Homemade Lye Soap Recipe

Possibly the most important tool that you will need for your homemade soap making is the scale. This should be digital, and should read ounces, preferably to the 1/10th ounce. The scale will be used to ensure that the chemical balance of your soap is accurate. You will use it to measure everything including your lye, liquids, oils, and additives.

The Lye Container

When measuring the lye, you will need to have either a clear plastic measuring cup, or bowl, that is used only for the lye, and is clearly marked “lye only.” Since lye is a toxic substance in the dry form that you will be measuring, it is imperative that this container is used for nothing else. A large measuring cup that will hold at least 12 ounces, depending on the size of the batches you will be making, or a clear plastic bowl, or container, can be found at most any local store. If you are working toward frugality, a check at your local dollar store would be a great place to start looking for this piece of equipment.

The Mixing Vessel

Mixing your lye and oils together to create your soap requires a stainless steel pot to avoid the chemical reaction that could happen with other metals. One of the best things to use is a stock pot, generally of about an 8-quart size, depending on the size of the batch you are making. Using a stock pot allows you to work down inside the pot to help avoid splashing of the caustic lye substance, prior to saponification. Stainless steel stock pots can be expensive to purchase, but they can be found at a reasonable price at your local mass merchandiser or low price retailer.

Safety Goggles

Make sure that you have a pair of safety goggles that cover all around your eyes in case of accidental splashes. The solution is very dangerous prior to saponification and contact with the eyes must be avoided. Safety goggles can be found readily, and inexpensively, at most dollar stores, home improvement stores, or mass merchandisers.

Spoon and Ladle

Mixing, measuring and pouring, can require either a stainless steel spoon, or a stainless steel ladle. Again, you want these items to be stainless steel to avoid any chemical reaction with the metal. Both of these items are easily found at local dollar or mass merchandise stores.

Stick Blender

This one item, along with the digital scale, is perhaps the most important piece of equipment for making homemade soap. While the mixture of liquids, lye, and oils, can be stirred by hand, the end product will be smoother, harder, and more professional if a stick blender is used. When mixing the ingredients together the stick blender is used to ensure complete integration of all of the parts to result in a timely trace, and ultimately proper saponification, and beautiful bars, of soap. Stick blenders range in price from fairly inexpensive to unnecessarily pricey. For the purpose of soap making, an inexpensive stick blender is sufficient.

Soap Molds

What you use for a mold for your soap can vary greatly. Everything from dish washing tubs, to plastic storage boxes, to silicone muffin cups, to candy molds can be used. You can also purchase specifically designed soap molds either online or at your local craft store. This is completely up to you, but the recommendation is that you find something that is squared off on the corners rather than rounded to avoid wasting and trimming of your bars. It is also recommended that you find a mold that can either be taken apart to expose the free standing soap, or a mold that is flexible enough to “pop” the soap out upside down. Metal containers should be avoided for this step, with soft plastic, or silicone, being preferable. I have recently had the opportunity to try out some wonderful farm animal molds (my favorite is the sheep mold) from Milky Way Molds. The detail in these molds is wonderful, and I have had fantastic results using their products!  If you have never tried detailed molds before I recommend you visit Milky Way Molds and look at their expansive selection. (A huge thank you to Milky Way Molds for providing me products to include in this post.)

Miscellaneous Soap Tools

The only other things you may need for your homemade soap making project will include paper towels, stainless steel measuring spoons for measuring scents and other additives, and a few small measuring cups or bowls to hold ingredients prior to adding them to the soap mixture. These items may already be in your kitchen, or can be found at any dollar or mass merchandise store.

While it may seem like a long list of items that you need to make soap, remember that these are one time purchases that will allow you to make a life time of unique and creative soap. As with any craft or hobby, the tools you use will determine the quality of the end product. Don’t hesitate to set yourself up for success by having the proper soap making equipment.

If you have never made your own soap, you may think it’s a really complicated process. I know that’s what I thought. I was afraid of the lye, didn’t understand how easy it was to be creative, and felt like I was learning chemistry. Then a friend showed me how she makes it, and after some alterations to make the recipe my own, I came up with this simple soap. We now make a lot of different kinds of soaps here on the farm, but this always has been our go-to recipe. We have used it around here for years, and it’s always fun trying new scents and additives. The trick to soap making? Just get started and don’t be afraid! Check out the Benefits of Soap Making.

Simple Soap Recipe from One Ash Farm Recipes

• 2 cups liquid ~ this can be things like chamomile tea, pureed cucumbers mixed with some water or green tea, or goat milk
• 6 ounces food grade lye ~ weigh this out on your digital scale
• 8 ounces olive oil
• 16 ounces coconut oil
• 1-1/2 pounds (24 ounces) shortening (yes, the kind you cook with)
• Essential oils or soap fragrance oil
• Any other additives (cornmeal, dried herbs, oatmeal, etc.)

1. Combine the liquid and the lye and stir until mixed. Make sure you are pouring the lye into the liquid, not the other way around! The mixture will begin to get hot from the chemical reaction with the lye. Be sure to wear your apron and protective goggles. And don’t splash!
2. Slowly add the oils to the liquid/lye mixture, and, using your stick blender, mix thoroughly until saponification occurs. (This is when the mixture begins to thicken and you can see a trace, or trail, through the soap.) Saponification is the chemical process that creates a hard soap and neutralizes the caustic effects of the lye.
3. Quickly add your essential oils (generally 2 to 3 ounces for this amount of soap) or soap fragrance, and any additives. Make sure they are well-blended using your stick blender. Do not over mix, and don’t let the soap harden.
4. Pour the completed mixture into your pre-greased soap mold.
5. Now you can design the top of your soap bars. Smooth the mixture, or give it some peaks like when you ice a cake. You can also lightly press in some dried herbs like lavender or rosemary.
6. Once the mixture is firm enough (generally 24 to 48 hours), turn your mold upside down onto a parchment or wax paper covered surface. If needed, use a knife or other tool to cut the soap into the size.
7. Leave the soap to harden for about 2 weeks, rotating occasionally so it dries all around.
8. After it has dried, you will have your own beautiful bars of soap to give or enjoy!

Have fun making your own soap!