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Author Topic: Homemade Soap!  (Read 50957 times)

Offline tomsawyer

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #30 on: May 27, 2011, 01:51:55 pm »
Now I think I understand why you all are the way you are.  One too many lick tests.

Over a month's time the reaction will go to completion as long as there is an excess of oil, and you've mixed things up adequately so there are no pockets of lye.
Lennie
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Offline EHall

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #31 on: May 27, 2011, 02:43:23 pm »
so either after licking it or going thru a bad wash with it, you just let it age? and even thats not a guarantee?
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Offline euge

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #32 on: May 27, 2011, 04:57:56 pm »
so either after licking it or going thru a bad wash with it, you just let it age? and even thats not a guarantee?
Curing the soap is just like beer. Have patience and it will be better after a couple of weeks.

Follow the your recipe exactly- especially in regards to the lye. My experiences with my own cold-process soap is that any "harshness" isn't as bad as a commercial soap. Though if one uses it right away before giving it a chance to cure then there might be a bit of tingling with sensitive skin. For me it's my scalp. The soap will seem slicker too when you try to rinse it away.

My experiences with hot-process soap is that one can use it immediately. But the soap isn't as attractive IMO.
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Offline punatic

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #33 on: May 27, 2011, 11:25:51 pm »
Have you tried using beeswax?
Have you tried KOH instead of NaOH?

Now you've got me thinking about soapmaking, again.  Like I need another thing...   :D

I just can't resist making things at home (he says as he sips a homemade martini).
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Offline euge

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #34 on: May 27, 2011, 11:28:47 pm »
Have you tried using beeswax?
Have you tried KOH instead of NaOH?

Now you've got me thinking about soapmaking, again.  Like I need another thing...   :D

Potassium hydroxide makes liquid soap AFAIK. But, I've never used it.

Beeswax is interesting. I think there's some recipes for it.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline punatic

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #35 on: May 27, 2011, 11:39:05 pm »
I have a lot of beeswax.  Candles are pretty neat but it seems like such a waste to just burn up what my girls (my bees) have worked so hard to make (1lb beeswax = 8 lbs of honey).  I think they would be happy with me if I smelled of beeswax soap when I work in their hives.   ;D
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline euge

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #36 on: May 27, 2011, 11:43:06 pm »
If the beeswax is clean I can see it commanding a high price. If you can't find a use for it why not sell the wax?
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline punatic

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #37 on: May 27, 2011, 11:55:51 pm »
If the beeswax is clean I can see it commanding a high price. If you can't find a use for it why not sell the wax?

It is very clean.  I can get $25/lb for it.  I trade instead - currently fresh eggs, Hawaiian sea salt, cane juice, and lychee.  I like to keep it close to home though.  Beeswax soap has got me thinking...

I also harvest bee pollen and propolis.  I use the pollen as yeast nutient in my meads, and I make propolis tinctures.

Have you ever had a propolis martini?  Awesome!
« Last Edit: May 27, 2011, 11:57:47 pm by punatic »
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Offline euge

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #38 on: May 28, 2011, 12:44:44 am »
I'm surprised you haven't made soap already. Or have you? I think a propolis resin soap would be interesting. Sounds beneficial.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline Steve

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #39 on: May 29, 2011, 06:41:27 am »
Fantastic thread.
Just too cool for words.

I remember my Grandma making soap in the backyard.  (And my Grandfather made beer and wine).
I may just have to try this out!
Thanks for the great info.

They should've gotten their gigs together.  I made a beer soap with Oktoberfest instead of water, added spent grains dried in the oven and crushed further as an exfoliant and a few drops of Bergamont oil for scent.  Next time I may use a "Hopshot" for some hop scent.

You have to let the beer completely go flat before adding the lye or the carbonation with the reaction will give you a huge stinky foam bomb.  I added the grain at the end of the lye/fat mix when it was thickening up before molding.  I use a rectangular silicone mold so the soap pops out easily.  it very rewarding to use personally and when it's received as a gift.  Just like making beer and wine.
Steve
 
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #40 on: May 31, 2011, 11:23:10 pm »
Nowadays, lye is commonly used in the home production of Biodiesel....
It is available and ships as ORM-D.
Kewl thread Euge thanks...
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Offline punatic

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #41 on: June 01, 2011, 02:23:02 am »
Both UPS Ground and FedEx Ground do not require a hazardous shipping contract to ship ORM-D packages except to Alaska and Hawaii.

Lucky me...
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #42 on: June 02, 2011, 04:59:32 pm »
So there was brief mention above of liquid soap and I am curious about that. I don't like to use bar soap, just a personal distaste as I can't help but think about all the other people (in the abstract anyway) who have used that bar. Does anyone know if the only difference is the potassium hydroxide instead of lye? I rarely use anything other than Dr Bronners. and would love to make my own.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #43 on: June 03, 2011, 01:56:41 am »
I don't know how liquid soap is made, but you can make your own from bar soap.  Grate it with a cheese grater, soak it in some hot water, and it will dissolve.  Add as much water as you need for it to work in one of those pump soap dispensers, and Bob's your uncle.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline bluesman

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Re: Homemade Soap!
« Reply #44 on: June 03, 2011, 06:24:50 am »
...and just when they thought we were all obsessed about our malt liquor. ;D

Then there was this...

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/
Ron Price