Hi! I am interested in learning to make soap. I was wondering what you thought of the melt and pour method of making soap for a beginner? The bars you purchase are glycerin soap and you can add what you want to. Has anyone tried that method before. I also found a neat site for that. www.hollyhobby.com I thought I would add that in there. Thank you for any suggestions you have. Karen S.

-- Karen S. (KSaun54653@aol.com), April 21, 2001

Answers

Hi Karen,

Here's a link to a newspaper article that was in my hometown paper last Sunday. There may be some information that will help you.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/livingtoday/010415/soap.shtml

-- sandra (sandihere@lycos.com), April 21, 2001.

Karen, I would not waste my money on Glycerin soap. Make all the soap you want with just a generitic lard, borax and red devil lye. There is probably some post in countryside archives on the measurements. They are mixed together without cooking. They are poured into molds or a box to cure for two days. Then you cut them into bars and let them harden for about six weeks. My wife (Meli) has been making lye soap for us a long time. For a scent she sometimes adds herbs or a store bought fragrance. The soap is great and it only costs her about 20 cents a bar. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), April 22, 2001.

Hi Karen, I've tried the melt and pour glycerin. I just melt it down in the microwave and add coloring and fragrance, pour into a mold, let it sit for about 20 minutes and voila - soap! If you're a beginner, it's fun and will boost your confidence to go on and try the "real way" with lye and fats. The melt and pour is also a fun project to do with kids since it's relatively safe and easy, and they love the quick results. Good luck with your soapmaking!

-- Barb (rosemontfarm1@aol.com), April 22, 2001.

Melt and pour is great for a beginner - in that you get a chance to work with it before playing with the lye. But, it is a rather expensive way to make soap - after all... You are buying soap to turn into soap. It can't hurt, though!!

I started that way by saving all the family scraps of soap, melting them down and re-molding them.

Lye isn't all that bad - you just have to be careful is all. I just use a gallon jar, pour it in, and add the water. I use an oven mitt to pour it into the fats with. I should probably use goggles, but I don't. Seems a waste of time - provided you are wide awake and aware of what you are doing.

So long as you don't splash it, it won't hurt you... It has to be poured slowly so that the batch doesn't seperate anyway...

One hint - learned the hard way by the hubby - don't let cold water touch the outside of your lye container... It will shatter.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 23, 2001.