Soap

Making
The science of soap and its making process

Beley, Mark Vincent P.

Bondoc, Trizz Ann Joyce V.
Cucal, Rona Camille T.
Dela Cruz, Raniel C.
Pablo, Monique O.
Rillera, Rovi Mae C.
Vergara, Artemio Jr. G.
 What is Soap?
• Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a
variety of cleansing and lubricating
products.
• In a domestic setting, soaps are
surfactants usually used for washing,
bathing, and other types of housekeeping.
• In industrial settings, soaps are used as
thickeners, components of some
lubricants, and precursors to catalysts.
History of Soap
 • The ancient Babylonians are credited with being
the first people to make soap.
• Their recipe for animal fats, wood ash and water
has been found carved into clay containers
dating back to 2800 B.C.
• They likely used the concoction for washing wool
and cotton so the materials could be woven into
cloth and not so much for cleaning their bodies.

• The ancient Egyptians developed a similar recipe

for soap, which they used for treating sores, skin
diseases and personal washing.
• The Romans also made soap, but it wasn't until
the later centuries of the Roman era that soap
was used for personal hygiene; prior to that, soap
was a physician's tool for treating diseases.
 The basic recipe for soap hasn't
changed for thousands of years. It's
still a combination of fat or oils with
an alkali — basic ionic salt — and
water. When those ingredients
combine in the proper proportions,
they go through a chemical process
called saponification, which results
in soap.
Soap is is a byproduct of a chemical reaction
of:

Lye Oil
"Saponification"
 Lye
Lye is also known as sodium
hydroxide and is a very caustic
substance.
It was traditionally made from ashes,
but now can just be purchased easily.
It is used both for soap making and
as a drain cleaner, as it will eat away
at greasy build up in pipes.
Oil
The oils in soap are going to transform it into
something completely different.
Picking oils is the most fun part of creating a
soap recipe.
Each oil will bring its own property to the
finished product.
Examples of oils:
Castor oil creates lots of lather
Olive oil is very moisturizing
Coconut oil helps harden the bar
Shea butter nourishes the skin.
 Saponification
• Saponification is a process that involves the conversion of fat,
oil, or lipid, into soap and alcohol by the action of aqueous
alkali.
• Soaps are salts of fatty acids, which in turn are carboxylic
acids with long carbon chains.
• A typical soap is sodium oleate.
• The reaction involves the treatment of free fatty acids and/or
glycerides with a base and may be considered a special case of
hydrolysis when a glyceride is reacted with a base.
Saponification
 Saponification
• Saponification is at the heart of soap-making. It is the
chemical reaction in which the building blocks of fats
and oils (triglycerides) react with lye to form soap.
• Saponification literally means "turning into soap"
from the root word, sapo, which is Latin for soap.
• The products of the saponification reaction are
glycerin and soap. Chemically, soap is a fatty acid salt.
WHY DO WE USE SOAP?
 Germs, or microbes, are everywhere. Literally, everywhere. In the
air, soil, water and on every surface, including your body; and our
first line of defense against those harmful germs is soap.

Soap doesn't kill germs on our hands, it removes them. Germs

stick to the oils and grease on our hands. Water alone won't
remove much of the germs on our hands because water and oil
don't like each other, so they won't mix.
 How does Soap actually
work?
• Soap likes both water and oil.
• That's because soap molecules are a type of
surfactant, which means they have one end
that's water loving, or hydrophilic, and one
end that's oil loving, or hydrophobic.
• When you wash your hands with soap, the
soap molecules act as a mediator between
the water and oil molecules, and bind with
both of them at the same time.
• Then when you rinse everything off, the
soap carries away the germs with the
water.
Cold Process Hot Process

2 Types
of
Soap making
Process:
 Cold Process
• In the cold process, a room-temperature lye solution (sodium
hydroxide in water) is mixed with animal or vegetable oil.
• As the ingredients react with one another, the mixture thickens
and heats up.
• Before it gets too thick, the mixture is poured into a mold where
it solidifies, and the saponification process is complete.
• The last step is to let the soap sit, or cure for a few weeks, which
allows excess water in the mixture to evaporate, this makes a
harder soap.
 Hot Process
• The hot process is the more traditional and ancient way to
make soap and requires an outside source of heat.
• The ingredients are heated as they're mixed, which
increases the speed of the saponification process.
• The soap is in a liquid form when it's poured into molds and
it's ready for use as soon as it's solidified.
• Hot-process soap can be cured in a way that's similar to the
cold-process soap, but it's not usually needed.
Basic Ingredients and Procedure of Soap Making
Beginner friendly
 Soap-Making
Calculator
• Oils and fats each have what is called a “saponification
value,” which is the amount of lye needed to completely
neutralize them into the soap with no lye left over.
• Each oil has a different value, which is why it’s
important to always run soap recipes through a lye
calculator.
• The calculator will help ensure that the ratios of water,
oils, and lye are correct and will produce the better
results.
• The safe amount for the ingredients depends on the
type and amount of oil use.
 Basic soap-maker supplies and tools:
• Slow cooker
• Plastic, glass, or stainless steel container (for measuring lye)
• Heavy duty plastic, glass, or stainless steel container (for mixing lye and water)
• Digital kitchen scale
• Silicone spatulas (that are used only for soap-making)
• Immersion blender (with stainless steel shaft)
• Candy thermometer (that is used only for soap-making)
• Silicone loaf mold (or individual molds)
• Soap cutter
Note: Avoid using aluminum or tin containers to handle lye, since this can be unsafe.
 Soap-making safety equipment:

• Safety goggles
• Rubber or latex gloves
• Oven mitt
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Apron
• Well-ventilated work area
 Basic ingredients of soap making:
• 20 oz. coconut oil
• 10 oz. olive oil
• 9 oz. distilled water
• 4.78 oz. 100% pure lye
• 20 to 40 drops of essential oils, if desired
• Colorants (optional)
• Dried herbs or flowers (optional)
 IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
Lye is highly corrosive substance can irritate the skin, eyes,
and respiratory system. However, when done properly,
saponification turns lye into soap. No lye will remain in the
final product.

Avoid using aluminum or tin containers to handle lye, since

this can be unsafe.
 Soap-Making
Calculator
• Oils and fats each have what is called a “saponification
value,” which is the amount of lye needed to completely
neutralize them into the soap with no lye left over.
• Each oil has a different value, which is why it’s
important to always run soap recipes through a lye
calculator.
• The calculator will help ensure that the ratios of water,
oils, and lye are correct and will produce the better
results.
• The safe amount for the ingredients depends on the
type and amount of oil use.
 STEP BY STEP PROCESS

1 2 3
Measure your Add the coconut oil to the
Set the slow cooker to slow cooker. As it melts,
ingredients and put on
low. prepare the lye solution.
your safety gear.
Slowly add the lye to the
water. (Do not add water
to lye — this is unsafe.)
 STEP BY STEP PROCESS

4 5 6
With a spatula, carefully Check the oils. If the
Set aside the lye coconut oil has
stir the solution as you
solution. Let cool for 15 completely melted, add
add the lye. It’ll become
to 20 minutes. the olive oil. Stir well.
hot and release fumes,
which is fine.
 STEP BY STEP PROCESS

7 8 9
Check the temperature of the Set the blender to low.
oils using the candy Gently pour in the lye to Stir the mixture, moving
thermometer. Once the oils avoid splashing. Stir in circles. Keep the
have reached 120 to 130°F (49 slowly. blender immersed to
to 54°C), place the immersion
avoid air bubbles.
blender on the side of the
slow cooker.
 STEP BY STEP PROCESS
10
Continue blending and
stirring for 10 to 15 minutes,
or until the soap has reached
trace. This is when the oils
and lye solution have
thickened and look like
pudding.
11 12
Turn off the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker. Let cool until the mixture
Cook on low for 50 drops below 180°F (82°C).
minutes. If the mixture Add essential oils and
bubbles, stir it gently. colorants, if using. Mix
well.
STEP BY STEP PROCESS

13
Continue blending and
stirring for 10 to 15 minutes,
or until the soap has reached
trace. This is when the oils
and lye solution have
thickened and look like
pudding.
Benefits of Soap MAKING YOUR OWN SOAP ALLOWS YOU
TO AVOID ALL OF THOSE UNDESIRABLE
& INGREDIENTS.

Soap Making:
SOAP MAKING CAN BE A GOOD START FOR
A PROFITABLE BUSINESS VENTURE

SOAP HAS THE ABILITY TO CLEAN OUR

CLOTHES AND DISINFECT OUR
SURROUNDINGS FROM HARMFUL
BACTERIA AND DIRT.

SOAPS REMAIN ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL

AND FUNDAMENTAL HYGIENE TOOL THAT
MANKIND EVER CREATED.
- End of Presentation -

Thank you!
 REFERENCE
LINKS
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-soap#basic-how-to

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/saponification-in-soap-making-517092

https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/soap-making-for-beginners/

https://www.livescience.com/57044-science-of-soap.html