Four Ways to Make Soap
Author: Sinclair A. Sheers Published on: July 20, 2001

There are four different ways to make soap. You choose the method that is right for you.

Melt and Pour
Melt and pour (m&p) is the easiest way to make soap. First, melt blocks of glycerin soap. Then stir in the scent, color, and other goodies such as ground oatmeal or herbs. Then pour the mixture into molds and let it cool. You can use it right away. If you don't want to use it yet, wrap it in something air-tight, like plastic.
Melt and Pour soap is fun to make because
you can make soap without the danger of lye,
the soap looks good when using detailed, intricate molds, and
the soap is ready to use right away.

Rebatching
To make rebatched soap, also called crafted or hand-milled soap, start with cold process (cp) soap that has been shredded or chopped into little pieces. Heat it and mix it with milk or water (whole milk is best). When it turns to liquid, add scent, color, and other goodies, and pour it into molds. When it solidifies, remove it from the molds. Then let it sit for several weeks until all the water has evaporated out of it and it is ready to use.

You would want to rebatch soap if you
do not want to work with lye or
made a batch of cold process soap that did not turn out right.

Cold Process
To make cold process (cp) soap, first, mix lye into water or another liquid such as goats milk or coffee until it has dissolved. Let the lye mixture cool to room temperature. Heat oils, butters, or fats. Mix the lye mixture into the oils. When it reaches a pudding-like consistency called "trace," add scent, color, and other goodies, and pour it into molds. Cover it with plastic and let it sit for at least 24 hours while it saponifies. After 24 hours, remove the soap from the molds and let it sit for four to six weeks so the water can evaporate out.

Cold process soapmaking is for people who
want to choose all ingredients for their soap,
know how to work with lye, a very dangerous substance,
like to use intricate detailed molds, or
do not need their soap in a hurry.

Hot Process
To make hot process (hp) soap, follow the instructions to make cold process soap except you don't have to cool your lye mixture to room temperature, and don't add color, scent, or anything else at trace.

With the hot process method, after you reach trace, cook the soap. The cooking completes the saponification process and evaporates the water out of the soap. After the soap is cooked, add scent, color, and other goodies. Pour it into molds. When it cools, it is ready to use!

You will want to make hot process soap if you
want to control all your soap's ingredients,
want to use your soap right away,
know how to work with lye, and
don't use detailed molds.