| There are only two ingredients required to make | | | | chemicals in the ash. That is what potash is: a basic |
| soap, yet soap making can be a very time consuming | | | | acid. |
| and difficult project. In the old days, soap was made | | | | Acid when combined with fat produces soap. It’s |
| a couple of times per year, sometimes once a year. | | | | a basic chemical reaction. The problem with making |
| One of the reasons for not making soap more often | | | | soap is the unpredictable strength of the potash. |
| was because it was a long-drawn out process. | | | | Potash suitable for soap making should be able to |
| The two items necessary to soap making are fat | | | | float a raw egg so that only a portion of the shell |
| and lye. Any type of fat will work but it must be | | | | about the size of quarter should show above the |
| cleaned by a process known as rendering. The fat is | | | | liquid. If the potash does not float the egg it is |
| placed in a large pot and allowed to melt. Any meat, | | | | poured back into the large container and allowed to |
| gristle or hair will sink to the bottom as the | | | | drip through again. It takes up to a week or more to |
| temperature rises. The liquid fat is carefully ladled off | | | | get a gallon of potash. Ashes are continually added to |
| and stored. If the fat you were using was from a pig | | | | the larger container. Eventually the large container will |
| those deep fried pieces of skin would be called | | | | need to be emptied and new straw and ashes added. |
| crackling’s and were considered by many to be a | | | | Once you have potash strong enough to float an |
| delicacy. | | | | egg you are ready to begin the time consuming job |
| The second item needed in soap making is lye. In the | | | | of boiling the potash and fat together until it reacts |
| early 1900’s lye, in a dry form, could be found in | | | | sufficiently to make soap. Determining how much fat |
| almost every general store in America. Today it is | | | | to add to potash is the difficult part. Too much |
| not so easy to find. However, lye made from wood | | | | potash and you will be stirring the mixture over a hot |
| ash is called potash and can be made easily at home. | | | | fire or stove for many hours, too little and you will |
| You will need two containers; one large one and a | | | | end up with useless fat. It is better to have too |
| smaller one…the larger the better for the bigger | | | | much potash than too little. The most commonly |
| one. A 55-gallon plastic barrel or drum is best for the | | | | used ratio is 1:1. Equal amounts of both fat and |
| larger container and a drywall bucket is large enough | | | | strong potash. |
| for the smaller one. | | | | The soap that you are used to seeing is not what |
| The larger container needs to be placed on a stable | | | | this process will produce. Until salt became an |
| platform higher than the smaller one is tall. Gravity will | | | | inexpensive item all homemade soap was the |
| do the most of the work. Into the large bucket you | | | | consistency of jelly. Homemade soap of bygone eras |
| will place a layer of packed straw. You will then add | | | | was like today’s shower gel. To make soap hard |
| ash from a wood fire. The ash from fruit trees and | | | | salt must be added at the end of the process. The |
| hardwoods will produce the strongest potash. Some | | | | addition of salt allows the soap to set. |
| of the old time soap makers would use only one | | | | If you add salt to your soap mixture you will need to |
| type of ash. They learned that certain species of | | | | place it in a pan, box or mold to harden. If you do |
| wood produced the strongest potash. The stronger | | | | not add salt you can use any container to hold your |
| the potash the better the soap will be. | | | | soap. Just remember that it’s easier to dip the |
| About a gallon of water is then added to the large | | | | liquid soap than to pour so choose a container with a |
| container. A small hole is put in the bottom of the | | | | large top opening. |
| bucket and the smaller bucket placed underneath. | | | | Ground herbs, nut hulls, scented oils and colorings can |
| Some people allow the water to sit in the larger | | | | be added once the process is complete but before |
| bucket before it’s drained off. A cork or stopper | | | | you pour the soap into your containers. Hardened |
| may be placed in the hole. Add a small amount of | | | | soaps are usually allowed to cure for a couple of |
| water daily until you have a working potash barrel. | | | | weeks. Once cured the new soaps are cut and ready |
| About a half a gallon will do. As the water drips down | | | | for use. |
| through the ash and straw it leaches out the alkaline | | | | |