MIXERS

A long handled implement is preferable, as you will be stirring a caustic solution. You could use a wooden spoon but remember that lye will eventually corrode the wood. When this happens, the wood will become soft and splintered, leaving tiny splinters in the soap. A spoon with stains should also be avoided since any discoloration of the spoon will be transferred to your soap.

Plastic implements may also be used, but you might discover that they are too weak and flexible when subjected to high temperatures. If you do want to use plastic, you would do best to go with a heavy-duty plastic, which is sturdier.

Heavy-duty rubber or silicone spatulas do not deteriorate at nearly the same rate but they are also more expensive to purchase. Finally, stainless steel whisks are excellent tools for emulsifying the oil-lye solution.

GLOVES

Soap that is not neutralized is extremely caustic. For this reason, it is imperative that safety precautions be taken to protect your skin. Therefore, you will need to wear rubber or plastic gloves to protect your lower arms from the lye, as well as the hot liquid soap.

GOGGLES

Another important factor about soap that is not neutralized is that it is bad for your eyes. Safety goggles or glasses will provide needed protection for your eyes, shielding them from fumes or splashes. Even if you wear glasses, you should still wear goggles since the caustic solution could damage your frames or lenses.

Safety goggles are an inexpensive way to prevent accidents.

KNIVES

Keeping a sharp knife handy will help at many stages of the soap making process. To begin with, you will need to cut up the fat or suet for rendering, which is the time sharpness really counts. Once your soap is finished, you will also need to slice it into bars. Many soap makers will try different knives until they find one that cuts the soap best and feels good in the hand.

PRIMARY MOLD

A “primary mold” is simply a fancy name for a clear plastic container with a lid. This container will be used to hold the liquid soap produced as it hardens. The primary mold should be somewhat large, holding up to 12 quarts of liquid. Additionally, you want the mold to have square corners so the bars of soap do not end up with strange edges.

Avoid lining your mold with plastic wrap or wax paper. While these materials may prolong the life of your mold, they often become wrinkled, again, affecting the shape of your finished soap. It is also important that the container be clear. This will help you see if the lye has combined with the fats (and oils, if used) to form the soap mixture.

INSULATION

It is important that your soap mixture cools and hardens at the correct temperature. If it cools too quickly, it may become brittle. Therefore, you should insulate your primary mold with a towel, blanket, or other warming wrapper. Whatever material you choose, wrap it tightly around the mold to ensure the soap sets up slowly and properly.

CARDBOARD

As the soap hardens, you should prepare to cut it into bars. Take some thin cardboard, such as a cereal box, and cut templates the size of the bars you want. Once your soap sets up, simply place this template on the surface and cut your bars to size. You will find this simple step saves time and effort.

GRATER

If you plan to make hand-milled soaps, one of the most important pieces of equipment will be a good quality kitchen grader. Again, stainless steel is a good material for resisting lye, but because you will be grating soap that has already saponified, the grater in this situation would not need to be stainless steel grater.

In saying that, you also want to avoid using aluminum or tin. Even though there will be minimal amounts of lye in basic soap already cured and hardened, these substances cannot withstand them.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

Most people already have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, just in case. However, if you do not have a fire extinguisher on hand and you plan to make soap, now is the time to buy one, again, just in case. Like the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

While you will probably never need to use it, you should always be prepared for anything. You will find several different classes of fire extinguisher so make sure you purchase the type that will put out the type of fire you might face, namely, grease fires or flare ups, which can be caused by mixing lye with water. The type of fire extinguisher that you should not purchase is a Class A.

Go to soap making for additional information and more soap making tips.