Just checking. do you want to make it from scratch! - I'm asking because if it's for kids to make, you can get plain white unscented soap from the supermarket, grate it and then add all sorts of things to it, such as lavender, essential oils, wheatgerm and pumice (gardeners soap), you can add colourings (food colouring is fine) - all you do is add a few drops of boiling water and mix with a fork until it is pliable enough to roll into balls - then you need to let them dry in a dry dark place. others here maybe able to add more info
ETA: you just keep adding water until you get the right consistency
accroul,
Nov 2, 4:09am
mmmmm. don't add too much water though. shrinks like a piece of hot plastic as all the water evaporates. don't ask me how I know!
babytears,
Nov 2, 4:21am
Yeah, just enough to melt and make it sticky enough to roll, but not too much water - also it would take forever to dry out if you did add to much water
tedddybear,
Nov 2, 1:16pm
Thanks babytears I have my 3 grandsons staying and thought making soap would be a nice change from what we normally do Will give it a go tomorrow many thanks
tedddybear,
Nov 2, 1:20pm
Thank you accroul for your source about melt and pour will look into thatsound interestingcheers,
lythande1,
Nov 2, 5:58pm
Which is not making soap.
Young kids shouldn't make soap, the basic recipe is fat and lye. Lye is not something little kids should play with.
accroul,
Nov 2, 7:01pm
Just for interest, Lye is the American term for Sodium Hydroxide. There is the correct way to make a solution (add SH to cold water) and the wrong way (add water to SH). Doing it the correct way will result in the water being heated to over 100C in a second or 2, the other way will result in a rapidly boiling, spitting mess of caustic solution. All of which, looks just like water when it settles & you don't want ANYONE to mistake a Sodium Hydroxide solution (or the granules for that matter) for water.
Of course, if you have saftey glasses, a face visor, long gloves and are prepared to wear long sleeves & have covered legs and don't mention kids, I'll open my recipe book.
pickles7,
Nov 2, 7:16pm
making a "cold cream" is fun as well, something they can make. I gave my book to one of my grand daughters so don't have the recipe of the cold cream, I have made. You will find one on the net, or maybe someone will put up a recipe. Only three or four ingredients required, bees wax, rose water, borax, oil!. A small whisk, you can buy a pkt. of three.
Here is a recipie i found a while back its not what your looking for but it could be great project. Grate 2C plain soap like sunlight or plain white unscented soap and put it in a pot and cover with cold water and let stand for 24hrs. Add 2Tbls of honey and simmer stir occasionally till soap has melted. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2C of oatmeal and 2Tbls of glycerine, mix well. Pour in molds allow bars to cure for about 6weeks before using. Ive never made this but i think i will give it a go with the kids, they cane make it for grandma for a Christmas present.
marree,
Nov 3, 11:16pm
Looking at experimenting with soap making - where would I get moulds from or is there something I could utilise from kitchen utensils - ie cookie cutters etc - bearing in mind I only have one of each shape - star, hearts etc.Perhaps I could make in a 'block' and cut into pieces - could that be easily done on a cake tin or simlar - ideas please!
beaker59,
Nov 4, 12:30am
Grandsons making soap! take them fishing or hunting or to run around on the beach or throw rocks and sticks into the river.
Wish I had some grandsons number 5 granddaughter on the way. Guess we will be making soap too when they are old enough.
accroul,
Nov 4, 12:49am
You could use just about anything that will both hold liquid and have a top the same width as the bottom. I've even used a chocolate mold for a fish shaped soap. Clean 1L milk cartons are supposed to be good, as are silicon muffin pans but I don't know about using them for food afterwards.
juli55,
Nov 4, 1:37am
Silicon muffins pans are ok for soap.Wash in dish washer after using.Soap falls out of muffins pans.After all, you are using the soap on YOU and washing in dishwasher is what you do to dishes. Chinese food containers are good for flat soap. Old shampoo bottles for liquid soap.
accroul,
Nov 4, 4:06am
Speaking of dishwashers. does anone other than me still use a sink full of hot water with squeaky detergent to wash their dishes these days!
stoats,
Nov 4, 6:36pm
Yes. we have a dishwasher but only use it when we have visitors, I like to wash the pots etc in the sink so think may as well wash the plates etc first in the nice clean hot water. Bit old fashion do you think (-:
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.