I've read over twenty books, the archives on this forum and CS, and checked out different web sites, so I think I am now ready to make my first batch of soap (it takes me a while to do things). Do any of you have advice you learned the hard way, that wasn't taught in the books?

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), December 13, 2001

Answers

Hey Dawn! Since you asked---why yes I do! It sure don't taste as good as it looks or smells!! Worked real well when I partook of the language of satan over 50 years ago. Haven't missed the taste of it in all these years since then either! Old hoot, the ex-cusser, gibson. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), December 13, 2001.

Let me know how it turns out! I am a soap-maker wanna-be. It is so scary!

-- Jo (mamamia2kids@msn.com), December 14, 2001.

My friend put it this way: "it takes hours to make your first batch of soap and now you can do it while making supper."

Just make sure the lye and lard are at least very close to the right temps before mixing.

You should wear rubber gloves. Keep apple cider vinegar by you to neutralize it if you get any on you.This stuff will burn like crazy if you get it on you. Sometimes it'll setup in 20 min other times it takes hours.

I've noticed that when the air conditioner is on it setsup quicker. But it's done well on rainy days too.

I love making soap, it's one of my favorite things to do in the whole world.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 14, 2001.

I hope it works for you Dawn. I have wanted to try myself, maybe you can give me some tips after you have done it.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 14, 2001.

I've made three batches, all the same recipe, and they all turned out different. All used goats milk. First batch looks like date nut bread, second batch looks like peanut butter (I had gotten a stick mixer), third batch looks like Ivory soap and still smells of lye after 3 weeks. Go figure.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), December 14, 2001.

I just made my 3rd batch of soap. I did the reading and research too...after the 1st batch. Ah yes the 1st batch made 25 years ago. I mixed lye and water and added lard and poured it into a pan and put it on top of the frig to get hard. 2 days later I picked up the pan to find out how it was doing....only to find no bottom to the pan....or paint on top of the frig..or the side of the frig...or linoleum on the floor. No wonder it took me 23 years to dare to try it again.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), December 14, 2001.

Oh boy ladies!! I have been wanting to make soap again for the last 10 years, but, after the first batch.....well, lets just say, my husband thought it was a great invention! It took the rust off of all his old tools, and the old plumbing too! Never would set up....I have been wanting to, even got all the ingredients. Think I will wait until you make yours Dawn. In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), December 15, 2001.

I suppose there's a million ways to make soap, here's mine in very simple terms. Dissolve a 12 oz. (It used to be a can, but they put the lye in larger cans and did a number on the price.) in 5 c. of distilled or filtered water, never use tap.

Melt 10c of lard and cool (check your book it's either 95 or 85 degrees and the other is for the lye, I rarely have it exact)

Very carefully drizzle lye into lard in a non-corrosive pan, bowl etc.

the directions say to wear gogles and rubber gloves and to have apple cider vinegar ready to neutralize it if you get any on you.

Stir...stir...and stir some more...fast is good. Just before it's ready you can add fragrance oatmeal honey or whatever you want. If you get tired of stirring, go do something else and come back to it, in fact, I think it works better this way most of the time. You can read or do other sit down things while stirring, Keep kids away, This stuff really hurts badly if you get it on you.

I love making soap, it's very satisfying. If you live around here, SE Indiana, I can show you how.

You'll know it's ready when a wooden spoon stands up by itself in the middle of the soap.

I mold mine in a cardboard box like you get a case of food in, just about 2 inches deep, lined with a damp cloth.

I then put a covering of plastic wrap over it and a think towel on it. I set it on cardboard or several layers of newspaper.

Set it out of the way for 24 hours, then uncover and take off bottom cloth, cut into bars. Put it on waxed paper on cardboard or cookie sheet stacked so air can get around it. In two weeks it's ready, you can scrape it, that's supposed to take the ash off of it, but I'm not sure about that whole thing. Oh, be careful cleaning up, definitely wear rubber gloves.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 15, 2001.