieze or separate. And your peppermint doesn't. This deserves further investigation on my part!

I always put the EOs in last just because that's the way I did it the first time, and once I have a habit ingrained... well, you know.  As long as the oils were sufficiently cooled when the EOs were added, I can't see why that wouldn't work just as well. I usually have some kind of botanical going in, too, like peppermint leaves, or ground orange peel, or oatmeal, or flower petals, or something, so for me, it's easier to just stir to a trace, then add my scents and herbs, stir again and pour.

~Lannie


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

OK I'm seeing #2 and #3's in your posts, what does that mean. Where do you get the scented oils? Where do you get lard and tallow and where do you get a recipe? Help me, I wanna make soap!
MrsFarmerWilly


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## Patty0315 (Feb 1, 2004)

Lard can be found at walmart and other grocery stores. You can get some scents at health food or craft stores. # 2 or # 3 is referring to 2 or 3 pounds.

Tip ~ spray your molds with baking spray before filling them.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Farmerwilly2 said:


> OK I'm seeing #2 and #3's in your posts, what does that mean. Where do you get the scented oils? Where do you get lard and tallow and where do you get a recipe? Help me, I wanna make soap!
> MrsFarmerWilly



2# = 2 pounds
3# = 3 pounds

You can get lard from the grocery store. For tallow, you can use the "Creamed Shortening" (not all-vegetable shortening)

There are recipes and a pictorial how-to on my web page
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/soapmaking

Also a list of suppliers!


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## song4u (Jan 22, 2006)

About the scents....... if you get them from a craft store, make sure they are approved for CP soapmaking. You don't want to ruin a batch unnecessarily.

Might be better to order from some of these fine people online and be sure what you are getting!

Pat


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## goatsnchicks (Jun 11, 2007)

I would like to try to make soap. I'm just scared to do it. Can I really get burned?


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## Just Me (Jun 11, 2007)

I've made it a couple of times. It's not very hard to do, but that lye can sting if you don't watch out.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

*Tallow*: check out your local butcher. Or if you have a steer butchered, ask for the tallow. We got 50lbs of it from the butcher we bought 1/2 beef from.

Goatsnchicks: yup. you can get burned. lye is caustic. the raw soap is very caustic as well. so.....be careful. follow the recipes and check out mueller's lane site...she has some great advice there.


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