How to Make Hand-Milled Soap

Making your own hand-milled soap from scratch is a rewarding experience. Hand-milled, or cold-pressed, soap can be created in your own kitchen. You can create bars of soap that lather as well as a commercial soap, but with the added benefit of being created with all natural ingredients. Since cold-pressed soap uses lye, make sure that your are in a well-ventilated area and use rubber gloves. Here is an step-by-step guide for creating homemade, cold-pressed soap.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 lb. of olive oil
• 1 lb. of coconut oil
• 1 lb. of palm oil
• 7 oz. of superfatted lye
• Water
• Stock pot
• Wooden spoon
• Two candy thermometers
• Measuring pitcher
• Soap molds
• Rubber gloves

1. 
    
   Mix the Lye

   Using a measuring pitcher, combine the lye and the water. Be sure to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. Place the measuring pitcher in a well ventilated area, and keep the fumes away from the eyes and nose. Place a candy thermometer in the pitcher to measure the temperature.

2. 
    
   Heating the oils

   While you wait for your lye to heat up, combine the oils into a stock pot and heat it over medium heat. Place another candy thermometer into the pot. Stir the oils constantly until the temperature reaches 110 degrees F, then remove it from the heat.

3. 
    
   Soap Tracing

   When the lye reaches 110 degrees F, like the oils, carefully and slowly pour it into the stock pot with the oils. Stir the mixture constantly until you see thick streaks in the mixture. This is called tracing, and it resembles the consistency of pudding.

4. 
    
   Soap molds

   Pour the soap mixture into molds designed for soap making. Let the soap stay in the molds for a week, then remove them. Place the soaps on a countertop in a cool location in your house for up to six weeks to cure.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep children away from hot oils and lye. Do not use the stock pot or measuring pitcher for anything other than soap making once it has contained lye.

Resources

• Soap recipes
• Soap making supplies