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Soap Recipes for all who asked

In response to a posted question about things one might do with used
vegetable oil, (since it can't go in the compost heap) here are my soap
recipes. I'd like to note that I have NOT tried these, though the person
who gave them to me does it all the time and swears by it. The recipes call
for rendered beef tallow or "clean grease" which I imagine can be
substituted with clean vegetable oil. But if you're planning to recycle
cooking oil used for frying, I don't think the soap will be as nice.
However, you could perhaps use that oil for the laundry soap recipe. But be
sure to warm it and strain it carefully through fine layers of cheesecloth
until the oil is perfectly clear of impurities like floating bits of flour
or batter, etc. My instructions say under the heading 

PREPARING GREASE: Heat together accumulated fat and drippings. Strain. If
fat contains meat juices or lots of dark particles, allow to cool and then
use only the fat which rises to the top. Discard dark particles which
settle to the bottom.

Please read ALL the instructions through several times and be sure you
understand the steps and precautions before you begin! This is a chemical
process that can be dangerous if not done correctly.

Good luck, everyone! 
Denise M. Beck

____________________________________________________________

                                               SOAP MAKING

Equipment needed:  

	A LARGE KETTLE, preferably unchipped enamel, iron, stainless steel or
glass that can be 	heated on top of the stove.

	A LONG-HANDLED SPOON or paddle.

	GLOVES -  rubber or leather to protect the skin. GOGGLES or glasses for
the eyes. 	MASK or kerchief for the nose.

	MOLDS - can be lasagne pans, muffin tins, anything deep enough to make a
bar of soap in. 	Similar non-reactive surface as the kettle.

HINTS ON SOAP-MAKING :

	* Make soap in as well-ventilated area as possible. In the old days it
would be done 	   outdoors to be sure of safety (minimizes the worry about
potential spills, too). If you 	   	   must do it in a small kitchen, make
sure all the windows and doors are open and use an    	   exhaust fan to
carry away the fumes.	
	* LYE IS A CAUSTIC CHEMICAL! Pour or sprinkle the lye as slowly and evenly
as 	   possible to prevent splashing and burning.
	* Ten cups of grease is equal to about five pounds.
	* The soap is ready to pour when it reaches the consistency of thick gravy
or heavy cream.
	* When the mixture is ready to pour into the molds, add any scents, oils,
perfumes, and stir 	   well -- then pour.
	* Beware of fumes! Do not smell or sniff to see "how it's coming". Fumes
are dangerous.
	* Get all equipment and the preparation area ready before you start mixing
the soap.
	* Cover the floor with about two layers of paper, since splashed liquid
will eat away or etch 	   the surface.
	* Never make soap with small children around if you are mixing fat and lye
in the house.
	* ALWAYS WEAR YOUR GLOVES. Protective goggles and nose covering are a good
	   idea, too. And wear old clothes that you don't mind ruining.
	* It takes about 48 hours for soap to set up. Mark and cut it into bars
after the first day, but 	   leave it in the mold until it is firmly set.
If you forget to cut the soap until it is firmly set, it 	   may not cut
evenly, but this has no effect on the soap other than the appearance
factor. If 	   you remove the soap from the molds while it is still soft
(but NOT runny) you can roll it into 	   balls. Make sure you wear your
gloves to do this.
	* Home made soap should age for 2 weeks to a month before use. Allow air
to circulate 	   around the cut bars. Aging gives the soap a chance to
incorporate any unreacted lye that 	   may still be in it. Place the bars
into a paper grocery bag and stick it in a closet or the 	   	   garage,
workshed, etc. to age. Or place onto screens or slatted shelves in any
cool, dry 	   place to age.
	* Soap can be grated after it has aged.

Here are recipes for several different types of soap:

				GLYCERINE SOAP

DO NOT DOUBLE.

	1 cup rendered beef fat
	1/3 cup melted coconut oil
	3/4 cup water
	4 Tablespoons lye flakes
	1 to 1 1/2 cups isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
	2/3 cups glycerine
	few drops food coloring, if desired
	scented oil or perfume, if desired

Combine warm fat, coconut oil, water and glycerine and carefully add lye
flakes as advised in "hints" at top. Pour into a big soap mold reserving
one cup to make shampoo at this point. After three days, grate finely, add
the alcohol and stir until moist. Add colour and set pot in pan of boiling
water but don't let the water get into the soap. Stir until alcohol heats
and soap dissolves clear. There will be a film over the top. Remove from
heat. Add scent and stir well. Pour into molds lined with plastic wrap.
Follow setting and aging instructions in "Hints" above.



				GLYCERINE HERBAL SHAMPOO

Using one cup of glycerine soap reserved from above recipe's first pouring,
add:

	1 cup soft warm water or any warm herbal tea -- mint, chamomile or
rosemary infusions are 	particularly suitable, but experiment with others.
	1/4 cup melted coconut oil
	1/4 cup baby shampoo (for extra lather)
	* for oily hair add 3 Tblsp. baking soda dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
	
Beat thoroughly until creamy white. Add scent, if desired. Let set for
about 1 hour, stirring occasionally until it has a cold cream consistency.
Seal tightly in a jar. Makes about 20 ounces. 



				LAUNDRY SOAP 
Note: laundry soap must never be put straight into your washer. Shave about
1/2 cup into 2 cups water and heat to dissolve

Combine the following in a crock or earthenware bowl outside. Mix with
wooden spoon until fumes evaporate and mixture cools.

	4 1/2 cups cold water
	1/2 cup chlorine bleach	
	1/2 cup borax powder
	1 can lye (dissolve the lye in the cold water)
	6 cups clean, warm, melted fat

Pour the clean, warm melted fat into the lye and water mixture, stirring
constantly and slowly. Keep mixing until it looks like heavy cream. Pour
into a box (wood or non-reactive metal -- NOT cardboard!) lined with
cheesecloth -- 3 layers on bottom and up the sides. Cut into bars the next
day or grate as flakes. Store in dry place one month before using.  



				HAND SOAP

	1 can lye
	1/2 cup ammonia
	1/2 cup powdered borax
	2 oz. lanolin
	4 tsp. aromatic oil of rose, lavendar or pine
	3 Tblsp. oatmeal, finely ground in coffee grinder or hand blender
	11 cups fat, melted
	5 cups rain water or soft water
	1/3 cup sugar
	3 oz. glycerine

Measure rain water into crock or enamel pan. Add, vigourously stirring one
at a time until dissolved, lye, ammonia, borax and sugar. Continue stirring
until cool. Slowly pour in fat, add fragrance and stir for 15 minutes.
While doing so, add lanolin, glycerine, and oatmeal. When mixture is thick
and creamy, pour into molds the size of soap bars or glass pans lined with
wax paper. Let stand until firm and then cut. Age two weeks before using.
Wrap finished bars in wax paper.



				GRANDMOTHER'S HOMEMADE SOAP

A large quantity, simple recipe.

	12 cups of clean grease
	19 1/2 cups warm water
	1 can lye
	1/4 cup ammonia
	1/2 cup borax powder

Dissolve lye in water; then let cool until lukewarm. Melt grease and cool
to lukewarm. Add grease slowly to lye water, then add ammonia and borax and
stir until thick. Pour into containers. When it is set (day or two later)
cut into squares. Age one month.
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