How to Make Colonial Soap With Wood Ash & Rendered Fat
When the people who lived during Colonial times created soap, they did not have access to pre-made lye or refined exotic oils that are used in modern soap making, such as coconut or palm oil. Instead, colonists made their own soaps out of materials that were readily available, like wood ash and rendered fat such as beef tallow. These natural soaps were not only highly cleansing, but were gentle on the skin as well.
Things You'll Need
- Barrel
- Saw
- Straw
- Wood ash
- Bowl
- Measuring cups
- 32 oz. beef tallow
- 1 Tbsp. essential oil
- Stock pot
- Glass jar
- 2 meat thermometers
- Wooden spoon
- Soap molds
Instructions
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1
Cut the bottom out of a wooden barrel, and place the barrel on top of two wooden planks. The hole in the bottom of the barrel should be 4 to 5 inches wide, and positioned so that it is open to the ground.
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2
Place a large bowl with an 8-inch wide opening directly below the hole in the bottom of the barrel.
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3
Fill the bottom half of the barrel with fresh straw.
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4
Fill the top half of the barrel with wood ash. Allow the device to sit undisturbed for a few weeks. Over time, the wood ash will compress and will transform into a brown liquid. This liquid is a rough form of lye, which will fall through the straw and into the bowl below.
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5
Pour 7 oz. of the wood ash lye into a glass jar, and mix in 16 oz. of water. Place a meat thermometer into the glass to measure the temperature. The wood ash lye will react chemically with the water and will make heat. The lye water should be 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use wood ash from your own fireplace or wood stove, or you can purchase wood ash from a home improvement store.
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6
Place 32 oz. of beef tallow into a stock pot, and heat the tallow over medium heat. Place a second meat thermometer into the pot to gauge the temperature. The tallow should be 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can purchase beef tallow from a butcher's shop or soap making store.
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7
Pour the lye water into the tallow when both substances reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
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8
Stir the soap mixture using a wooden spoon for 1 hour, which will cause the mixture to thicken to resemble soft pudding.
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9
Stir in 1 Tbsp. of essential oil. Essential oil is the pressed oil from different plants or flowers, and will add a natural fragrance to the soap. You can buy essential oil from a natural food shop or soap making store.
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10
Pour the soap mixture into soap molds, then leave the molds in a dark, cool room, undisturbed, for 6 weeks. This will allow the soaps to cure and harden. Once cured, pop out the soaps for use.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
