The hand-milled homemadesoap recipesallow you to make soap without coming into contact with lye. So,effectively, you are making nolye soap, although technically, it hadlye initially to cause a chemical process resulting in soap as afinished product. So, for those of you who would like to make your ownsoap without using lye are a raw material, these soap making recipesare the answer. They are soaps that are created using store-bought,unscented, white bars. Baby soaps are perfect for this.
Each recipe is different,however, as a rule of thumb, you should add 1 cup of water to every 2cups of shaved soap.
HAND-MILLED SOAP MAKING RECIPES for SAGE SOAP
Photoby MaleneThyssen
Hereis a soap that you can rebatch, call your own and here you are makingsoap without using lye or caustic soda. Therefore it is safe, fun andcan be used for kids crafts too.
Grate 2 cups of your chosenstore-bought white soap, or your homemade Castile soap
Place grated soap in a heat-resistantglass bowl
Add 1/4 cup of water
Take a pot of water simmer over a lowheat. Place bowl over the pot of simmering water and heat gently untilmelted. Do not stir, although you will be tempted. If you do, you willadd bubbles to your soap that you don't really want.
Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup rubbedsage. Fold in carefully to mix in ingredients without adding bubbles.
Take a suitable mold, such as an icecream box, which as been pre-smeared in a thin coating of petroleumjelly to ensure that your soap will be released easily.
Pour your soap into the mold and placein fridge to set.
Once set remove from fridge and releasefrom mold. Place on a cake rack for 3 weeks to dry completely.
Once your soap is dry, cut upyour bars accordingly and wrap as desired.
Thisis a basic homemade soap recipe that you can then use to substitutesage for oatmeal, add a teaspoon of saffron or paprika for coloringetc. Just remember that food colorings are not suitable coloradditives for making soap.
HAND-MILLED SOAP MAKING RECIPES for OATMEAL andHONEY SOAP
3/4 cup grated whiteunscented soap
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon almond oil
Make this soap using the samehomemade soap recipe as above.
ANOTHER HONEY SOAP RECIPE
1 lb Castile soap
1/4 lb honey
1 oz glycerine
few drops of perfume of choice
2 tablespoons fine oatmeal
This is a good soap recipe that makes the skin lovely and soft.
Gratethe soap and add enough water in the pot to melt the soap withoutburning it. Add the honey and the glycerine, the perfume - I likesandlewood with this soap - and the oatmeal. Mix altogether until soapis dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes and then pour into a deep wetcontainer or soap moulds. When quite cold, cut into pieces and leaveout until quite dry before storing.
SAND SOAP FOR GARDENERS AND WORKERS
1 lb Castile soap
fine sand
2 teaspoons eucalyptus oil
Gratethe soap. I use my own Castile soap made from olive oil that I havemade previously. Place in a saucepan with just enough water so that itdoesn't burn. Add as much fine sand as the soap will hold. Add theeucalyptus oil. Boil for 2 minutes and pour into moulds. Leave to dryslightly. Cut into bars and allow to dry out before storing.
HAND-MILLED LAVENDER SOAP
Grate a bar of quantity ofgood-quality, plain, natural soap and place in a bowl with a cup ofboiling water.
Place the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until smooth.
Crush about 1/2 cup of dried lavender flowers and remove the bowl fromthe pan.
Add the dried lavender flowers to the soap.
Put a few drops of lavender oil to the mixture.
Now mold your soap and wait for it to dry before using.
This soap doesn't need to cure.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for BEGINNER'S SOAP
Here you will be usingsmall quantities to start off with, so if you mess it up it's no bigdeal. Remember, that for your soap to be successful you have to measureyour ingredients accurately, make sure that both the temperatures ofthe lye water and the oils are at 95°F when you mix them together, andthat the soap has been sufficiently mixed together so that it hasreached the 'trace' stage. When the spoon is dragged through the soapmixture and it leaves an indentation for a few seconds, your mixturehas began to turn to soap. This can take from 10 minutes to an hour ofmixing.
6 oz coconut oil
6 oz olive oil
5 oz vegetable shortening
2.6 oz lye
1 cup water (8 fluid ounces)
Using your safety glasses, and gloves,carefully combine the lye and water in a glass jar. It will heat upfast, so be careful.
Stir until dissolved and then place thelye in a sink full of ice and water to get it to cool to 95°F.
Melt the vegetable shortening in astainless steel pot over a low heat. Add the coconut oil and the oliveoil. Mix well and heat to 95°F.
Make sure that both the lye water andthe oils are at 95°F. Now add together carefully, stirring constantlyuntil the mixture begins to trace.
Pour into molds and leave for 24 hours.Release from molds, cut into bars and leave on a wire rack for 3 - 4weeks to harden. This recipe makes about 5 bars.
Variation:Add 2 tablespoons of oatmealafter the soap has reached the 'trace' stage. Mix thoroughly and thenpour into molds as usual.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for a SMALL BATCH OFSOAP
Againthis is a soap recipe for a small batch of soap for you to try out whenyou first begin making soap. If it turns out a disaster, then at leastyou haven't wasted a lot of money and ingredients.
Itis also an excellent recipe to use when you are more advancedinyour soap making and are looking to experiment with additionalingredients and fragrances.
This soap recipe will make 1 bar of soap.
Mix 5 teaspoons of lye with 1/2 cup of water. Add 1 cup of lard, andwhatever extras you may wish to add.
Follow the instructions for making soap.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for CREAMY CASTILE SOAP
Castile soaps are socalled, because the main oil that is usedin these soap making recipes is olive oil.
16 oz water
6 oz lye
16 oz olive oil
8 oz coconut oil
17 1/2 oz shortening
Not forgetting your safety glasses andgloves, mix the water and the lye in a large glass bowl or stainlesssteel pot. The water mixture will get very hot, so take care.
Heat the oils and the shortening over alow heat, stirring often. Heat to about 95°F. This will take about 30 -40 minutes.
Check the temperature of both the lyewater and the oil mixture as both should reach about 95°F at the sametime. If one is hotter than the other, place in a sink of cold water toget the temperature down to match the other.
Once the temperatures are even then addthe lye to the oils, stirring constantly.
From 10 minutes to an hour of stirring,the mixture should begin to 'trace'. This means that when a spoon isdragged through the mixture, an indentation is left behind for a fewseconds. If you do not stir your soap to the point of tracing, thenwhen the soap is poured it will separate into levels of lye and oils,and your soap will not be successful. Once tracing has been reachedthis is the time to add any herbs, plants or essential oils to yoursoap, if desired.
Pour your soap into suitable plasticmolds, cover with lids and wrap in a heavy blanket for 24 hours.
Once the soaps have hardened theyshould leave the the molds very easily. If you have trouble, in thefuture you can use a thin coating of Vaseline on your mold to help withthe un-molding process.
You can cut your soap into smaller barsat this stage and leave on a wire rack for 3 - 4 weeks to air dry andharden.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for ALOE VERA SOAP*Based on therecipe above
1x 4oz bar of Castile soap,grated
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 1/2 tablespoons rosewater
30 drops evening primrose oil
6 drops tangerine essential oil
4 drops juniper essential oil
Take a flat baking tray and line thebase with waxed paper. Set aside.
In a glass bowl mix the aloe vera gel,the rosewater and evening primrose oil and leave overnight.
The next morning beat the mixturethoroughly. Add the essential oils drop by drop, mixing well after eachaddition.
Wet your hands, and taking a smallamount of mixture ( about 1/3 of a cup at a time) form it into balls.
Place the balls on your baking traythat has been lined with waxed paper.
Leave until dry and firm.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for COCONUT SOAP
20 oz coconut oil
4 oz olive oil
12 oz lard
20 oz water
6.5 oz caustic soda
The caustic solution is adjusted to 75F. and the fats to 85 F. Some oil of coconut can be used if desired atthe end.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for TRANSPARENT HONEY SOAP
500 ml distilled water
175 g caustic soda
1.1 kg tallow or fat
50 g honey
225 g coconut oil
2 tablespoons sugar "burnt" so that it caramelizes for the colouring.
Follow the same soap makingprocess below for the Hard Laundry Soap Recipe, adding the honey andcoconut oil to the tallow as it melts.
Variationson theabove soap making recipe:
Add a few drops of perfumedoil to the soap just before you pour it out.
Add half a cup of powderedmilk to this homemade soap recipe just before you pour it out for avery smooth, rich, moisturizing soap.
Add half a cup of honey justbefore you pour it out for a rich, clean soap
Add chamomile or parsley tea,or tea made of calendula petals and hot water instead of water in therecipe - these are all soothing herbs which make a mild soap.
Replace part of the oil withavocado or almond oil for a very rich moisturizing soap.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for HONEY BAR
This recipe is for those ofyou who are not up to speed on the metric system. Iwas one of those who was brought up with both the Imperial and themetric system, so can happily work with both. However, I do understandthat it can be frustrating for those who are not that fortunate. Sohere is the recipe that is almost the same as the one above.
20 oz distilled water
6.5 oz caustic soda
40 oz tallow
2 oz honey
8 oz coconut oil
burnt sugar coloring, not over 2 ozs.
Usingthe normal soap making process add the caustic soda to the water andadjust to 110F. heat the fats to 98 F. Add the honey, coloring matterand scent if you are using any just before pouring into the moulds.
Tomake the burnt coloring, place 1/2 lb. sugar into a frying pan and heatuntil it turns black and flaky. Take off the stove and pour a cup ofwater over it. Stir the mixture for 5 minutes, strain through a gauzeand keep in a bottle for later use.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for TRANSPARENT BROWNSOAP
17 oz water
6.5 oz caustic soda
6 oz brown sugar
14 oz glycerine
12 oz 80% proof vodka
20 oz lard
10 oz coconut oil
Dissolvethe brown sugar in the vodka and add the glycerine. When completelydissolved, add to the caustic soda solution and adjust to 90F.
Meltcoconut oil and lard together and adjust to 90 F. and make soap in theusual way. This soap must be covered quickly when poured and should notbe disturbed for at least 24 hours. The transparent appearance will becompleted by aging the soap.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for SANDALWOOD SOAP
2 oz Sandalwood essentialoil
1/2 oz Sandalwood powder
14 oz tepid water
6 oz lye
18 oz coconut oil
6 oz palm oil
12 oz olive oil
4 oz wheat germ oil
Combine the Sandalwood oiland powder together and set aside.
Blend the water and lyetogether carefully. Set aside and cool to 95°F.
Gently heat the coconutoil and palm oil together over a low heat. Add the olive oil and thewheat germ oil and then heat to 95°F.
Once the temperatures arethe same, mix the lye water into the oils.
Stir the mixture until itreaches the 'trace' stage. Now add the Sandalwood mixture. Stirthoroughly and put into suitable molds.
Leave the soap to set andsolidify for about 24 hours. Release the soap from the molds, cut intobars and place on a wire rack to air dry for 3 - 4 weeks.
Homemade soap on display
SOAP MAKING RECIPES for COLD LAUNDRY SOAP MADE WITHCOMMERCIAL LYE
2 quarts strained renderedbeef fat (fat around kidneys is best)
1 can lye (14-16 oz)
1 quart water
1/2 cup ammonia
2 tablespoons borax dissolved in 1/2 cup water
Carefully combine the lye and water ina glass jar. It will heat up fast, so be careful.
Stir until dissolved and then place thelye in a sink full of ice and water to get it to cool to 98°F.
Cool the melted beef fat in the samemanner to get it down to 98°F too.
When the right temperature has beenachieved, add the lye solution into the beef fat and stir well.
Add the ammonia and the borax andcontinue to stir until it is thick; like honey.
Pour into wooden mold or a glass bakingpan that has been coated with a light coating Vaseline to prevent itfrom sticking.
After 24 hours, cut into bars and allowto harden in a dry place. Grate and use after 3-4 weeks.
SOAPMAKING RECIPES for HARD LAUNDRY SOAP (Makes 6kg)
This homemade soap recipe uses causticsoda, so please take the necessary safety precautions.
500 gm caustic soda
3 kg clean fat, or olive, coconut, sunflower oil, or a combination.
2 litres of cold water or herbal tea
Weigh the caustic soda with gloves andgoggles on. Pour water or herbal tea into a jug and add the lye,slowly.It will bubble and heat at this stage, so take care. Set aside to coolwhile you are measuring the fat.
Melt the fat if necessary, or heat oilto 30 degrees centigrade. The lye (caustic soda / water mixture) shouldalso be at 30 degrees centigrade. Pour the lye into the fat or oil,stirring continuously until well mixed and sponification takes place.This can take as long as 20 minutes or more. When the mixture becomesthick and opaque you have reached that stage. Stop stirring!
Both the lye and the oil need to be atthe same temperature or the soap will separate.
Pour mixture into molds and cover witha blanket to stop it cooling too quickly. If an oil film develops onthe top, stir again; you may have to do this several times. Soaps madewith oil are more likely to react in this way and separate.
After 4 weeks, cut the soap into bars.It should be firm, but not hard at this stage. Now allow to dry andharden for at least another month before using.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES: LAUNDRYSOAP
6 pounds rendered downmutton fat
2 gallons water
0.5 pound resin
2 ounce powdered borax
1 pound caustic soda
1 bottle cloudy ammonia
Putfat, water, resin and borax into large pot and heat thoroughly untilthe fat has melted. Remove from heat and add the caustic soda verycarefully adding just a little at a time as the mixturewill rise up each time you add some caustic soda.
Returnto heat and boil gently for 2 hours. Stir with a wooden spoon takingcare that the mixture doesn't boil over. Remove from heat, and in awell-ventilated room add the ammonia. Mix well and put mixture intomolds. Leave for 24 hours before cutting into bars.
SOAP MAKING RECIPES: QUICKLYMADE SOAP
Thisrecipe is very similar to the one above. The difference here is theaddition of bicarbonate of soda and where you have to boil for 2 hoursin the recipe above, in this soap recipe you only have to boil for 20minutes, thus its name.
The caustic soda can bepoured directly from the tin straight into the cold water, beingcareful not to splash your hands. It only boils up when added toboiling water.
6 pounds rendered down mutton fat
14 pints water
1 pound caustic soda
0.5 pound resin
Heat over low heat until fat has melted.
Now add 2 teaspoons borax
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
Boilfor 20 minutes. Pour into moulds and allow to set, and then cut intobars. This soap can be used for washing dishes, showering, bathing oreven washing your hair.
Old Fashioned Country Soap Recipes
OldFashioned Citrus Soap
1 lb caustic soda
1/2 gallon water
8 lb grease
citrus leaves (optional)
Placethe caustic soda into a pot with the 1/2 gallon of water. Stir wellwith a flat stick. The mixture will heat up. Put aside to cool.
Melt8 lb lard or animal grease free from salt and allow to cool until thefat is still warm and still at the liquid stage. Now pour the lyemixture into the fat mixture. Make sure you add the lye to the fat, andnot the other way around!
Pourthe lye in steadily, stirring all the time. It should look like honeyin about 2 minutes. If not, stir until it does. Pour into moulds toset. Afterwards you will have 16 lb of good soap.
Ifyou would like your soap to smell nice, take some citrus leaves, andboil with the water that you will use with your caustic soda. Removebefore adding the caustic soda.
OldFashioned Copper Kettle Soap
- 12 pints water
- 1 lb caustic soda
- 1/2 lb crushed resin
- small packet soap flakes (no quantity given)
- 1 tablespoon borax
- 7 lb clarified fat or lard
Addthe caustic soda to the water and add all the other ingredients to thepot. Boil altogether, stirring constantly, until the mixture startslooking like honey. Pour into molds and wait for it to set.
SOAPMAKING RECIPES for HOMEMADE SOAP WITHOUT LYE or CAUSTIC SODA
Besidesthe milled soaps that have been reworked and rebatched, you can alsomake soap without lye using other ingredients as you will see from thesoap recipes below.
Unfortunately, the recipe calls for largeamounts of the ingredients, but if you want to try these you will haveto adjust them accordingly.
Soap Recipe without Lye
3 lb lime (calcium hydroxide)
7 lb fat
1 lb resin
3 gallons water
6 lb washing soda
3 tablespoons borax
Placethe lime, washing soda and water in a large suitable pot for soapmaking and boil for 1 hour. Remove from the stove and leave overnight.
The following day, drain off the clear liquid that has risen to the topand place in a separate container.
Add the fat, resin and borax to the clear liquid that you have justdrained off. Boil for 3 hours, stirring all the time.
You must stir the mixture, and this is a very important part of theprocess which will make excellent soap.
Second Soap Recipewithout Lye:
3 gallons water
3 lb fat
3 lb lime
3 lb washing soda
1/4 lb resin
Boilthe water, lime and washing soda for 2 hours. The allow to cool. Pouroff the clear liquid into another pot and and add the resin, crushed toa powder. Boil for another 3 hours, stirring well. Remove from heat andplace in your molds to allow to set.
Third Soap Recipewithout Lye:
3 kg fat
5 tbsp borax
3 tbsp kerosene
1 tbsp resin
Mixtogether half a kerosene tin of clean wood ash with 1 kg of lime and 23/4 kg of washing soda. Boil this in one kerosene tin of rainwater for 1 hour.
Stand overnight, well covered with hessian bags.
In the morning strain, place in a clean vessel, add fat, borax,kerosene and resin. Boil for 3 hours stirring often.
Pour into wetted mould, and when cold cut into bars. Store to dry forone month before using.
Fourth Soap Recipewithout Lye
3 lb lime
6 lb washing soda
1 lb resin
7 lb fat
3tablespoons borax
12 quarts rain water
Boilwater, lime and washing soda for 1 hour. Leave to standovernight. Pour off the clear liquid and place in a new pot. Add therest of the ingredients to the clear liquid and boil for 3 hours,stirring constantly. Pour into molds and allow to set.
Lemon Shower Gel Recipe
4 oz Castile Soap Shavings
3 oz glycerine
20 drops oil of lemon
20 drops oil of lime
1 pint distilled water
Placesoap and water into a double boiler over hot water. When melted addglycerine, remove from the heat and add the oils. Keep in plasticbottle for use in the shower.
Seed and Soap SpiceBalls (Makes 8)
These are great soaps to make, firstlybecause they can be made for cheap and novel gifts, and secondly, eventhe kids can get involved.
350 g Lux Soap Flakes
5 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Place the soap flakes - such as Lux -into a large bowl, adding the water and the oil. Mix these ingredientswith a spoon. Know knead the mixture with your hands until it resemblesplay dough. Divide the soap 'dough' into 16 portions by scooping out arounded tablespoon of soap mixture for each portion, shaping eachportion into a ball.
Place one tablespoon of each of theseeds and spices into 4 separate bowls or saucers. Quickly dip a soapball in a small bowl of cold water then roll it between your hands toevenly wet the surface. Now drop the soap ball into the sesame bowl,dry your hands then spin the bowl around to coat the soap ball evenlywith sesame seeds. Roll and press the seed-coated soap ball betweenyour hands to 'fix' the seeds. Working with one seed or spice at atime, repeat this step to coat the remaining soap balls.
These soaps do not need to cure.
HOW TO USE YOUR SOAPS
Themost economical way to use soap is to wet the hands and rub themtogether around the dry soap bar. Return the soap to the dish and rubthe hands together to get a good lather. We often waste oursoapdown the drain, so just another way of beingfrugal!
Well, we hope you have enjoyed readingour soap making recipes and feel inspired to try some out yourself. Ifyou have any problems drop us a line through our CraftForum. We would love to hear from you.
Old-Fashioned Soap Making
Photo courtesy of NY Public Library.
Did you find this page helpful?
Sharing is a way of saying, "Thanks!"
Follow Us and Keep Up to Date
Other Resources you Might Like to Look At
Gofrom Soap Recipes back to MakingSoap
Go to How to Make Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent
Goto the Saponification Chart
Goto Make Lye from Wood Ash
Goto Country Crafts
Goto Self-Sufficient Living
Goto Frugal Living
Soap Kits and Lye forMaking Soap
You can Add your own Comments, Tips and Ideas on Soap MakingRecipes Here!
We have lots ofpageswhere you cancontribute to throughout this homesteading website. We love hearingfrom ourreaders, and hopeyou will be one of those we hear from too. Look around our homesteadingwebsite. If you have some comments,tips, recipes or ideas on soap making recipes of your own,pleasesubmit them. All you need to do is type and submit. We will do the rest!
Leave a Comment
Do you have anything that you would like to add after readingthispage? We would love to hear your thoughts. If you can add additionalinformation to what has been written here you will be adding value tothe website! No need to have any special skills - just type and submit.We will do the rest!
Other Comments
Click below to see comments from other visitors to this page...
Heatand Pour 
Hello the house. I made some heat and pour glycerin soap and it driedvery hard and does not lather very much but appears to clean. Is thisnormal for ...
UsingAvocado Oil in Making Soap
Hello, I want to use Avocado oil in my soaps. Is avocado oil a goodmoisturizing oil? And if it is, when is it added at trace or meltedalong with the ...
milkmoisterizing soap
Hello,
Ireally want to start making my own soap. I would like to know if youhave a milk moisterizing unsented soap recipe that may include some ...
Stovemethod for soap making Not rated yet
Stove method..., just so excited!!!! Any help with that, as I'm excitedto use finished product sooner than 3-4 weeks. I will try the coldprocess. Great ...
