How to Make Old Fashioned Soap

Make lye soap at home.

In days gone by, one of the chores every housewife faced was making soap for family use. Today, very few people are willing to stand outdoors over a cast iron pot stirring the soap, using what is known as the "hot" method. Instead, most soap is made in the kitchen, using common household items. With pre-planning, you can make an old-fashioned type soap, using the cold process, in a just a few hours.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Small glass bowl
• Rubber gloves
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Lye flakes
• Wooden spoon
• Clean, strained tallow (beef fat)
• Large glass bowl
• Petroleum jelly
• Glass baking dish, 8-by-11
• Sharp knife
• Wire rack

Instructions

1. Measure 1/2 cup of cold water into a small glass bowl. Protect your hands with rubber gloves and add 2 tbsp. dry lye to the water slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the lye is completely dissolved.

2. Measure 1 cup of clean, strained and melted beef fat tallow into a larger glass bowl. Set both bowls aside to cool until they are lukewarm to the touch on the outside of the bowls.

3. Grease an 8-by-11 inch glass baking dish with petroleum jelly. This will serve as the mold for your soap.

4. Pour the lye mixture slowly into the tallow once they have both cooled. Stir constantly during this process. The tallow will become cloudy and then grainy.

5. Continue stirring until the mixture resembles thick pudding. This may take anywhere from five minutes to an hour.

6. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan, using the back of the wooden spoon to spread the mixture into the corners.

7. Allow the mixture to sit for two hours. Use a sharp knife to cut the soap into bars.

8. Remove the bars after 24 hours. Place the bars on a wire rack to cure for three to four weeks. Wrap in paper for longer storage.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut your bars before the soap becomes fully hard to the touch, as it will allow you cleaner cuts on the sides.

• Lye is very caustic and can cause severe burning if it comes into contact with the skin. Never touch lye mixtures with your bare hands, always work in a well-ventilated area and wear rubber gloves until the soap-making process is complete.

References

• "Art of Soap Making"; Merilyn Simonds Mohr; 1989
• "Smart Soapmaking: The Simple Guide to Making Traditional Handmade Soap Quickly, Safely, and Reliably, or How to Make Luxurious Handcrafted Soaps for Family, Friends, and Yourself"; Anne L. Watson; 2007