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Title: Laundry Soap
Categories: Gift
Yield: 5 Pounds
| 11 | c | Cold water |
| 1 | cn | 100 percent pure lye crystals (13 oz) |
| 9 | c | Rendered and strained fat |
| 2 | c | Borax |
INGREDIENTS: This soap is easy and economical to make. If you don't have a supply available, your local butcher or supermarket may be able to supply you with fat at low cost. Because this is a true soap rather than a synthetic detergent, fabrics come out of the wash soft and fluffy without the use of fabric softeners. It's especially nice for towels. SUPPLIES 2 8 quart, lye-proof cooking pots (stainless steel stoneware, or enameled cast iron) rubber work gloves goggles, safety glasses, or face shield face mask 1 cup white vinegar (used as safety precaution only) stainless steel or wooden spoon dairy, meat, or candy thermometer stainless steel potato masher or wooden meat mallet 2 shoe boxes or similar size wooden boxes lined with plastic wrap blender, food processor, or hand grater
HOW TO HANDLE LYE SAFELY WHILE MAKING LAUNDRY SOAP: Lye is a highly caustic, crystalline substance that dissolves easily in water. Lye crystals alone react with skin moisture to cause burns; a water solution of lye can also cause serious burns. Lye is also highly caustic if swallowed. When adding crystalline lye to water, wear rubber gloves, a face mask and goggles. Keep 1 cup of white vinegar on hand at all times while handling lye. If lye solution splashes on your skin, flood the area first with vinegar and then with cool water to stop the burning. Adding lye to water causes a chemical reaction that generates heat and gives off harsh fumes. Be sure your work area is well ventilated before you begin making soap. Be sure to add the lye crystals to water, DO NOT ADD THE WATER TO LYE! To dissolve crystals, use an 8 qt pan mad of stainless steel, stoneware or enameled cast iron. Use the same type of pan to hold the rendered fat for the final soap making step. You may also use a glass pan, but it must be especially made to withstand high temperatures, like pyrex. Use a long-handled stainless steel or wooden spoon or old broomstick for stirring. When working with lye, never use aluminum, tin, iron or nonstick-coated 0pans, such as teflon or silverstone. If you must store a partially used can of lye crystals, keep the leftovers tightly sealed. You can also keep them in a jar. LABEL THE JAR!! Lye crystals exposed to moisture will sometimes form a solid mass and become unusable. If you have children in your howe, avoid the possibility of accidental poisoning by discarding unused crystals. Simply pour small amounts (less than 1/2 cup) of the crystals down a kitchen drain and immediately flood with a heavy stream of cold water for 2 to 3 minutes. TO RENDER FAT: To render fat, begin with clean, fresh animal fat, such as beef tallow or pork lard. First cut a*way all traces of sinew, muscle, or cartilage. Place the chunks of fat in a heavy casserole or cooking pot and heat over low heat until completely melted. Strain the melted fat through a double layer of cheesecloth into an empty soap making pot or into a clean glass jar, warmed first with hot water, then dried thoroughly. This prevents cracking when pouring the hot fat into 1 the jar. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerate for if you are not making soap immediately. SOAP MAKING DIRECTIONS: Place water in a lye-proof pot. Put on the rubber gloves and other safety gear. Have the vinegar handy. Very slowly add lye crystals to water, constantly stirring until lye is dissolved. As lye is added to water, the water temperature will rise to around 150 degrees. Place the thermometer in the water and allow it to cool to 95 to 98 degrees F. As the water is cooling, slowly heat rendered fat in an 8-quart lye-proof pot until it reaches 95 to 98 degrees.When both lye and fat are in the same 95 to 98F temperature range, slowly pour lye into fat, stirring constantly until well-mixed. Set the entire mixture aside, well away from children and pets, stirring slowly and evenly every half hour, for several hours. The mixture will begin to look like cottage cheese. As chunks form, break them up with a potato masher or meat mallet. Allow the mixture to stand for two to three days, stirring occasionally and breaking up large chunks of soap. After three to four days, the soap should be a nearly dry, solid, but crumbly mass. Place the soap in a plastic-lined box and allow it to dry further for another one to two days. When completely dry, grate the soap in batches in a blender or food processor or on a hand grater until very fine. Mix the entire batch of grated soap with borax. Store in boxes, plastic bags, or jars. Use as you would commercial soap flakes in your washer or for hand laundry.
* Notes: Lye is crystalline sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. It is usually sold in the drain cleaner section of supermarkets and hardware stores. Buy pure lye crystals or flakes, not lye sold as a liquid drain cleaner.(Red Devil is the most commonly found brand) Buy borax /99.5 percent pure sodium borate* in paint supply stores, hardware stores, and in the detergent section of supermarkets.
Source: Rodale's Book of Practical Formulas Found for you by Fran McGee
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