Hot Process Soap Making in a Crock Pot!  Woo Hoo!

By Roma Christensen

Links to important documents  Safety First  MSDS

I never would have believed it!  I have made soap for ten years now using the cold process method.  I love to make soap.  It is therapy to my soul.  The added benefit of using handmade soap makes it even more appealing.  Handmade soap is much more moisturizing and seems to clean better than store bought soaps.  OK, it seems that you can teach an old dog… new tricks!  WOW, something new and… I loved it! 

I would like to share my experience with you.  This tutorial is best used by people who are familiar with making soap.  But, a novice can do it as long as they follow the safety rules!

Please read the safety instructions before trying this or any other soap making project using lye.  AND… have a bottle of apple cider vinegar close at hand to neutralize anything that may get on your skin or on your cupboards.  Better yet: DO NOT GET IT ON YOUR BODY OR YOUR CUPBOARDS… LYE (chemical name: sodium hydroxide or NaOH) WILL BURN YOU or destroy your nicely varnished cupboards.  If you do, however, get it on you… rinse with water for 15 minutes and pour apple cider vinegar on it.  Ready… here goes!

Assemble all your necessary soap making gear and cover your work surface with butcher paper.  You will need: a crock pot that will be used for making soap… never to be used for food again, a good scale that will measure in ounces, rubber gloves, safety glasses, a thermometer, long handled spoon, containers to weigh oils and lye in, a pitcher to combine water and lye in, a soap mold (in this instance I used a 1 gallon plastic freezer container), fragrance or essential oils and a small container to measure them in, apple cider vinegar just in case you spill, colors that are safe to use in soap, extra additives, an apron, a long sleeved shirt, long pants and shoes that cover your toes… no sandals.

Important note: Each oil has its own saponification value.  Therefore, you can not substitute just any old oil for the ones on the list.  You have to match the saponification value.  The saponification value is what is used to calculate the amount of Lye (NaOH sodium hydroxide) and water needed to make the recipe work.  Do not use aluminum.  Aluminum will corrode and ruin your soap too.

I started at 08:00.  I weighed my oils and put them in the crock pot on low heat.  I weighed the distilled water and put it into a pitcher (plastic or glass only) in my sink.  I put on my personal protective clothing (safety glasses, long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes, rubber gloves and an apron) and measured the lye (the chemical name for lye is NaOH or sodium hydroxide).  I opened the window above the sink for ventilation and began to pour the lye slowly into the water while stirring with a long handled plastic spoon. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: (NEVER; add the water to the lye, or; pour the lye into the container of water all at once, because; it will have a violent reaction and jump right out of the pitcher and either on you… or down the front of your cupboards!)  DO NOT BREATHE while stirring the lye into the water.  The solution will fume for about 30 seconds to one minute after mixing with water.  You could damage your lungs if you breathe the fumes.  If you spill any lye crystals on your cupboard while measuring the exact amount, use a wet wash cloth and clean it up.  If you miss any crystals and then put your hand on one… or step on one with a bare foot, you will never forget it… it hurts! 

Your measurements must be precise!

The following files show you how to make three different kinds of soap.

Tutorial and Recipe #1 PDF file

Tutorial and Recipe #1 web page

Tutorial and Recipe #2 PDF file

Tutorial and Recipe #2 web page

Tutorial and Recipe #3 web page