Old-fashioned lye soap can be made in your own kitchen.
Lye soap is one of the oldest types of soap. Lye soap is made using a method called cold process soap making, and it usually includes several different types of oils or animal fat. This type of soap can be used for everything from household cleaning to bathing. It is possible to make lye soap at home, although it can be very tricky to do and is a project best left to experienced soap makers.
Instructions
1. Put on your gloves, goggles and long-sleeved shirt to avoid burning your skin when working with lye.
2. Pour the water into the glass mixing bowl and then add the lye to the bowl.
3. Gently stir the mixture and set it aside. (Place the bowl outside if you are not in a well-ventilated area.) Be careful: the mixture will be extremely hot due to the chemical reaction of lye and water.
4. Place all of the oils into the cooking pot, and place the cooking pot on the stove.
5. Heat the oils over low heat until they are thoroughly liquefied and begin to mix. (Some of the oils, such as the coconut oil, are solid at room temperature.) Stir to combine.
6. Remove the oils from the heat, and allow to cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Add the lye mixture to the oils when it has also cooled to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful: the mixtures are both hot and can burn you. Also, do not add the oil mixture to the lye mixture---the steps must be followed as described here.
8. Use an immersion blender to mix the oils until they reach "trace" stage. This means that, when the oils are stirred with a spoon, the spoon leaves a little trail behind in the soap.
9. Carefully pour the soap into molds and allow to harden for 5 days.
10. Remove the soap from the molds. Place it in a cool, dry place to age for another 4 to 6 weeks before using.
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