Non edible recipe question: soap

[raweater]

I hope it's ok to ask this here, as I said a few daysago I tried $2.49 coconut oil and after smelling it it's clear that I won't even taste it.

Then I remembered a new soap I bought a few days ago made of organic olive oil, hemp oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and peppermint oil (the first oils being saponified, whatever that means, but I know it's what turns it into soap), it's really great soap.

So how can I saponify my cheap coconut oil to make soap out of it rather than waste it? I did notice the ingredients of my soap mention "with retained glyceryn" about the saponified oils, but when I search saponify on google it mentions sodium hydroxide which is not in the ingredients of my soap. If anyone can tell me how to saponify my coconut oil to turn it to soap I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

[joliepolie]

sodium hydroxide is lye and that is what is used to saponify all true soap recipes.I have a small bath and body biz and can give you some links to help you out.

[GlimR]

Making soap is a very cool process.......have done it many, many times~:D

http://waltonfeed.com/old/soaphome.html

Lots of info here~

[raweater]

Thanks for the info. Can Lye be purchased in local stores and if so what type of store?

Thanks

[raweater]

I forgot to mention, I would like to make liquid soap if possible, I don't like solid soaps. My olive/hemp/coconut/peppermint oil soap is liquid. I realize if I use only coconut oil it will probably be hard, but could I add olive oil or something to have it remain liquid?

Thanks

[GlimR]

Hey there~ *s*
Regular lye can be purchased in the grocery store...liquid soap usually uses a different form, you might have to get that from a place online that sells soapmaking supplies.this is a cool link.....

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/form_liquidsoap.html

It seems aLOT more complicated than making solid soap...but maybe a jumping off place for you~

Let us know how it comes out~

[raweater]

In a grocery store?!? I thought I'd have to find a speciality store. Where would I find lye in a grocery store?

Thanks

[rawstrength]

In a grocery store?!? I thought I'd have to find a speciality store. Where would I find lye in a grocery store?

Thanks

Lye is often used as a drain cleaner, so you can look for it with other cleaners at your grocery store. I have made soap before. I bought red devil brand lye from my hardware store.
Just warning you . . . soap making can be dangerous. I made soap once and got burned by a splash of lye. Fortunately it wasn't severe. But still, I don't make soap anymore.

Good luck to all you soap adventurers!

[GlimR]

Yup...red devil lye..I have probably made soap 40 times or so. I used to have a small company called Harp & Thistle Botanicals. You have to be very careful and follow directions to the letter, especially while you are learning....pay attention. Mix the lye and water outside...always!!! Avert your face while you do it so a so as not to breath the fumes...wear protective gear...glasses and gloves...use the type of containers specified. It is an amazingly cool process to watch.

Lye is very caustic and the temp of the lye and water when it mix is extremly hot. During the saponification precess and especially during the curing the lye is effectively nutrilized and will not burn you once it is cured...cold procesed bar soap takes 6 weeks or more before it is ready to use.

[raweater]

I just got back from the grocery store but I was 5-10 minutes awayt from closing time when I got in so I looked really quick and didn't see lye.

Firstly, will it be labeled "Lye" or something like "Drain cleaner"? I'm also not even sure I was in the drain cleaner isle, I normally never go in that ilse and since I was in a rush before they closed I didn't look carefully.

Thanks

[carolg]

I used to make homemade soaps and still have enough for a lifetime. I have molds if anyone interested. Wood and think 18 bar wooden mold. It worked great the time or two I used it. Worthwhile at that time. My bars were gorgeous and go a far way. Never got into the liquid soap, but love it today as a pinch goes far just like my solid vegan bars, mainly without fragrance oil. Talk about oils...I have essential and fragrance...more than I wish to admit and no longer making soap.

carolg

[raweater]

I again went to the grocery store and the closest thing I could find was "drano" which only said "Warning: contains sodium hydroxide" but didn't mention if it had other things (and was made by a drug company which I'd rather never buy anything from ever again, as they attempted to let me suffer from a horrible disease and kill me for profit).

What should I be looking for? Will it be labeled "Lye", "Drano" or "Drain unclogger" or something else?

Thanks

[GlimR]

Do NOT get the Drano!!!
It is called Red Devil Lye, a white can with blue writing and a red devil on it I think. There will be warnings on it...lye is dangerous and caustic and you have to be very careful with it. I found this.....

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/a/lyesources.htm

[gingincal]

I love to make soap! :D In my part of the world, I can't get sodium hydroxide in the grocery store...no more Red Devil. Apparently, it's a key ingredient in making some street drug or something, so the stores quit selling it.

You won't want to use coconut oil by itself - it's actually drying to the skin at 100%. :eek: Although there are MANY combos, a good one is coconut, palm, and olive. I highly recommend that you read The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch. I've tried a number of her soap recipes and loved every one. Her instructions are thorough and easy to understand.

Watch out - once you try homemade soap, you'll never settle for store-bought soap (detergent) again. :rolleyes: