Steps in Making Lye Soap

by admin on 13. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

One of the most traditional household management skills back then is making lye soap. In the olden days, soap preparation took several days but thanks to modern technology and the accessibility of lye and lard, making lye soaps can now be completed in just a few hours. Here’s a guide on how to make lye soap at home.

The first step in how to make lye soap is have your soap mold ready. You need not buy a commercially available mold as any non-reactive receptacle will suffice as a cast for your lye soap. You can be as creative and resourceful as possible by perhaps making use of an old shoe box wrapped with a grocery bag.

Since lye is substance that causes corrosion upon contact on skin or any part of the body, it is emphasized to put on gloves and goggles before handling it. You must never skip this step as lye will permanently and severely burn your skin and eyes when you get in touch with it. Wear these protective gears throughout the whole process on how to make lye soap.

As a precaution, work in an open and well-ventilated area to ensure that you will not be able to breath in any vapors from the lye. Have lots of ice cold water within reach just in case any amount of lye touches your skin. Just in case you get a drop or a splatter, immediately wash it off with the ice cold water you have set aside.

The actual steps on how to make lye soap begins with combining lye and cold water in a metal or glass pot while continuously mixing it with a wooden spoon. Immediately the reaction between lye and cold water is observed once heated. Once thoroughly combined, set the mixture aside in a covered container until it cools to up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Begin to melt the lard in a non-reactive saucepan and have it cool down to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooled, the lye mixture is poured in a constant thin stream into saucepan with the lard.  Stir them together slowly with a wooden spoon as the lye soap mixture thickens into a pudding consistency, which will take approximately forty-five minutes.

When the lye soap mixture is ready, transfer them into your set molds as carefully as you can. If there are any drips, you can easily clean them up with a ten percent vinegar solution. Set them aside in a clear space and wait for the lye soap mixture to cure for about three to five hours before cutting them into bars.

Once the lye soap has been divided into bars, keep them inside the molds for about one week before removing them one by one. Each lye soap bar should be wrapped in muslin to keep it safe and intact as you store them in cool and dry place. You should wait another three to five days for it to cure further before making use of it.

There are a lot of creative ways on how to make lye soap more unique. You can make different colored soaps by adding food coloring or you make sweet-scented bars by incorporating your favorite essential oils. You can also create lye soaps of different colors by using candy molds that come in varying designs and sizes.

How to make lye soap is a very simple process that just needs careful attention and cautious execution. Be sure to wear protective gears while making lye soap and always prepare cold water as well as a ten percent vinegar solution just in case drips and splatters may happen. Have a safe and happy lye soap making experience!

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Getting to Know Grandma’s Lye Soap

by admin on 16. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

From a number of different kinds of soap comes grandma’s lye soap and this particular soap is unlike all the rest becomes it comes from the heart. It is considered to be a home remedy that most people associate with their grandmothers hence the name. When it comes to this particular soap product, what you can expect is something reminiscent of grandma’s care.

Soap making was considered to be one of the most popular activities not to mention sources of income back in the day and people started making these in the comforts of their homes. Nowadays, a lot of products like grandma’s lye soap are being manufactured for commercial distribution. Most of the time, the ingredients and the processes used to make nana’s lye soap remain the same.

When it comes to natural lye soap from grandma, these are the kinds of soaps that were made in the old farm days of America. You will be able to find these in local retail outlets as well as through the Internet. Considering how people from the old days did not have much access to a lot of things, they used what they had in their homes to make these soaps.

The basic ingredient when it comes to making grandma’s soap from lye is of course the lye or sodium hydroxide. Traditionally, the soap was made during what was referred to as the annual hog hunting season. What the people did was save the lard from the hogs and combined it with the lye plus some water.

The mixture would be placed inside huge kettles and placed over an open fire to heat it up. When it comes to making grandma’s lye soap, different compositions of the lard and lye are often concocted. The amount of lye that is used determines how strong the resulting soap will be.

Although the process seems rather simple, lye can be a pretty complicated ingredient to use. If you put too much of the caustic soda then you end up with a hard and harsh soap. If you put too little of it to make nana’s lye soap then you end up with a liquid.

Before machines were available, they had no other alternative but to make the soap manually and what this involves is the process of cooling the soap for months at a time. This is how the hardening process is accomplished. Afterwards, they would cut grandma’s lye soap into bars and they are ready to be used.

The uses for grandma’s lye soap remains the same then and now. It can be used for laundry, cleaning the house especially the floors, dishwashing, and for bathing as well. Another popular use for lye soap is as a disinfectant for big bites, poison ivy, acne, and eczema.

Keep in mind that grandma’s soap from lye may not work as well for you as it does for other people. Before using the product you should do a test patch or even better consult with your physician. If everything goes well, there are a number of sources online that will teach you how to make lye soap.

As the lyrics of grandma’s lye soap song says, this lye soap is great for everything in the home. The secret is in the scrubbing. Expect no suds and expect no foam.

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Lye Soap Recipe Making

by admin on 19. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

There are limitless possibilities for making your very own lye soap recipe. However, before you  dive into it, you must first take note of the basics of creating soap in order to effectively formulate your personal soap lye concoction. An effective soap maker knows the process, all the ingredients and how each component interacts with the other as they transform the end product.

Soap is produced when lye and water mixture combines with animal fats or vegetable oils to create a chemical reaction called saponification that totally transforms all its primary components into glycerin. Glycerin is essentially what all real soaps are made of. There are four widely used methods of lye soap making where lye soap recipes are based on namely the cold process, the hot process, and melt and pour.

Cold process is a method that does not use heat to hasten the saponification process of soap but rather makes use of constant stirring until the perfect consistency is reached, which indicates that the soap is ready to be molded. The hot process is a exactly the same with the cold process except that the lye mixture is put through heat to speed up the chemical reaction to cut the waiting time from one day to  a few hours. The melt and pour process is said to be the easiest among the three where commercially available blocks of glycerin are melted, infused with some essential oils or natural dye, and then poured into molds to create new soap.

Usually the lye soap recipes depend on the soap making process to be used. Another important factor in creating soap lye concoctions are the ingredients used in the making lye soap. The three basic ingredients are lye, water, and fat.

Lye also called sodium hydroxide is a chemical compound that is responsible for the effective dirt-removing properties of lye soap. The amount of lye should be properly determined in a lye soap formula as too little lye lessens the ability to remove dirt and too much lye can cause skin irritations. Its right proportion with water should clearly be identified in the lye soap recipe in order to have the optimal chemical reaction.

Water acts as the solvent of lye. Soap lye recipes should highlight that soft water and not hard water is utilized in lye soap making. This is because the added minerals and unwanted substances in hard water may gravely affect the chemical reaction with lye.

Fat is also an important component is formulating lye soap recipes because it will determine the hardness of the soap end product. Animal fats like tallow or beef fat and lard or pork fat are considered hard fats, which produce hard soaps with very little suds formed. Vegetable oils like olive oil and canola oil are deemed as soft oils, which create soft soaps that have more suds than hard soaps.

The soap lye recipe dictates the proportions of each ingredient creating a unique end product each time the values are changed. To ensure that quantity of each ingredient in the soap lye concoction is just right to create the optimal chemical reaction, soap makers should always make it a habit to countercheck their values with the lye calculator found in the internet.  Each ingredient has its part to play in the wonderful fusion that is soap.

The beauty in making lye soap recipes is having the knowledge of each ingredient which allows the soap maker to tweak the soap lye concoction according to his desired quality, consistency, color, smell, size, and shape. From the basic ingredients of lye soap to its optional natural additives such as essential therapeutic oils, organic dyes, and biodegradable exfoliants, the combinations of soap lye recipes are endless. Soap makers are constantly challenged and inspired to create new lye soap formulas.

Now that you have the information about the basics of lye soap making, nothing can stop you from creating millions of lye soap recipes. Let your creativity take charge and find inspiration in the bountiful natural ingredients that nature has provided. Be a master lye soap maker!

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Gifts of Natural Soaps: Advantages of using homemade lye soaps

by admin on 22. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

Homemade lye soaps are increasingly growing in popularity. Many individuals are starting to realize the various benefits that all natural and chemical-free homemade soaps actually provide. With the widespread use of artificial chemicals in soaps and the growing research of their harmful effects in the body, soap buyers are now actively looking for better alternatives.

Having natural ingredients are always the best option for making soaps. The process of soap making called saponification is a fusion of untreated elements namely lye, water, and oil which creates a   moisturizing substance called glycerin. All homemade lye soaps contain glycerin which is an essential product that holds in moisture for the skin making it soft, supple, healthy, and hydrated.

Although all soaps are created with lye through the process of saponification, it must be noted that lye together with water and oil is completely converted to glycerin and that no lye is left in the end product. The difference between handmade lye soaps and commercially available soaps in the market is that most mass-produced soaps have been stripped off their glycerin content replacing it with chemical ingredients that are largely harmful and irritating to the skin. Some even say that mass-marketed soaps are no longer soaps but detergents because instead of having glycerin, it had been replaced with petroleum based ingredients which have the irritant called alkali causing dry, itchy, tight, and uncomfortable skin.

There are a number of benefits of natural lye soap primarily because of its glycerin content. Glycerin is called a humectant, which is a substance that draws out water from air that keeps the skin moisturized and hydrated preventing unsightly cracks and dry scales. It nourishes the skin and builds up its protection preventing external chemical toxins from reaching the inner skin layers.

The skin is the body’s number one protective organ from all external harmful elements that can alter our body’s balance. This tough bodyguard needs gentle cleansing and maintenance in order for it to effectively do its job. Homemade lye soap gives the skin a mild and tender but thorough hygiene care and cleansing the body needs and deserves.

Handmade lye soaps are advisable for allergy-prone and sensitive skin because all of its ingredients are unrefined and unprocessed. Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are not aggravated thereby promoting healing and comfort. Lye soaps made from home provide on the spot soothing relief from skin irritations and allergies as it naturally encourages skin respiration and hydration.

Homemade lye soaps do not put your health and body at risk. Artificial chemicals and harmful toxins found in processed soaps are bound to enter our system through the skin, which is highly absorbent and permeable, possibly causing unforeseen illness. The good thing about natural lye soap is that it poses no such hazard to our health.

Other than being beneficial to our physical health, homemade lye soaps enriched with natural essential oils also provide a mental and spiritual release when used in baths. A regular bath can become a relaxing and indulgent experience with organic oil soaked lye soaps made from home. Spoil yourself to a long luxurious natural lye soap soak and wash.

When life’s stresses take their toll, people need an escape from it all and using homemade lye soaps can do just that. The fragrant and healing essential oils infused in handmade lye soaps facilitate a tranquil and calming feeling that takes away the pressures and tensions of everyday. You need to experience pampering at its finest with natural lye soap.

Give your skin the healthy attention, proper care, and holistic pampering it deserves. Avail yourself of homemade lye soaps and experience its long list of benefits for you and your skin. Make natural lye soap not your alternative but your only choice.

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All about the Lye for Soap Making

by admin on 25. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

You may be wondering about what is lye for soap making. When it comes to lye, this is a chemical compound that is also referred to as sodium hydroxide. It is considered to be a type of caustic soda that is commonly used for soap making.

There are a number of items around your home that include lye as a major ingredient. It is possible that you also have soap made from lye lying around the house somewhere. What this alkaline chemical does is dissolve stocky substances including fat and it easily reacts with other materials that it is combined with.

In terms of soap making, soap making with lye is a common activity that people do but if you intend on using lye to make soap then there are some things you should know about the substance. Lye is strong enough to remove clogs in drains and so using it requires utmost caution. Some people also develop allergic reactions to lye and so it is always better to do a test patch before proceeding.

Having just the right amount of lye for soap making will result to soap with a good quality. It can be used to help you fight acne and eczema, treat bug bites, and even control allergies from poison ivy. Keep in mind though that when using lye to make soap never put too much or too little of the lye or else what you will end up with is an extremely hard bar of soap or liquid soap.

It is fairly simple to yield soap made from lye if you follow some simple steps in the soap making process. You will need some water, lard, and of course some lye for soap making. Combine these ingredients in an old fashioned kettle if you have one but a simple pot will do.

Place the pot over an open flame and wait for everything to melt and mix the solution well. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the solution into molds. Now is the time to wait as the hardening process involved in soap making with lye can take as much as a few hours to a few days if you naturally let it cool.

When your soap concoction has cooled and hardened, remove them from the molds and cut them up into the desired size. When you use lye for soap making, not only are you able to make a kind of soap that can be used for bathing but one that can be utilized for other purposes too. You can use them for your laundry, as you do the dishwashing, and even as you clean the floors.

Using lye for soap making allows you to have a natural soap product that can extend to various uses making it even more ideal for the home. The only thing with using lye to make soap is that there are times when it will work well for others but may not be as effective for you. If you can, do consult with a physician before using soap made from lye.

Soap made from lye may be an attractive product but it has its fair share of disadvantages as well. Lye for soap making can be poisonous when ingested and so you need to keep it as far away from children and pets as possible. Also, keep in mind that overexposure to pure lye can cause skin burns and the like so always be extremely careful.

You can use lye for soap making but always be careful if you are doing it from scratch. There are plenty of online sources that will teach you how to make this particular kind of soap. The key to success is in following the instructions to a T.

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Be Safe in Soap Making: Ensuring Safety Precautions in Making Lye Soap

by admin on 28. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

The main ingredient of soap lye as its name suggests is of course, lye. Before lye is able to bring about many health and environmental benefits as it is transformed into glycerin together with animal fats or vegetable oils through the chemical reaction called saponification, lye is plainly a chemical substance that is caustic and harmful to humans and the environment. There are several safety precautions that need to be observed when handling lye in making lye soaps.

In choosing the right utensils and containers for soap lye making, make sure to choose a safe mixing tool that will not disintegrate such as a wooden spoon and select heat resistant containers such as stoneware, stainless steel, glass, plastic, or enamel. Stay away from metals such as aluminum, tin, and zinc because lye reacts highly with them. Using the right materials prevents the possibility of a dangerous reaction from occurring.

Make sure to have a separate set of pans to use in creating lye soaps and isolate them appropriately so they will never be confused for cooking food for this can be very dangerous if not fatal. Have a separate enclosed area or cabinet for containers and utensils used in making soap lye so no one will ever make the mistake of using it for food. All cookware used for producing cleansers made from lye should be washed as meticulously as possible because any soap lye residue left in pan when touched can still cause burns.

Before getting in contact with lye, check if you have already removed all jewelry or trinkets that you are wearing as lye is sure to corrode many metal item you have on. It is standard safety precaution to read all instructions first written in the container of the product prior to using it. Make certain that all the directions and warnings are followed to prevent unnecessary accidents from happening.

In the actual process of making natural soap lye, safeguard your eyes from fumes or splatters that can cause you to go blind. Always have goggles on to protect your eyes from possible lye contact when making lye soap. When lye happens to find its way to your eyes, immediately wash in out with cold water until no burning sensation is felt but it persists, proceed to the hospital as soon as you can.

In handling lye, shield your hands and skin at all times by wearing protective gloves and a gown or apron. Rubber gloves and apron are recommended as they are more durable against the caustic and corrosive effects of lye mixture. In case any splatter gets in contact with your skin, wash it off immediately with 10% vinegar solution and rinse it out with ice cold water, which will neutralize the burning effect.

Another significant factor to consider when making soap lye is that inhaling the fumes can cause damage to your lungs. Too much fumes can be avoided by remembering to add lye to water and never the other way around because other than producing more fumes, an explosion may occur due to the sudden chemical reaction that will happen. Wearing protective masks is advised so that little to no fumes will be inhaled.

Every after use put all unfinished lye in safekeeping strictly out of children’s reach and sight. Label the lye container as it can easily be mistaken for other household products. These are very important lye soap safety precautions because there’s always a chance that curious children may find their way to it.

Lye is definitely deadly when ingested especially to little children as it will burn their esophagus and stomach resulting to massive bleeding and eventually death. If soap lye mixture is ingested, do not attempt to do anything and just immediately take them to the nearest hospital. It is best that medical professionals handle such a grave and dangerous situation.

All soap lye making have its corresponding risks but the risks need not be realized by knowing the hazards that are abound. Accidents can easily be avoided when safety precautions are followed. Make lye soap making a fun and safe activity for you.

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Make Money out of Lye: Methods of lye soap making

by admin on 31. Aug, 2010 in Lye Soap

Are you in search for a new leisure activity to fill in your day or perhaps an income generating project to increase your spending money? There are a few prospects you can take a stab at but lye soap making is a simple, fun, and effective endeavor that surely is worth your time, effort, and money. Making lye soaps is an interesting hobby you can do, which you can turn into a booming business.

There are several methods of producing lye soap and you can begin by researching on the different processes so you can choose the one that you are most comfortable in doing. From the basic ingredients of soap which are lye, water, and oils, you can try employing lye soap making methods such as the cold process, hot process, rebatching, and soap casting to create soap. Depending on the technique or the desired end product, other ingredients may be added like natural dyes, true essential oils, and natural exfoliants to name a few.

A very important thing to remember before proceeding with lye soap making is that you should wear protective gears at all times, which are gloves, apron or gown, and goggles. Because lye is a very caustic substance that can burn and corrode the skin upon contact, you should always wear shielding gears when making lye soap. No matter which method of creating lye soap you choose, wearing tools for protections is a must.

Cold process lye soap making is the most popular homemade way of producing lye soap and it is also the most versatile as various soap recipes have been created based on this basic process. Creating lye soap using cold process combines carefully measured soft water and lye together, which is then mixed with oil that causes the chemical reaction called saponification. Saponification or gel stage using the cold process takes about a day or more to complete wherein the oil and lye mixture is transformed into glycerin, which is what all natural soaps are made of.

The cold process of making lye soap is named such because it does not use heat to speed up the saponification process when oil and lye mixture are combined. Although the cold process heats up the oil or fat, the actual emulsion event of the oil and the lye mixture is not heated. It is claimed that the cold process lye soap making creates soaps that are smoother, gentler, and softer on the skin because it has more conditioning properties as the glycerin was not hurriedly produced.

The hot process of producing lye soap basically makes use of a similar procedure as the cold process except that the saponification event is put through heat to speed it up, which only takes three to fours hours to complete. Hot processed lye soaps contain less water because most of its water evaporated under the heat making it a hard and rustic soap. Hot process lye soap making is preferred by traditional soap makers as it is the oldest method of creating lye soap.

Lye soap making using the hot process takes one to two weeks to cure while the curing stage using the cold process takes four to six weeks. This is because there is less water is contained in the soap produced through the hot process as it has already gone through heat. If you’re the type who prefers things done fast without waiting, then the hot process of making lye soap is for you.

Another method of lye soap making is rebatching, which basically recycles old soaps preferably the cold processed ones into a new batch of soaps. Old soaps are grated, placed in a container, and heated over the fire where water, fragrant essential oils, and natural dye are added. The melted mixture is transferred into molds, allowed to cure, and then used as regular lye soap.

The simplest way of making lye soap is perhaps the soap casting method also called the melt and pour method, which makes use of commercially available blocks of clear soap made purely of glycerin that are melted and added with essentials oils and natural dyes creating new lye soap. This is becoming a well-known way of lye soap making because it is so easy and safe that no nitty-gritty measuring is done, no exposure to caustic raw lye, and almost no possibility of accidents occurring. It’s so simple that even kids can do it.

Now that you have basic information on the methods of creating lye soap, you may now choose which process is most fitting for you.  Let lye soap making enhance your creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity. There is no doubt that lye soap making is an easy and interesting activity that will not only occupy your time but will also help you earn extra income.

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Why Buy Lye Soap: Benefits of Lye Soap

by admin on 03. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

Many people doubt the countless benefits of lye soap. Because regular commercial soaps have their pricey advertisements that convince and persuade consumers to purchase their artificially produced and chemical laden product, less and less people buy lye soap. Here are some worthy reasons why you should acquire lye soap and make it a staple in your home.

You should buy soap lye because it is all natural and it is produced without harmful chemicals, artificial toxins, and synthetic additives. It effectively gets rid of body odor, dead skin cells and dirt when used for bathing. It is a versatile product that is not only used for bathing but also for washing laundry, cleaning all surfaces of the house, alleviating symptoms of illness, and treating skin and facial problems to mention some.

You need to buy lye soap as it effectively removes hard to eliminate stains on clothes while preserving its quality and color.  You just have to acquire lye soap from your local specialty store and create your very own concentrated liquid lye solution for your laundry.  This is accomplished by shredding a bar of lye soap, putting the shreds in a bottle of water filled half way, and shaking it until a thick liquid solution is achieved, which can be used for washing your clothes.

You should get lye soap for it is a proven all-in-one floor cleaner, dishwashing soap, and house disinfectant. All you need to do is to buy lye soap, grate half a bar into a pail of water and mix it until the scraps of lye soap are completely dissolved and use this solution to in your every day cleaning duties. Having lye soap guarantees you a clean house with no imminent danger of toxic fumes, and caustic chemicals normally contained in regular commercial cleaning agents.

You must acquire lye soap as it has been studied to promote soothing relief from sunburns, bug bites, and poison ivy contact. Applying generous amounts of the soap’s lather on the affected part is said to effectively reduce the inflammation by absorbing the heat on the area. You need to buy lye soap for it allows pain relief and encourages comfort.

You need to buy lye soap because it is a good alternative to commercially available insect repellants. All you have to do is to get lye soap, lather small amounts on strategic locations on the body and leave it to dry.  This is proven to surely ward off insects from biting you.

You ought to buy lye soap because it has been researched to alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis, dry skin allergies, and eczema to name a few. This is because lye soap is very delicate to the skin thereby preventing any irritation to take place thus promoting healing. It is the glycerin’s ability to moisturize and hydrate the skin that allow the skin to breathe naturally as opposed to the blocking effect of chemical found in artificial soaps.

If you want an affordable, safe, and dermatologists-trusted acne and facial skin problem solution, then you should buy lye soap. It is recommended by dermatologists to thoroughly unclog pores while leaving it moisturized and hydrated for longer periods of time. You just have to acquire lye soap and use it regularly for about a month to see the results.

If you want an environment friendly soap that does not contain toxic synthetic fragrances and harmful artificial chemicals that pollute the environment, you ought to buy soap lye as its ingredients are purely natural and untreated therefore easily degraded by Mother Nature. The components of lye soap are safe for aquatic creatures and aquatic habitats that they pose no treat if in case they are able to seep into the water below and reach our seas and oceans. Get lye soap if you care for the environment.

There are a number of worthy reasons why you should buy lye soap. Will you let yourself be fooled by false advertisements? Get lye soap now and experience the benefits for yourself.

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Good Does Lye Soap Bring About?

by admin on 06. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

There are different kinds of soaps that are available in the market from commercial ones to those made for specific purposes but among all of these is what is called as lye soap. The purpose of lye soap varies tremendously and lye soap uses include simple hand washing as well as other uses within the household. When it comes to lye soap, here are some of the ways people use the product.

Most people resort to using lye soap because of how well it works to soothe the skin in terms of providing moisture and reducing the onset of allergic reactions. Some people consider it to be one of the lye soap uses to have such a soap that can act as a cure all for different kinds of skin problems but sadly this is not the case. You can say that lye soap can be a beneficial product for people with sensitive skin but it does not work the same way for everybody.

When it comes to the functions of lye soap, it is always best if you first ask your dermatologist about it. Keep in mind that it is always better to consult with a physician before resorting to any kind of treatment even if it is just a bar of soap. Another thing you should do is read up on how effective lye soap can be in terms of solving problems with skin irritations and the like.

With a number of lye soap uses, you might say that it is impossible not to have something that fits your needs but there are times when this happens. Like all other products, there are occasions when it simply will not work for you. But this does not mean that you should completely forego this option.

One of the functions of lye soap is to serve as a way to protect your skin from eczema, skin allergies, dandruff, acne, and other kinds of skin problems. You may see results if you use the soap regularly. Remember though that to achieve your desired results, it may be necessary for you to apply the soap more than once a day.

Another one of the known lye soap uses pertains to a remedy for poison ivy. If you come in contact with the plant, what you should do is apply the soap to the irritated portion of your skin as this will stop it from itching. Lye soap is only a first aid treatment and you should consult with medical professionals as soon as you can get in contact with one of them.

When it comes to lye soap uses, another purpose of lye soap is that it can keep your laundry smelling fresh. The soap works well with brightly colored clothes and has the power to remove grease stains as well. What you should do for large stains is apply the soap directly onto the piece of clothing before putting it in the wash and you are all set.

When lye soap was first manufactured, its makers did not use any artificial oils and fragrances. These are now being incorporated in most manufactured soaps including lye. Still, this does not affect the various functions of lye soap.

It is also possible for you to make your own homemade lye soap if you wish but it is important that you practice extreme caution when doing so. See to it that you get the exact ingredients and make sure to try a small amount of the soap first before trying out one of the aforementioned lye soap uses. Be careful when you add the lye for a small amount will prevent the soap from hardening while too much will cause it to irritate the skin.

The purpose of lye soap extends to a number of varying uses. It is a great product to have provided that it works well for you. Just keep in mind that lye is poisonous when ingested and so always keep it out of reach of children or pets.

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The Art and Science of Lye Soap Making

by admin on 09. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

Learning how to make lye soap is both an art and science. Creating lye soap is an art because it takes the eye or judgment of the creator to know that the proportions and recipes are just right. On the other hand, making lye soap is also a science because it is essential to follow a predetermined set of measurements for the ingredients and steps to follow to accurately achieve the desired specifications of the end product.

The first step to make lye soap is to choose a good recipe that is the blueprint of all good quality soaps. You can choose from a myriad of recipes found in the internet that will fit your favored type of soap and soap-making method. To ensure that the perfect lye soap is created, review the values of the ingredients in the recipe by checking them against a lye calculator also easily seen in the internet.

In order to produce lye soap, your must gather the three basic ingredients of lye soap which are lye, water, and animal fat or vegetable oil. Depending on your recipe and preferred quality and outcome of the soap, the proportions of the ingredients will vary. Additional ingredients may also be added to make lye soap more unique and interesting as the recipe indicates.

After organizing the ingredients to create lye soap, you should now prepare the necessary precautions in handling lye, which is an extremely caustic substance that can damage your skin and eyes upon contact. You can choose from cold water or a 10% vinegar solution to easily neutralize any spilled or splashed lye mixture so as to prevent further burning on the area. In making lye soap, be sure to wear goggles, gloves, and a gown or apron to protect any body part from getting in touch with the lye mixture.

Now that everything is arranged, it is now time to start the actual process of how lye soap is created. Take note that this set of procedures will follow the cold process of how to make lye soap. Have a non-reactive container which can resist high temperatures are the chemical reaction between lye and water will reach temperatures to up boiling point.

Begin by carefully and gradually pouring lye into your non-reactive container of cold water as you are constantly mixing. Never pour water into lye because this can result into splattering, which is really unsafe and possibly even an explosion from the interaction of lye and water, which is highly dangerous and deadly.  Allow the mixture to cool down in an open well-ventilated area or place it under a bowl of ice to assist the cooling process.

While waiting for the lye mixture to cool down, you may start to heat your fat or oil to its specified temperature on low heat to avoiding burning the oil. You then should prepare your mold or cast preferably on old shoe box lined with plastic so no extra expense is necessary. After heating the oils, set it aside and allow it to cool down as well.

The process of how to make lye soap actually takes place in a reaction called saponification where the cooled down lye mixture and oil are combined together to form glycerin with consistent stirring. Don’t stop until the mixture reaches trace, which is when a portion of the mixture is dropped inside the remaining mixture in the container and it leaves a trace on it. Once the mixture reaches trace, it is now ready to be poured into your molds.

Let the mixture set it place for about twenty four hours in a secure and dry place. Once it looks solidly combined and set permanently, you can now cut the bars and remove them one by one. Allow the soap bars to cure for four to six weeks in wrapped in an absorbent cloth placed in dry container.

Don’t be in a hurry to use it. Let the delicate balance of intuitive art and exact science help you determine when they are ready. The perfect way to make lye soap is by mastering the balance of the two.

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Lye Soap Basics: Ingredients of lye soaps

by admin on 12. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

Bathing and personal hygiene is an integral part of our daily lives. Taking a bath removes dirt and dead skin cells that accumulate on our skin after a long day’s work. Soap and fresh water allows us to keep our bodies clean, healthy, and protected from lurking diseases that are abound.

Dirt, sweat, and oil that adhere to our skin cannot be effectively eliminated without the use of soap. Soap is said to be any substance that is formed from a combination of lye with natural oils or fats. Understanding lye soap ingredients is important in discovering all the wonderful benefits each one brings.

Lye, a chemical compound called sodium hydroxide, is the primary lye soap ingredient in all real soaps. Upon mixing with natural oils, lye becomes totally transformed to glycerin which is what brings the moisturizing and hydrating effect to the skin. Lye efficiently removes sticky and dirty material that’s why it is used not only in bath soaps but also in laundry detergents and household cleaners.

Lye is a highly corrosive substance, which is why utmost care and protection should be carried out when handling lye in making soaps. This lye soap component can burn your skin or blind your eye easily upon contact so wearing protective gloves, goggles, and gowns should be ensured throughout the process of creating lye soaps. Remember to add lye to cold water and not the other way around to prevent a sudden draft of fumes that can be harmful.

Another basic element of lye soap is animal fat or vegetable fat. Fat functions as the foundation of the chemical reaction with lye. This lye soap ingredient determines the soap consistency whether it becomes soft or hard.

Hard soaps that withstand being easily dissolved but create very little suds are made from solid fats such as tallow or beef fat, lard or pork fat, coconut oil, and palm oil. Softer soaps that produce more suds use soft oils as lye soap ingredient such as olive oil, soybean oil, and canola oil. To create soaps which have the appropriate hardness and the right amount of suds, the proportion of soft and hard fats can be combined in soap making recipes.

Water is one more lye soap ingredient that is vital to making soaps as it serves as the solvent of the lye. It should be noted that soft water or distilled water should be used in soap making because unwanted substances in hard water could affect the chemical reaction between the lye and the fats. Cold soft water also balances the heat produced in the reaction and lessens the harsh fumes produced.

Cold water is not only a lye soap component but it is also a first aid treatment in case the lye mixture or fumes splashes on your skin or eyes. Cold water immediately neutralizes the lye on the skin or eyes therefore preventing further burning of the affected area. This lye soap ingredient should always be kept within reach when making lye soaps just in case an accident occurs.

Optional lye soap elements are essential oils and natural dyes. Essential oils give lye soaps a therapeutic effect while natural dyes make lye soaps less boring and more attractive looking. Although it is best to have all natural and pure lye soaps, essential oils and natural dyes make lye soaps more fun and interesting to use.

Each lye soap ingredient is essential in producing the soaps we have today. A renewed appreciation for every lye soap element should be expressed every time we use lye soaps in taking a bath. Enjoy a refreshing bath time with lye soap!

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The Versatile Lye: Revealing lye soap uses

by admin on 16. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

Lye soap is natural soap that does not contain unnecessary chemicals, harmful toxins, and artificial additives. This pure soap creation is a multi-purpose product that goes beyond its traditional use for bathing. Discover the potential lye soap uses as a bath cleanser, house disinfectant, laundry detergent, insect repellant, skin ailment treatment,  and facial problem cure to name a few.

One of the many original lye soap purposes is that it is used for bathing. Because of its natural glycerin content, lye soap is very good cleanser that effectively removes dirt, dead skin cells, and bad odor from the body. It gently cleanses and moisturizes the skin without irritating it.

Aside from using it as soap, lye soap functions as a shampoo as well. It is said to improve the health of the hair and eliminate dry and itchy scalp because of its inherent glycerin substance. Lye soap bars can be made into shampoo by combining several tablespoons of bits of the soap into a bottle of water where it is shaken until the pieces are completely dissolved.

Lye soap uses include employing it as an all-purpose house cleaner, a dish washing agent, and a surface disinfectant. Similar to making shampoo, grate a cup of lye soap and mix it into your cleaning pail with water and utilize this solution to wash plates, clean floors, wipe shelves and tables, and clean virtually anything.  Houses will be spic and span in no time without the added chemical fumes or harmful effects of expensive conventional household cleaners.

Lye soap functions as a laundry cleaner too. Make a more concentrated liquid solution of lye soap and water and pour a cup of it in your washing machine for a batch of dirty clothes. It has also been found effective to remove stubborn stains without altering the color and quality of the clothing.

Treating skin problems such as psoriasis, allergies, eczema, dry skin, and athlete’s foot is one of the many lye soap uses. The natural ingredients in lye soap are very mild and do not irritate as well as aggravate the common skin ailments thereby providing a soothing relief and a therapeutic effect. The glycerin in lye soap facilitates healing as it allows the skin to “breathe” freely without blocking it of chemical residues found in regular commercial soaps.

Relief from bug bites, sunburns, burns, and poison ivy exposure are a few of the numerous lye soap uses. Lye soap has been said to absorb the heat from the inflammation thereby alleviating discomfort and tenderness. The common treatment is to put generous quantities of lather on the affected area, leave for a few hours, and repeat the process as much as five times a day.

Lye soap is found to be a good insect repellant. Leaving small amount of lather in a strategic part of the body or simply taking a bath with lye soap is said to effectively fend off insects. A bar of lye soap can also keep away bugs, ants, mosquitoes and other insects inside the home.

Curing acne and other facial problems are examples of lye soap benefits. Lye soap has been recommended by a number of dermatologists as it is proven to cleanse the pores of the skin thoroughly and to retain moisture for longer periods of time. Using pure and unscented lye soap for three times a day in about a month is sure to bring positive results of a clear, smooth, and acne-free face.

Lye soap is no longer just for bathing and hand washing. Who would have thought there are many lye soap uses? Experience the numerous lye soap benefits by availing one today.

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Problems with Lye Soap Recipes

by admin on 19. Sep, 2010 in Lye Soap

Are you a novice soap maker wondering what went wrong on your first try? Or are you a master soap creator seeking to evaluate the latest concoction? There are many soap recipes with lye available that sometimes just fall short of what is expected of it

Soap making has challenged the abilities of beginner soap adventurists and even expert soap enthusiasts over the centuries that it has been practiced. Sometimes, certain soap formulas with lye just don’t turn out the way they were intended to be.  There are varied problems that are encountered in making soaps and a number of them have got something to do with the lye soap recipes.

All lye soap concoctions no matter how complicated they are, always remain faithful to these three ingredients which are lye, water, and fat. The process of saponification that occurs when lye and water mixture is combined with fat and forms glycerin is the foundation of all soap recipes with lye. It is in knowing this basic lye soap recipe, that soap-makers are able to enhance, improve, or tweak the soap lye formula based their desired outcome however, there are times that problems arise.

The most common problem encountered is the inconsistencies of measurements indicated in soap recipes with lye which gravely affects soap end product. When a mixture has too vegetable oil, excess water, or too little lye, the mixture will take too much time to set making the soap soft and spongy. When a batter has too much animal fat, the batter will set too fast.

When the lye soap concoctions are not followed exactly, disaster happens. When the soap turns out to be hard, brittle, and a bit irritating, the soap maker placed in too much lye.  When the soap won’t trace, the soap maker placed too little lye and too much water.

Another soap recipe with lye problem is that specific temperatures that indicate specific actions are not particularly indicated. The mixture ends up curdled when the fat or the lye is too hot then added into the batter. The mixture becomes lumpy when the fats or the lye is too hot when combined.

One more soap recipe with lye dilemma is when the exact duration and quality of specific actions to be done are not properly specified therefore resulting to mixtures either being mixed too quickly or too much. Mixture curdles when the stirring performed is too slow. Mixture becomes grainy when the stirring is too little.

When the amounts of additives are not specified in the lye soap concoction, difficulties arise. Soap makers may decide to put in additives such as fragrance or exfoliants but when it is not indicated in the recipe if it is allowed, sometimes reactions happen and the mixture and soap are both ruined. This happens most especially for artificial chemical additives.

Soap recipes with lye are vital in soap making because they are the blueprint of every grand soap masterpiece. It serves as a guide to soap makers both novice and experts so that they know what to do. Soap lye formulas indicate the nitty gritty details of all lye soaps produced.

Problems may arise when the soap recipes with lye are too general that beginners then either do to much or too little of an action or when the lye soap concoction is no longer followed exactly by soap experts because they have done it too many times already thinking they already know everything. There should be a balance in all things. Every successful soap maker should know how to balance when to follow things exactly as directed and when to improvise when needed.

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Does anyone know where to find the words to the song Grandma’s Lye Soap?

by admin on 27. Feb, 2011 in Grandma's Lye Soap

Question by kathy_maybe: Does anyone know where to find the words to the song Grandma’s Lye Soap?
This is an old song to which I remember the tune but not all the words something grandma’s lye soap good for everything in the land. on the face and on the hands and something about Mrs O’Malley down in the valley swallowed a cake and cured her ulcers I understand

Best answer:

Answer by girlnextdoor
written by Johnny Standley and Art Thorsen

Do you remember Grandma’s Lye Soap,
Good for everything in the home,
And the secret was in the scrubbing,
It wouldn’t suds, and wouldn’t foam,

Oh, let us sing right out (sing out!)
For Grandma’s Lye Soap,
Sing it out, all over the place!
For pots and pans, and dirty dishes,
And for your hands,
And for your face!

Little Therman, and Brother Herman,
Had an aversion to washing their ears…
Grandma scrubbed them with her lye soap,
And they haven’t heard a word in years!

Oh, let us sing right out (sing out!)
For Grandma’s Lye Soap,
Sing it out, all over the place!
For pots and pans, and dirty dishes,
And for your hands,
And for your face!

Mrs. O’Malley, out in the valley,
Suffered from ulcers, I understand,
She swallowed a cake of Grandma’s Lye Soap,
Has the cleanest ulcers in the land!

Oh, let us sing right out (sing out!)
For Grandma’s Lye Soap,
Sing it out, all over the place!
For pots and pans, and dirty dishes,
And for your hands,
And for your face!

What do you think? Answer below!

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Recipe for Homemade Olive Oil and Lye Soap

by admin on 24. Feb, 2011 in Lye Soap Recipe

Some recent Lye Soap Recipe auctions on eBay:

[wprebay kw="lye+soap+recipe" num="0" ebcat="all"]
[wprebay kw="lye+soap+recipe" num="1" ebcat="all"]
[wprebay kw="lye+soap+recipe" num="2" ebcat="all"]

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SoapMaking 101 – How to Make Soap from Lye and Lard

by admin on 20. Feb, 2011 in How To Make Lye Soap

In this soapmaking 101 video Arthur teaches the Denver Urban Homesteading group how to make soap using lye, lard and coconut oil with some essential oil scents and turmeric spice for color.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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