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Lye for soap making is a little harder to find than the rest of the ingredients you’ll need. Lye isn’t carried in grocery stores anymore, but it’s still available online and at chemical supply stores. And, you may be able to find it at your local hardware store as well.
Many soap makers choose to purchase their lye in large quantities. You can get large bags of 25 or 50 pounds, paying by the pound in most cases. This will give you more than enough lye to last you for many batches to come. It also saves you the inconvenience of having to order some each time you want to make a batch of soap.
Another alternative to purchasing lye for your soap making recipes is to make it yourself. The overall process of making lye is fairly simple, however you have to be sure to adhere to all safety precautions, and use common sense. Lye will burn anything it touches and this is why safety precautions are critical.
Lye is made from the combination of wood ashes and water settling together over time. If you are considering making your own, you should know that the best lye comes from hardwood, so you want to avoid using evergreens. This process takes at least 3 days to complete, depending on the strength you need.
The basic soap making supplies you’ll need are a large pot or kettle, one that can hold up to at least 15 quarts, a pitcher, a thermometer and a mold for your soap. You should only use metal stirring utensils to prevent them from melting due to the chemical reaction caused by the lye as it heats up.
As a safety precaution, when purchasing soap making supplies you should include goggles for eye protection and thick rubber gloves to protect your hands from the lye. These items can be purchased at most local retail stores as well as online.
In Addition To Lye For Soap Making, You’ll Need Some Basic Supplies
The rest of your soap making supplies are very easy to find, and you may already have some of them in your kitchen. If not, you’ll be able to purchase them at almost any store or even order them online when you purchase your lye if it’s more convenient for you to have the products delivered right to your door.
The ingredients you’ll need for your first batch of soap all depend on which recipe you choose to use. Some call for very few items, while others that have fragrances will call for more. Your recipe should at the very minimum call for lard, lye, soft water, and in some cases oils.
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