Bar soap has been a good cleaning product for centuries. it can be used for laundry, bathing etc.

Bar soap has been a good cleaning product for centuries. it can be used for laundry, bathing etc.

5 years ago I decided to learn how to formulate my own organic bar soap and during my research I stumbled on the process and it’s exhilarating.

equipments needed for the process include

*electric hand mixer/blender

*stainless pot

*electric stove

*wooden spatula

*soap mould

*thermometer

*litmus paper *long sleeve protective cloth

*latex or rubber hand gloves

*protective eye gear

chemicals/ingredients we need

*palm kernel oil -1000g

or coconut oil 1000g

*caustic soda 180g

*water - 330g or 33% of your oil weight

*sodium lactate 20g (optional)

*essential oil or any fragrance for scent - 30g

Measure all your chemicals and oils in grams while wearing your protective gears, and gloves all through the process. Also as you can see above I wrote palm kernel oil or coconut oil You can use either of the oils or combine the two but in this formulae I will be using just coconut oil but the best oil to use is palm kernel oil for laundry soap.

To start with, measure out your oil and put in the stainless steel pot and put on the electric stuff to heat up the oil between 120 and 170 degrees. Then measure out your water and caustic soda in different containers and gradually add the casutic soda to the water and stir till fully dissolved. then once your oil is heated to the right temperature gradually add the caustic soda solution and sodium lactate to the oils and blend with the hand blender while it is still on the stove. Monitor the temperature, once you feel it is too hot adjust the heat from the stove. Blend and blend till you reach trace (Trace is where the oil and caustic soda is fully emulsified and incorporated in each other).

Soap reached trace

Then cover the pot and allow to cook for an hour or more till the paste looks transparent. you can stir with the wooden spoon regularly.

Then remove paste from the stove and allow to cool a little bit before adding your fragrance and colouring as desired then pour paste in to your mould and allow to sit for at least 24 hours or more as desired. after 24 hours check of it is hardened enough and remove from mould and cit in to desired sizes.

place the cut soaps on a rack or aerated wood to fully dry and hardened and it is ready for use. Hot process soap can be used right away But should be allowed to fully dry so as to last longer.