Teach Soap

My next soap project is going to be an attempt at mechanics' soap. I'll be using my tallow recipe, for the hardness factor. (I'm about 2/3 of the way through rendering a 20-pound batch of suet. I've found a new supplier, that can get me as much as I want, ground, with a few days notice. And only .41 a pound!)

I'll be using beer for my liquid. There are several microbreweries in the town where I live, and I've picked on that's fairly well known in the community. I'm thinking about bay and orange for the scent.

I'll be using fullers earth, which as I understand it, has grease absorption as one of its strong points. Someone, maybe on this forum, mentioned once that they mixed their clay with a bit of water, and then added it to the soap. Does it need to be added to the soap batter, or can I put it in with the oils pre-lye? And how much per pound of oils?

Also will be using pumice for my scrubbiness. Again, what's the addition rate PPO for pumice? Also, should the soap be at a slightly thick trace when it's added?

Thanks for the help. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Anita

If you are mixing the Fuller's with water I would add it at trace or you can mix with a bit of oil then add to the rest of your oil before mixing in the lye water. I would also use some CO as it is also great for removing oil. I make my mechanics bar with about half lard and half CO and it is a hard bar and has great lather

Thanks, MOGal. My tallow recipe isn't 100% tallow, it has CO and PKO both in it.

What's the usage rate for the Fullers' Earth and the pumice?

Thanks.

Anita

I have not used Fuller's so I can't give you a usage rate on that. For pumice 1 TBS PPO.