Teach Soap

Hi all. I have never made soap before, never seen it made before but have been reading off and on about it now for quite awhile....lol.....That's about as far as I have gotten <sigh>
I have searched the group site for a *list* somewhere that would give what supplies are needed for soap making. I am also looking for instructions, start to finish? I may be overlooking it but do we have a 'Files' section here with this information?
I am really a 'hands on' learner and have found someone that does make soap so hopefully I will be able to arrange to get together so I can learn firsthand.
Also, I am wanting to use my goat's milk to make the soaps and lotions as I have a ton of it. Can one use goat's milk that has been frozen to make soap? Also, is the goat's milk soap a cold process?
I breed and raise Nubian dairy goats, just a few, and hand milk them each day. I store the milk in case I would ever need it for a newborn goatie kid and I also breed English Shepherds and raise the pups on the goat's milk when weaning from mom.
I love to garden including growing lots of culinary and medicinal herbs so I hope to incorporate those into my soaps ;^) One of the first soaps I would like to make tho would be a soap that has some 'grit' to it for handwashing and possibly antibacterial, if possible. It would also be cool if that same soap had some healing properties to it, like aloe, but I dont know if that's possible. I know most antibacterial soap seems to be drying to skin.
I live in southcentral Ohio and have a small farm here. Thanks in advance for any help! Katrinka

Welcome!
For more info on soapmaking, I would go to Miller soap and take a look around. http://www.millersoap.com/ This is for cold process soapmaking. If you are using a Melt N' Pour base. the below info does not apply. Then come back here and start reading. Make the search button here your friend. For your first batch, I would start out small and use water instead of goat's milk. That way you can see what trace looks like. In case you mess up, it's no big loss.

I would get gloves, goggles, heavy plastic apron, shirt with long sleeves, long pants, shoes with closed toes, Don't answer the phone. Keep kids and pets away. Mix up lye solution in a well ventilated area. Have an accurate scale. Get a stick blender. Sillicone spatula helps to get all the soap out of your stainless steel pot. Don't use glass to mix your lye in. Use a heavy duty plastic pitcher instead. Don't measure your fragrance or essential oil into plastic cups. For those, use glass. Plastic will melt.

Have all your oils, butters, fragrance premeasured before you start. That way you don't forget something. Put your recipe inside a plastic bag, in case something spills on it. If there's any humidity, wipe down your lye container with a fabric softener sheet. This will help from the lye flakes jumping up while measuring. Always add lye TO water, not the other way around. A soap book has this as a misprint. Make sure that your lye is pure and not a mix of some metal flakes (some drain cleaners have this and it's not safe for soap).

More things can go wrong with milk than regular soap. So start out simple and add the milk to a batch once you feel comfortable and know how soap behaves. Handmade soap are naturally anti-bacterial.
This thread will also help you. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3800 We can't make any medical claims on our soaps; ie: healing.

That's all I can think of at the moment. I'll add to it if I think of anything else.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Hi Irena~ Thank you! This is a good start! I'll have a look a the link. I've been using the search option here a lot since I joined but couldnt find my answers to those questions so that's why I asked.
More questions ;^)
The gloves: I have boxes of disposable exam gloves, like the kind used in medicine. Is this the type of glove you're referring to?

I have some goggles in my tool box......LOL...they may be overkill but should do the trick. But, I'll have to chek them out first to be sure they're not scratched up....lol....no problem cause I think most stores carry them, like WalMart.

Apron: Is plastic necessary and if so, where would I find one?! I was thinking of ordering one of the heavier BBQ aprons that go over the neck and basically cover your whole front?

Scale: I'm assuming you mean a 'food' scale like used when weighing portions of food, like for dieting? I have small one. Or, am I needing something larger. I guess I need to ask what the scale is used for....lol...that would help.

Stick Blender: I remember when they came out with these years ago and the fad of instant shake making like for Protein drinks! Is this what you mean and if so, could you recommend a good brand?

Silicone spatula: I'm lost here. I have 'rubber' spatulas to use on teflon cookware, rubber spatulas to swipe the bowls inside when mixing. Is this the same thing? Is the point to keep the spatula from melting?

Pure Lye: I am currently searching for a lye supply and am checking out mentions on the list. I am really trying to avoid shipping costs tho so we will see. We do have a Hobby Lobby here and I read online that they carry soap making supplies but am not sure about the lye. Will call them tomorrow.
How do I determine that the Lye is PURE? before actually using it?

Medical claims: Healing. I'm referring to want "I" want to have in "my" soap that I am washing my hands with. I know that some plants are healing, such as aloe, or one could say, 'soothing'. I have a good stand of Comfrey so that might be an option down the road for a product that would actually be used to "heal", like a first aid product, but I am far from going that direction right now!
I have much Jewelweed that grows naturally here and I use it for an insect bite/itchy spot. It immediately soothes a sting or mosquito bite. I just run (LOL) over to wear it is growing, grab a few leaves, squish them up and rub them on the "owie" ;^) It really does work!!
I have tons of Lemon Balm growing here. I keep dividing it and planting it around my house and deck. This stuff really works great against flying insects, like mosquitos. Everyone who comes here comments on no bugs! I would like to make a lotion using my Lemon Balm or perhaps a spritz to help when working outside. I like that it is 'natural'. Currently, I just keep using my Skin So Soft.....LOLOLOL....
Sorry for 'rambling'. I have SO many ideas that I can hardly wait to put them into action!! lol
I bet you would suggest that I start making the oils out of my herbs first thing?? (essential oils) Because dont they need to 'soak' for a while;days, months......... Katrinka
I'll take your advice tho and start small and without the milk, using water instead. Also, what do you use to put in the soap to make it 'gritty' to really scrub hands, like a mechanic's hand cleaner? I thought I had read somewhere about crushing nut shells? Or sand? Or perhaps poppy seed?! Cant remember :^(

The gloves: I have boxes of disposable exam gloves, like the kind used in medicine. Is this the type of glove you're referring to?
Yes you can use those.

I have some goggles in my tool box......LOL...they may be overkill but should do the trick. But, I'll have to chek them out first to be sure they're not scratched up....lol....no problem cause I think most stores carry them, like WalMart.
Good.

Apron: Is plastic necessary and if so, where would I find one?! I was thinking of ordering one of the heavier BBQ aprons that go over the neck and basically cover your whole front?
I use plastic as that's what they had at the restaurant supply store and it was cheap. BBQ apron should work.

Scale: I'm assuming you mean a 'food' scale like used when weighing portions of food, like for dieting? I have small one. Or, am I needing something larger. I guess I need to ask what the scale is used for....lol...that would help.
You need a scale that's accurate to at least a gram. This is especially important if you are making small batches. Dieting scales are not accurate enough. See if you can find a digital scale. They are also available online.

Stick Blender: I remember when they came out with these years ago and the fad of instant shake making like for Protein drinks! Is this what you mean and if so, could you recommend a good brand?
I have a Braun, but I don't think they make my model any more. Preferably, find one that has a stainless steel shaft. I have seen plastic shafts that melted since they can't take high heat. I believe Kitchen Aid might have one. Take a look at Amazon.com

Silicone spatula: I'm lost here. I have 'rubber' spatulas to use on teflon cookware, rubber spatulas to swipe the bowls inside when mixing. Is this the same thing? Is the point to keep the spatula from melting?
I prefer silicone as it can take a higher heat without warping or melting. Rubber should be fine for now, but be aware that rubber can pick up scent over time from fragrances or essential oils.

Pure Lye: I am currently searching for a lye supply and am checking out mentions on the list. I am really trying to avoid shipping costs tho so we will see. We do have a Hobby Lobby here and I read online that they carry soap making supplies but am not sure about the lye. Will call them tomorrow.
How do I determine that the Lye is PURE? before actually using it?
Hobby Lobby sells Melt N' Pour Base, which is premade, glycerin based soap. They do not sell lye. Try some small mom and pop hardware stores for lye or check out Ace Hardware. They used to carry it. I believe the brand is Rooto lye. It should have a designation on the bottle that says that it's 100% pure (or equivalent).

If it's just for yourself, you can infuse the lemon balm in some store bought vodka. Put it in a spray bottle and use. Lotions are more complicated as they require a liquid (water, aloe, hydrosol), an emulsfier, oils/butters and a preservative. For lotions, dried herbs infused in oil work better as there's less change of the herb growing moldy and contamination your lotion. Get comfortable with making soap and I'll help you with lotion making.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thank you for your help Irena! I will start gathering supplies and be back on if I get stumped on this 'shopping' part....LOL Once I have all the supplies I need, I will chek back for the basic soap making recipe and start there.
I'll chek the hardware mom and pops for the Lye.
Let the gathering begin! lolol
I look forward to learning the spritz's etc...too!
Katrinka

Hi Katrinka! Welcome to the wonderful addiction of soap making!

I would like to add one thing to Soapbuddy's list - Alicia Grosso's Everything Soapmaking Book. (I found mine on amazon.com for a very reasonable price). It has tons of great information on ingredients and the process of making CP and hot process soap and lots of good beginner recipes (just be sure to run them thru a lye calculator for accuracy: www.soapcalc.net)

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!