Hot Process soaping – generations ago!

Explore the intricacies of soap production, from cooking to hardening. Learn precise methods for creating scum-free, pure soap bars of exceptional quality.

This method is derived from a 300-year-old book for master soap makers.

Step 1 – Cooking: Mastering the Initial Phase of Soap Production

  • Cook all oils in 400 liter lye with 8-10° Baumé on low temperature, stir occasionally.
  • As soon as it starts to simmer decrease the heat. Cook for a few hours.
  • Add fresh 150 – 200 liter lye with 15-18° Baumé and stir for 15 minutes
  • Cook for a few hours (days!) till the soap has an homogeneous apperance.
  • Add 150 liter fresh lye with 15-18° Baumé.
  • After cooking for another 2 hours the “Vorsieden” pre-cooking is done.

Step 2 – Making Curd Soap: Refining the Soap Separation Process

  • Remove the pot from the heat.
  • Add a salt solution with 20 – 25° Baumé and stirr.
  • When enough salt solution is added the soap seperates from the salt water. After 5 or 6 hours remove the 2/3 of the salt water. It should have 15 – 16° Baumé.

Step 3 – Clear Boiling ("Klarsieden"): Achieving Clarity and Purity

  • Add 600 – 700 liter lye with 25° Baumé. Turn on the heat.
  • The soap expands and is very foamy. Stir it. Permanent stirring is important in this phase to decrease the cooking time.
  • After 3 or 4 hours of slowly cooking increase the heat. This step should be ready after 8-10 hours resting.
  • You will see little corns in lye. If you squezze the corns between the fingers thin and hard sheds should be formed.
  • Let it rest for another few hours.
  • Remove the soap from the now very concentrated lye.

Step 4 – First Melting: Purifying the Soap through Melting Process

  • The melting process takes place to remove excess lye, salt and impurities.
  • Add 400 liters fresh lye with 8-10° Baumé.
  • Increase the temperature and stir constantly.
  • Stop stirring when all soap is melted.
  • Cook 5 – 8 hours. To prevent clumping up add now and then pure water or lye with 2° Baumé.
  • The soap must be separate from the lye during the whole time. Proof this with a glass [sic!] of the liquid. The soap swims on top of the lye.
  • Let the soap rest for at least 8 hours.

Step 5 – Second Melting: Final Refinement for Pure, High-Quality Soap

  • Pour 150 liter of a soda/water solution (4,5-5° Baumé) in another pot, heat it till it almost cooks. Put the soap in this pot.
  • Keep it warm for 4-5 hour and stirr occasionally. You know if the soap is ready when the impurities are visible again. Let the soap rest for 20 – 24 hours. The impurities are now in the weaker lye beneath the layer with soap.
  • Remove the foam and save it for later. When you reached the pure soap remove it carefully and put it in a container. You will recognize the pure soap on the yellow-golden colour and the liquidity. Don’t forget to pour the soap through a fine plastic sieve. The now washed soap should have now a bright yellow colour, “does not have too much lye (is not “zapping”).

Step 6 – Hardening: Achieving Uniformity and Stability in Soap Texture

Now you have a container with soap. Stir it while it cools down to get plain and uniform soap.

If all steps were done the soaps should yield:

  • Soap Scum: 70-80 kg
  • Pure soap: 1050-1080 kg
  • Dirty and lyeheavy soap: 250-300 kg

 

To get an excellent and beautiful toilet soap, bleach the palmoil.

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