Making Soap: Goat Milk Soap Making

Soapmakers always weigh their ingredients-  But for a beginner- this recipe will work to make a very Basic small batch of soap-

Once you have mastered this, you can apply the basic idea to recipes calling for more refined oils and colorants , fragrances and larger batches.

More detailed soapmaking information can be found here -

This small article is just meant to introduce you to the art of goat milk soapmaking.  

Always wear protective clothing with long sleeves, rubber gloves and protective eye wear
Lye is caustic and will burn!
In case of Accidental lye on the skin - flush immediately with vinegar.. water will not neutralize the lye! Always add lye crystals to liquid- never liquid to lye!

Add slowly, as the lye reacts with the liquid and becomes extremely hot immediately. Do this in the sink for accidental overflows.
Use ONLY stainless, plastic or glass with wooden spoons for mixing- anything else will react to the lye.
Have oils warmed and ready to go before you begin.
Have molds ready before you begin.

For beginning soaps, you can use old butter tubs, cocoa tubs (plastic), or a small flat rubbermaid container for the entire batch and cut after curing into bars. ALWAYS Add lye to liquid- in this case slushy goatsmilk.
Add slowly while stirring, the milk may turn orange or bright yellow- freezing and adding lye slowly will decrease the chances of this color change- if it does happen, it's ok, the soap just will not be white.Work near an open window to allow fumes to escape.Remove all children and pets from underfoot! 
Allow the lye mixture to cool to 98 degrees- Use a thermometer. When the lye has cooled, add this mixture to the warmed oils- in this case heated coconut and lard- (both of which are solid in the cool state).
Add the lye/milk slowly while stirring into the oils. Stir until the mixture has "traced"- or leaves a trail on top of the soap when drizzeled from spoon- like the consistency of thin yogurt.
It is Still caustic at this point! Do not touch it with your fingers! Even though it looks innocent.
You may add fragrance when it traces- for a true old fashioned kitchen soap, add spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice etc..
Pour into molds before this thickens any further- as it will get hard quickly!
Once you have poured the soap into the molds, allow them to sit somewhere untouched for a few weeks.
The soap will harden first then heat up once more and appear dark and "gelled"- this is normal. Because of the "saponification" which is the actual act of making soap, this happens as the lye reacts with the liquid and oils and continues for a few days.
Once the soap has cured for a couple days you can unmold it and cut it into bars. Lay the bars on a rack for further curing. You want air to circulate around them. At the end of 3 weeks the soap can be used.
All the lye in the soapmaking process has been changed chemically into soap and there is no harsh lye left in it to hurt your skin. The soap will probably be a tan or brown color- milk soaps when cut after curing and when still new may have a slight ammonia scent- this is common with milk soaps- further curing will lessen this and eventually decrease it to non-existance.
NOTE: Soap IS the chemical reaction of lye and oils- you cannot make soap without lye. Soap is the By-product of this combination.

 

Very Basic-Goat Milk Soap
1-cup lard, melted
1 -cup coconut oil, melted
1 1/2-cups goats milk (frozen till slushy)
1/4 cup lye granules (Red Devil Lye- NOT Draino)
Spices for fragrance and/or coloring

Visit "My" Favorite online soaper: Sable's Soaps
Buy one of her Tees , wear it to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival and Melinda (Lady in Pink) will give you a free bar of one of her Yummy Soaps!
Sable's Soaps are botanical goats milk soaps that are hand created and use the wonderful milk of "Sable" the Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat. You can also contact Melinda through her website

Do you make goatsmilk soap? Here is Your Tee!
Boost your sales at craft fairs!

 

Happy Soaper's Dance
Dancing feet spell outDo the Happy Soaper's Dance!When everything works out right! That perfect batch works out just the way you wanted!

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Ask me aobut my soap- Very good way to get people talking so you can make more sales!Goats Milk Soaps! Wear it!

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Time to brag- I make my Own GoatMilk Soap shows a cute baby goat in a bubble bath.Promote your soap!Wear it!

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