Home Made Soap
You most likely had experimented in soap making back then at you college days at Chemistry class. Of course, you know that Chemistry is vital in it. Crude soap is the product of the basic hydrolysis of vegetables fats and animal oils producing this anionic surfactant and glycerol. Saponification is the term in producing soaps. The fats and oils are reacted to strong basic lye (either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) producing the crude soap.
With this in mind, you can experiment soap making with the variation of the fats and oils used. There are two common processes to make soap, the hot process and cold process. The main difference for both is that the cold process utilizes the saponification value of the fats and oils being used. Precise and accurate measurement is necessary in this process because the amount of lye to be used is analytically determined from the saponification value. Excess lye can result to high pH that can cause irritation, not enough results to greasy soap.
As stated in the above scientific approach, soap making is becoming popular at household because it is easy and fun. To start your coffee soap making, purchase the following: 227 grams soy bean oil, 113 grams of coconut oil, 113 grams of olive oil, 57 grams lye (sodium hydroxide is extremely danger so take cautions, wear protective gloves and goggles), and the substitute for water, 142 grams of coffee.
Upon completion of the said ingredients, let’s proceed to the coffee soap making proper.
Measure the desired weights of the coffee and lye in separate pitchers. Remember that adding water or coffee in this case to the solution of lye is harmful. Gentle stirring is needed to the solution, cooled to temperature of 100° to 110°F Melt all the solid oils and heat the liquid oils then cool to 100° – 110°F. Check whether the temperature of the lye solution and melted/heated oils identical (or less than 10°F in difference). If so, mix the solution together by pouring thin stream of lye solution into the melted/heated oils. Ensure a constant swirling. Continue with constant stirring as the mixture thickens and you can see ‘trailing’. This will last for less than an hour. You can add essential or fragrance oils and coffee at light trace if you like. Pour the liquid crude soap into a plastic mold, cover and wrap with towel. Keep it in a warm room for approximately 2 days. %u2022 After that, take out the soap from the plastic mold and you now have the coffee soap block. Cut to blocks into bars with a knife.
Although it takes time to finish the coffee soap making process, it’s still worth it to have that coffee inspired soap to get rid of some kitchen smells in your hands!
