How To Make Cold Process Soap: Basic Soap Making Instructions for Beginners
Do you want to learn how to make cold process soap? These basic soap making instructions for beginners will walk you through the entire process making your first batch of soap.
Soap making from scratch really isn't that hard. It does take a little time, patience, and preparation, but you end up with soap so wonderful you'll decide it's worth all the work.
I LOVE my handmade soap. And I know you'll love yours too. Are you ready to try it?
The instructions below will walk you step-by-step through the cold process soap making method. Use the instructions below to make any cold process soap recipe of your choosing.
Read through the instructions to familiarize yourself with the process before starting out.
If you're brand spankin' new to making soap from scratch, you'll want to check out The Ultimate Guide to Making Soap From Scratch. It will answer all your soap making questions.
Making cold process soap from scratch takes time, especially the first few times you do it. Trying to rush through only leaves you feeling stressed, can lead to mistakes that ruin your soap, and definitely takes all the fun out of making soap. (You are doing this for fun, right?)
Soap making is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. Give yourself several uninterrupted hours so you can work through the steps carefully.
Once you've got a few batches under you belt, the entire process goes much more quickly. I can whip up a batch in under 30 minutes. But the first few batches you make will take considerably longer; that's OK! You'll get faster as you gain experience.
Ready to start making soap?
I like to read through my recipe a time or two to make sure I'm familiar with it. I also like to lay out all of my ingredients. This has saved me quite a few times from forgetting to add an oil.
Now that you've got your work station set up, let's make some soap!
Put on your gloves and safety glasses now. Keep these on the entire time, through clean up.
STEP 1: In a measuring cup weigh out each oil individually, according to the recipe, and add into the stainless steel pot.
When all of your oils are in the pot, place them on the stove and warm over low heat until solid oils are just melted. Don't over heat your oils.
Once your oils are melted, take them off the heat to cool a bit.
Soaper's Tip: When weighing out your ingredients, don't forget to take into account the weight of your container. If your scale has a tare feature, place the empty container on the scale, press the tare button, and your scale will be calibrated to zero.
If your scale does not have a tare button, measure the empty container and subtract this weight from the weight of your oils to get the correct measurement.
STEP 2: In the large pitcher, weigh out cold water according to the recipe directions.
Place your water pitcher into your sink and leave it there as you mix your lye solution. This way, if it's accidentally knocked over the lye water will safely go down the drain rather than all over your countertops and floor.
STEP 3: In the second large measuring cup, weigh out the lye crystals according to the recipe directions.
Slowly pour the lye crystals into the pitcher of water. Stir until dissolved. Take care as this solution will get really hot, really quickly!
Place the cup used for measuring lye crystals into the sink and immediately rinse with cold water, as a simple safety measure.
STEP 4: Allow both the lye solution and oils to cool for 15 minutes or so. Use this time to prepare your soap mold, and measure out any fragrance oils, colorants, herbs, or other additives that your soap recipe calls for.
STEP 5: After the lye and oils have cooled for a bit, it's time to rock and roll!
Pour the lye/water solution directly into the pot with the oils. (You are still wearing your rubber gloves and goggles, right?) Place the empty lye pitcher in the sink as a safety measure.
Grab your stick blender and start blending. Keep blending until your soap starts to thicken to a pancake batter consistency (this is called trace in soap makers terms.)
Soaper's Tip: Use your stick blender in 20 to 30 second spurts, then turn off for 10 to 15 seconds. This allows the motor to cool a bit to prevent it from burning out.
See how the color has changed in my soap pot?
My soap has traced! It's nice and thick and creamy. Doesn't it look lovely?
STEP 6: Add fragrance, colorants, herbs, etc. as directed by your recipe now. Just give it a quick stir to make sure everything is well incorporated.
STEP 7: Pour or ladle your soap into the prepared mold. If your mold (or box) has a lid, put it on now.
While a lid isn't a necessity, I generally prefer lidding my soap mold because it prevents pets, kids, and accidental fingers from getting into your soap. The soap batter will be caustic for the next 24 hours, so it's a good safety measure. If your mold doesn't come with a lid, a scrap piece of plywood or a thick piece of cardboard cut to size will do.
That gooey mixture you just poured into your mold is going to firm up and turn into lovely soap. The saponification process, or the process of turning oils into soap, takes 24 hours to complete.
Your soap will continue to generate heat as it saponifies. Feel the mold after several hours and you may be surprised that it's as hot, or hotter, than when you poured. Heat is a by-product of the saponification process.
Your soap will also change in color throughout the next few hours, as it completes its chemical change. The batter will darken and take on a translucent quality, starting in the middle and moving out to the edges. As the soap cools, it will lighten and turn opaque again.
It's OK to peak at your soap over the next 24 hours (in fact, I recommend it; it's so interesting!)
While the saponification process is complete after 24 hours, the soap will still be incredibly soft and sticky. Because of this, let the soap set in the mold for at least 48 to 72 hours.
STEP 8: Now, for the exciting part. It's time to unmold your soap!
Turn you soap out onto a piece of freezer paper or brown paper bag. Admire it for a bit, then cut into bars. Your soap will solid but still soft, almost the consistency of cheese.
CURE: Undoubtedly, you're ready to use your soap, but you'll have to wait a bit longer. The soap bars still need to cure.
Lay the bars out on a piece of brown paper or freezer paper and set them in an out of the way spot (an empty cabinet or closet shelf is perfect for this.) Don't cover your soap bars, and make sure the bars aren't touching one another. Turn bars every week or so, to expose all sides to air.
Let cure for 30 days. As the soap cures, it becomes harder and longer lasting. After your soap has cured, it's ready to use!
Enjoy your handcrafted soap! Aren't you ready to make another batch?
Get a printable Cold Process Soap Making Cheat Sheet + Lye Safety Checklist to walk you step-by-step through making your next batch of soap.
Soap making from scratch really isn't that hard. It does take a little time, patience, and preparation, but you end up with soap so wonderful you'll decide it's worth all the work.
I LOVE my handmade soap. And I know you'll love yours too. Are you ready to try it?
The instructions below will walk you step-by-step through the cold process soap making method. Use the instructions below to make any cold process soap recipe of your choosing.
Read through the instructions to familiarize yourself with the process before starting out.
If you're brand spankin' new to making soap from scratch, you'll want to check out The Ultimate Guide to Making Soap From Scratch. It will answer all your soap making questions.
Making cold process soap from scratch takes time, especially the first few times you do it. Trying to rush through only leaves you feeling stressed, can lead to mistakes that ruin your soap, and definitely takes all the fun out of making soap. (You are doing this for fun, right?)
Soap making is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. Give yourself several uninterrupted hours so you can work through the steps carefully.
Once you've got a few batches under you belt, the entire process goes much more quickly. I can whip up a batch in under 30 minutes. But the first few batches you make will take considerably longer; that's OK! You'll get faster as you gain experience.
Ready to start making soap?
Safety Reminders
Before we get started, let's review some soap making safety. I want you to be safe, friend!- Wear goggles and gloves the entire time you're making soap, from beginning to after you're done cleaning up.
- Only use stainless steel or rubber/plastic implements (never aluminum).
- Handle lye carefully. Review the lye handling safety tips.
- Always add lye to the water... never the other way around.
- Clean up lye spills and soap batter drips immediately. Here's how to safely handle lye spills.
Necessary Soap Making Supplies
These should be used exclusively for soap making.- Stainless steel pot
- 1 large plastic #5 pitcher
- 2 large plastic measuring cups (4 cup size with spout) for measuring oil and lye
- Plastic spoons or silicone spatulas
- Stick blender
- Scale that weighs in pounds and ounces
- Soap mold (this can be as elaborate as a wooden mold made just for soap, or as simple as a shoe box lined with freezer paper)
- Your preferred cold process soap recipe. This easy 2-oil cold process soap recipe is perfect for beginners.
How To Make Cold Process Soap: Step-By-Step Instructions
PREP WORK: Gather all supplies and ingredients. You'll want to have everything you'll need on hand and within easy reach.I like to read through my recipe a time or two to make sure I'm familiar with it. I also like to lay out all of my ingredients. This has saved me quite a few times from forgetting to add an oil.
Now that you've got your work station set up, let's make some soap!
Put on your gloves and safety glasses now. Keep these on the entire time, through clean up.
STEP 1: In a measuring cup weigh out each oil individually, according to the recipe, and add into the stainless steel pot.
When all of your oils are in the pot, place them on the stove and warm over low heat until solid oils are just melted. Don't over heat your oils.
Once your oils are melted, take them off the heat to cool a bit.
Soaper's Tip: When weighing out your ingredients, don't forget to take into account the weight of your container. If your scale has a tare feature, place the empty container on the scale, press the tare button, and your scale will be calibrated to zero.
If your scale does not have a tare button, measure the empty container and subtract this weight from the weight of your oils to get the correct measurement.
STEP 2: In the large pitcher, weigh out cold water according to the recipe directions.
Place your water pitcher into your sink and leave it there as you mix your lye solution. This way, if it's accidentally knocked over the lye water will safely go down the drain rather than all over your countertops and floor.
STEP 3: In the second large measuring cup, weigh out the lye crystals according to the recipe directions.
Slowly pour the lye crystals into the pitcher of water. Stir until dissolved. Take care as this solution will get really hot, really quickly!
Place the cup used for measuring lye crystals into the sink and immediately rinse with cold water, as a simple safety measure.
STEP 4: Allow both the lye solution and oils to cool for 15 minutes or so. Use this time to prepare your soap mold, and measure out any fragrance oils, colorants, herbs, or other additives that your soap recipe calls for.
STEP 5: After the lye and oils have cooled for a bit, it's time to rock and roll!
Pour the lye/water solution directly into the pot with the oils. (You are still wearing your rubber gloves and goggles, right?) Place the empty lye pitcher in the sink as a safety measure.
Grab your stick blender and start blending. Keep blending until your soap starts to thicken to a pancake batter consistency (this is called trace in soap makers terms.)
Soaper's Tip: Use your stick blender in 20 to 30 second spurts, then turn off for 10 to 15 seconds. This allows the motor to cool a bit to prevent it from burning out.
See how the color has changed in my soap pot?
My soap has traced! It's nice and thick and creamy. Doesn't it look lovely?
STEP 6: Add fragrance, colorants, herbs, etc. as directed by your recipe now. Just give it a quick stir to make sure everything is well incorporated.
STEP 7: Pour or ladle your soap into the prepared mold. If your mold (or box) has a lid, put it on now.
While a lid isn't a necessity, I generally prefer lidding my soap mold because it prevents pets, kids, and accidental fingers from getting into your soap. The soap batter will be caustic for the next 24 hours, so it's a good safety measure. If your mold doesn't come with a lid, a scrap piece of plywood or a thick piece of cardboard cut to size will do.
That gooey mixture you just poured into your mold is going to firm up and turn into lovely soap. The saponification process, or the process of turning oils into soap, takes 24 hours to complete.
Your soap will continue to generate heat as it saponifies. Feel the mold after several hours and you may be surprised that it's as hot, or hotter, than when you poured. Heat is a by-product of the saponification process.
Your soap will also change in color throughout the next few hours, as it completes its chemical change. The batter will darken and take on a translucent quality, starting in the middle and moving out to the edges. As the soap cools, it will lighten and turn opaque again.
It's OK to peak at your soap over the next 24 hours (in fact, I recommend it; it's so interesting!)
While the saponification process is complete after 24 hours, the soap will still be incredibly soft and sticky. Because of this, let the soap set in the mold for at least 48 to 72 hours.
STEP 8: Now, for the exciting part. It's time to unmold your soap!
Turn you soap out onto a piece of freezer paper or brown paper bag. Admire it for a bit, then cut into bars. Your soap will solid but still soft, almost the consistency of cheese.
CURE: Undoubtedly, you're ready to use your soap, but you'll have to wait a bit longer. The soap bars still need to cure.
Lay the bars out on a piece of brown paper or freezer paper and set them in an out of the way spot (an empty cabinet or closet shelf is perfect for this.) Don't cover your soap bars, and make sure the bars aren't touching one another. Turn bars every week or so, to expose all sides to air.
Let cure for 30 days. As the soap cures, it becomes harder and longer lasting. After your soap has cured, it's ready to use!
Enjoy your handcrafted soap! Aren't you ready to make another batch?
Get a printable Cold Process Soap Making Cheat Sheet + Lye Safety Checklist to walk you step-by-step through making your next batch of soap.
