By: Fran Mcgee

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.00

      Title: How Soap Is Made
 Categories: Tightwad, Soap, Crafts
      Yield: 1 servings

      1 ea Information

  When grease and lye are heated together, a chemical reaction called
  saponification occurs.  The resulting product is soap.  To put it in
  simpler terms, soap is made by a boiling process.  Cold water, lye,
  and grease--your choice of hydrogenated vegetable oils (like Crisco),
  tallow, or lard--are heated and boiled. Liquid vegetable oils also
  may be used. Once the mixture thickens to a gravylike texture, it is
  saponified and needs to be removed from the heat and cooled.
  Saponification is the chemical reaction that takes place in the
  boiling process of soap making. What occurs is chemically complex.
  Simple fats do not combine with the alkali (lye) to form soap. First,
  they decompose (water acts as a solvent base) into fatty acids and
  glycerols, which then combine, forming soap. Pour the hot liquid into
  the molds before it has completely cooled. Do not let it cool too
  long in the pan.  Soap hardens as it cools. If left in the pan, it
  will completely harden into one giant glob of soap, something you
  will not want. Cut the soap into similarly shaped bars after you have
  poured it into a shallow pan. You should use a wire to cut the soap
  because it will be able to cut the soap evenly and make attractive
  cakes of similar width and length.  Do not use a knife, or you might
  have bars that are not equal in appearance. You want people to be
  impressed by your homemade soaps, not to laugh at you. Soap making is
  easy, but it requires concentration to detail. Children and pets
  should not be present when soap is being made. They are too
  distracting and likely to be unaware of the serious hazards involved
  in making soap. Lock the doors and keep them out of the room when
  making soap.  If necessary, hire a babysitter, or drop the kids and
  pets off with mom and dad. Be sure that there are no other
  distractions while you make your soap. Take the telephone off the
  hook and turn off the television and radio. You must give your total
  attention to the task at hand. That is the only safe and practical
  way to make soap. There are no special skills required to make soap.
  However, you

  must follow instructions for success and for safety's sake.

  SOURCE:  MAKING POTPOURRI, COLOGNES AND SOAPS by David Webb. There
  are also candle, shampoo, bubble bath, deodorant, room freshener,
  perfume, cologne, aftershave, toilet water, sachet and potpourri
  recipes.

MMMMM